[micl9]

What really fits in the dash of a 2005+ Frontier plus some general speaker info

Hey All,
I just finished installing my Pioneer Ts-T110s - was very easy with nice results.
1st off thanks to Boomer for sharing his Ts-T110 install.

I searched and read everything on the topic of Frontier dash speakers/tweeters. I came away with some direction but not much detailed information. i.e. what exactly fits, even Crutchfield had no clue.
I decided I would share my experience and hopefully help some out down the line. This is for my 2006 CC, yours may or may not be different.
So, what fits?
Once I had my stock tweeters out this one had me puzzled as to why there was no hard numbers on this. Seemed pretty clear cut as to what could fit. There is a 2.5" dia cut out with 4 mounting holes on a 3.1" dia bolt circle. Unobstructed depth is about 1 1/4". Space between the stock bezel and mounting surface is about 1/2". Based on this info alone you could go buy a set of tweeters and by 99% sure they would fit.
I had originally planned to install my Ts-T110s with washers, the same way Boomer did. But with the information above I thought it would be pretty simple to make a drop in adapter plate (it is) and more securely hold the tweeter in. Below is a template (pdf at bottom) for a ~3x3" plate with the 3.1" dia bolt circle and a 2" hole (2" is what I needed for my Ts-T110s - this can be changed for your tweeter size up to ~2.5"). Print the template and glue it to your substrate of choice ( I used 0.06" thk plastic sheet) and cut out. Beforehand, confirm your print is: to scale and/or not compressed in one direction (ie circle is an oval) - adjust as needed.

Some general info on Frontier speakers CrewCab specific
nonRF system
Front 6x9 and tweeter are 2 and 4ohm respectively wired in parrallel - head unit sees 1.33ohms using stock wiring!
Stock tweeter has a 3.3 uF cap which corresponds to a 12kHz 6dB crossover
Stock 6x9s DO NOT have a crossover. Unless there is one buried, but I doubt it.
Rears are 6.5" - 2ohm
RF system (guys w/ RF please correct if I got anything wrong - Thanks for your input Steve)
Front 6x9 and tweeter are 4ohm and are wired directly to the amp (ie separate leads/channels)
Tweeter is bigger than in nonRF systems - more of a midrange. Any high pass filtering is done in the amp.
6x9 is driven more as a woofer, again filtering done in the amp.
Rears are 6.5" with a separate tweeter and are wired in parallel same as the fronts in a nonRF system. Tweeter has high pass cap integrated as well. Not sure of value.


Tweeter replacement STEPS
1) Remove grille - a credit card works well

2) Remove stock tweeter

3) Make adapter

4) Mount tweeter on adapter

5) I hacked the stock connector off and used it as a connector on my new speakers. USE LOW HEAT TO SOLDER AND CHECK PINS BEFORE ASSY.

6) Plug in to harness

7) Install into dash - oh yeah you will need to get some more speed or plate nuts.

8) DONE!

 

[domoMKIV]

Nice work!

Do they sound noticeably better?

 

[micl9]

YES!
Really lifts the sound stage and the sound has much better definition and clarity. Amazing how much an impact just changing tweeters makes.

 

[Boomer]

Great write up! I really like the way they sound in my truck. I was blown away how much better the highs sound.

 

[chaz]

looks good,nice job on the custom plate mount,thats small

 

[micl9]

Thanks Guys!
Learning as I go here - one reason these sound so much better is the crossover change. the stock ones have a 12kHz Xover and these Pioneers have a 7kHz Xover.

 

[chaz]

i figured i might try this so i had an old pair of polk DB series sitting on the bench,.i pulled the tweeters out and fabbed up a mount for them , took about an hour,i cant belive the sound i am now hearing from the front .these where the last stock speakers in the truck,have kenwood 6x9 in the doors and pioneer 6 1/2 in rear and now polk 1" tweets up front

 

[micl9]

Nice Chaz,
Yeah big difference. I just discovered another reason why my new tweeters sound so much better. My old ears could barely hear the stock ones! Listening to this Dog Whistle I really don't hear much above 10kHZ! So with a 12kHz crossover...

 

[steve500]

Just got these same pioneer tweeters in the mail today.

Fried the driver side tweeter of the factory RF.

The tweeters in the RF system are huge, the one in your picture above is far from the RF tweeter, the RF tweeter is more like a small mid-range tweeter that produced LOUD vocals and highs pretty well, ... bummed that the one fried, but .. oh well, hope these pioneers cover similar frequency ranges that the factory RF dash speaker produced, really gave the system a LOUD and crisp punch. I've been running the RF door speakers at full range since I disabled the dash speakers when the one fried, just not the same, so much is missing.

I don't think the factory RF tweeter/speaker has a crossover, the RF amp has a direct output for the dash speakers specifically so it was crossed-over at the amp, not at the speaker. When I take my dash RF speakers out, I'll confirm if I'm right. The rear door tweeters of the RF system have crossovers built on them, no direct harness going to the rear tweeters from the RF amp harness, only to the front.

Factory RF system:

--Dash speakers are crossed-over at the amplifier for mid to high frequencies, have their own harness running to them directly from the amp.
--Front door speakers are crossed over at the amplifier for low frequencies only, vocals are barely audible, bass only, have their own harness running to them directly from the amp.
--Rear door speakers are FULL range (bass, mid, and high) and have their own harness coming from the factory amp.
--Rear door tweeters have a built in crossover and split off from the harness running to the rear door speakers.

I have removed the factory amp and installed an 800watt 4channel amp with separate crossover controls. I have it wired and configured similar to how the factory amp was only I have full range audio going to the front door speakers now. I think I had too much gain on the dash speakers and that's what slowly killed the driver side RF dash tweeter speaker, really shi* materials those speakers are made from anyhow, sounds fantastic though before it failed.

 

[chaz]

yep that was the missing link,i still cant belive how well it sounds

 

[micl9]

Just got these same pioneer tweeters in the mail today.

I will be interested to hear your impressions on these in an RF system.

The tweeters in the RF system are huge, the one in your picture above is far from the RF tweeter, the RF tweeter is more like a small mid-range tweeter that produced LOUD vocals and highs pretty well, ...

Can you post a picture? Would be good info for the thread.

Factory RF system:

--Dash speakers are crossed-over at the amplifier for mid to high frequencies, have their own harness running to them directly from the amp.
--Front door speakers are crossed over at the amplifier for low frequencies only, vocals are barely audible, bass only, have their own harness running to them directly from the amp.
--Rear door speakers are FULL range (bass, mid, and high) and have their own harness coming from the factory amp.
--Rear door tweeters have a built in crossover and split off from the harness running to the rear door speakers.

Thanks for the input Steve I will update the 1st post.
One question - Are the speakers 2 or 4 ohm?

 

[chaz]

what about us people without a factory amp,where are these crossovers located,i have removed the stock head unit and still notice that the rears seem to be bass only/front(6x9 kenwood performance series) could be a bit more deeper as well,all factory speakers have been removed and replaced
i remember the rears (6 1/2 "pioneer)used to have a fuller sound these speakers all have thier own crossovers built in.

 

[FitzIngarage]

... I just finished installing my Pioneer Ts-T110s - was very easy with nice results. ...

Thanks very much -- an excellent post in all ways. Was it easy to figure the polarity of the stock tweeters so that the replacement tweeters are properly phased? I've been looking over the wiring diagram and it appears that for the base system in my '06 SE there will be solid blue wires to both tweeters [-] and a green wire on the left [+] and a white wire on the right [+]. But I seem to have read somewhere that Nissan has changed up the wiring every few years.

I plan to take a look at the wire colors in my truck some weekend, but MAN it's been hot. Not much fun tinkering with anything in a sweltering hot garage in August.

 

[micl9]

@ Fitz
Man I hear ya on the heat! It has been brutal working on my truck the last month.

As far as polarity, I went with the +/- markings on the tweeters. Both old and new. I used the stock connectors and marked the + based off the stock tweeter. So to be honest I did not even look at the wire colors.
I did use the 2005-2006 service manual to identify the colors on the rear doors when I replaced them. No markings at all on the speakers themselves so I could not confirm.

@ Chaz
not sure I follow - do you mean your replacement speakers? The only stock speaker I know for sure that has a cross over is the tweeter. My stock rear speakers did not have anything. And I am almost certain there is not one in-line between the door and the head unit.

 

[FitzIngarage]

As far as polarity, I went with the +/- markings on the tweeters. ...

If mine are marked as yours, I'll be in great shape with no doubts whatsoever. Thanks again!

 

[chaz]

@ Chaz
not sure I follow - do you mean your replacement speakers? The only stock speaker I know for sure that has a cross over is the tweeter. My stock rear speakers did not have anything. And I am almost certain there is not one in-line between the door and the head unit.

i was thinking there might be something in line some place,the rear is all bass,they are a full range speaker with built in tweets but no tweet,as for the front it seems there could be a bit more bass,6x9s should reall give a good pound.the stock 6x9s gave a bit more but could not handle the power

 

[micl9]

Yeah my rears sound bassy as well.
FROM the front seat! Its more just the nature of higher frequencies being more directional.
Try this open your rear door all the way and sit down next to your rear tire, I bet it will sound much better.

 

[chaz]

will do,i had those 6 1/2 in a raido box i made for a work truck connected to an alpine.
they really cranked.did some research and it was putting out 18 watts rms,now connected to a kenwood thats 22 w rms.just seems a bit odd.
gonna go try it now

 

[chaz]

the whole system sounds entirely different just sitting in the back seat.
try this ,sit in the middle and lean forward almost between the 2 front seats.
still more bass coming from the rear :they sound fine as i remember up close
i will have to look into getting a little more out of the front there should be more bass coming from those 6x9s

 

[Stokersrule]

Installed a set of the T110s today and I'd have to agree, the sound is much better IMO.