6x9 Speakers in the rear tailgate?

[Daedalus454]

I have a '96 XJ with stock speakers in the sound bar and the tailgate. The PO installed a really cheap Sony Xplod head unit and some kind of Polk Audio speakers in the doors. He disconnected the speakers in the tailgate, so I'm only playing through the sound bar and the front speakers.

My personal music tastes differ from (apparently) most of the folks on this forum. I enjoy classical, Big Band, and some early classic rock. No hip-hop for me, thanks.

I installed 3-way 6x9s in the rear of my '74 Dodge and they sounded great, plenty of bass and very smooth. I was wondering if anyone has tried modifying their tailgate to fit 6x9s?

I would rather not run a sub, they are expensive and they take up a lot of space, and I think 6x9s would be a great option, but if anyone has alternative ideas I would like to hear them.

 

[Jeep914x4]

I think the 6x9's might be too heavy for the supports to pick up. I do have 6x9's in my front doors. Then just put some nice 6.5's in the sound bar. Leave the hatch empty. You can't hear them when you thro anything in the back anyway.

 

[Daedalus454]

Thanks for the reply. What did you have to modify to fit 6x9's in your door panels?

IIRC, the sound bar speakers are 5 1/4" stock, how difficult is it to fit 6 1/2"s is there?

 

[TunaSoda]

I run 2 6x9's in the rear area in boxes, sounds good to me

There just isn't much room inside the rear hatch cavity

 

[jeepboy381]

I have 6X9's in my rear hatch of my 87 XJ. You just have to cut out the fiberglass and build some speaker mounts that will hold the speakers tight. The fiberglass is to light to hold the speakers on its own. Also like previously said, the speakers are to heavy and the hatch won't lift up at all any more. They do sound awesome though, it is nice being able to lift up the hatch "I prop it up with a wooden dowel I keep in the back to hold it open" and have music at the camp fire!

 

[Jeep914x4]

Thanks for the reply. What did you have to modify to fit 6x9's in your door panels?

IIRC, the sound bar speakers are 5 1/4" stock, how difficult is it to fit 6 1/2"s is there?

I hacked a big hole in the door, then made a small wooden panel to cover the hole and mount the speaker too.

I don't have a sound bar and I assumed the had 6.5's. 5.25 would work too. I want a sound bar to get the speakers out of the hatch. I load up to go camping or skiing and people can barely hear the stereo in the back seat.

 

[Daedalus454]

I hacked a big hole in the door, then made a small wooden panel to cover the hole and mount the speaker too.

That sounds like a pretty good solution. How is the sound? Any pics?

Any problems with the window glass hitting?

 

[Jeep914x4]

That sounds like a pretty good solution. How is the sound? Any pics?

Any problems with the window glass hitting?

:yelclap: It worked out great! I started to mount the speakers right to the door which didn't work because the magnet hit the window tracks.

I realized mounting them to the wood and screwing it into the door on top of the door panels would give me enough clearance. I put a bass blocker and they sound pretty good.

I might have some pics. If not, I could try and take some tomorrow. Once you get into it, it's not too bad. It sort of falls into place.

 

[xjjeepcjs]

Thanks for the reply. What did you have to modify to fit 6x9's in your door panels?

IIRC, the sound bar speakers are 5 1/4" stock, how difficult is it to fit 6 1/2"s is there?

I have used 6 1/2's in my sound bar. easy fit, some models require very little cutting, but the grill still fits nice and needs no mods.

 

[5-90]

1996 should still have the fibreglas liftgate - I've modded four to take 6x9's now. Takes about 20 minutes with a Dremel and some care, and make sure you don't get a speaker that's too "deep." I don't recall just how far you can go - but most of the more common speakers should fit.

Although, just because you're not into "thump" doesn't mean you wouldn't benefit from a small sub. I've got a single 10" driver fed by a 450W one-channel amp, and it's quite workable for low-end fill on most tunes (I'm a "classic rocker" - who's also into folk, funk, early rap, good guitar work, and things like that. I don't "thump" either - I don't understand why people willing listen to that crap, and my feelings on the subject should be well-known. But, getting the extra "fill" on the low-end makes the sound an awful lot richer without getting stupid about it.)

With care, you can even do the install so that the OEM liner panel fits back over with no modifications, and you don't have to advertise your new speakers.

 

[TunaSoda]

Any pics of this process?

1996 should still have the fibreglas liftgate - I've modded four to take 6x9's now. Takes about 20 minutes with a Dremel and some care, and make sure you don't get a speaker that's too "deep." I don't recall just how far you can go - but most of the more common speakers should fit.

Although, just because you're not into "thump" doesn't mean you wouldn't benefit from a small sub. I've got a single 10" driver fed by a 450W one-channel amp, and it's quite workable for low-end fill on most tunes (I'm a "classic rocker" - who's also into folk, funk, early rap, good guitar work, and things like that. I don't "thump" either - I don't understand why people willing listen to that crap, and my feelings on the subject should be well-known. But, getting the extra "fill" on the low-end makes the sound an awful lot richer without getting stupid about it.)

With care, you can even do the install so that the OEM liner panel fits back over with no modifications, and you don't have to advertise your new speakers.

 

[MoparManiac]

5-90, do you have any pics of your setup with no mods to the panel? I cut and shaved some of the fiberglass but with my setup ill need grills for the speakers.

 

[Daedalus454]

x3 on the pictures, I assume the caveat of the struts being too weak to lift the gate would still apply?

 

[X9x A T I x7X]

I have two pioneer 6x9's in my hatch. I had to cut holes in the plastic face to fit them, and cut out some of the fiberglass. My hatch is in pretty poor shape from the previous owners "modifications" aka drywall screws and bolts because all of the clips are broken, but it looks decent. I will try to get pics soon and post them. My hatch always has problems in the cold where it will lift, but not all the way. If you push it up it will stay, and in warm weather it's fine. I only saw a small decline in performance of the lift struts. I would recommend this mod.

 

[IslanderOffRoad]

Dan, I was looking at doing this as well and ended up with a sub in a box made to fit in the cubby hole (not the XJ pod, a real box made by subthump.com)

Picked up a cheap used sub off Craigslist. I listen to alot of classic rock and I get a nice drum hit now which I like.

 

[X9x A T I x7X]

 

[xcalibur223]

I would constantly hit my head when I had 2 6x9 pioneers in the rear hatch of my 89. They were installed by the PO (my uncle). Sounded awesome bc he had them amped with a small 2 channel.

 

[X9x A T I x7X]

I would constantly hit my head when I had 2 6x9 pioneers in the rear hatch of my 89. They were installed by the PO (my uncle). Sounded awesome bc he had them amped with a small 2 channel.

Hatch wouldn't lift all the way?

 

[xcalibur223]

Hatch wouldn't lift all the way?

Yeah when I took out the speakers it opened perfect. Though from looking at your install mine were installed differently. They were vertical and down towards the bottom a little more. Might be why it sagged so much. Man this is making me miss that Jeep.

 

[ehall]

I just installed some 6x9s in my hatch. I didn't have to cut much at all. To mount the speakers, I used expandable rubber well nuts in the fiberglass, with the screws going through the speaker ring. Here are a couple of pics, the first shows the hatch being modified for the speakers and some work lights (the big holes), and the second pic shows the speakers mounted.

I don't seem to get a whole lot of bass--they are way back there and are easily overpowered by the front speakers--but then again they are the stock AC Delco speakers out of my Cadillac. I don't have any problem with the hatch sagging fwiw. I also haven't modified the interior panel yet but these speakers are low enough that it won't be much of a problem (bigger speakers with taller surface area would be for sure). The thing I am looking for is a nice three-way speaker with a solid cover that can handle a toolbox sliding into it.