Hi All,
I have a 97 Dakota extended cab with the 6 speaker am/fm cd. The large
bottom speaker in the passenger door has started making noise and appears to
need replacement. How difficult is removing the door panel and does it
require any special tools or secrets?
Thank you for any help you can provide.

On Mon, 14 Sep 2009 17:23:40 -0500, "Electrician" <electrician (AT) xo (DOT) com>
wrote:

Have you ever removed door panels in the past?

See Eastwood's page on the web for some tools (they are not expensive)
to do door panels. Not sure they will help on this door (never done a
Dakota) but that's a good starting point.

Also try making friends with a local audio/car audio store. I bet they
can tell you exactly what to do to get the panel off without damage.
Also, of course, a shop manual is useful when doing this.

And... <g> When you replace the speaker, do both at the same time. If
you don't you will find the other side fails almost immediately!

My 2000 had electric windows and locks & mirrors. No worries, 3 screws to
undo on the panel, on in right beside the inside door latch 2 on the bottom
corners. the panels use a "hook-notches into holes in door", instead of
them old P.O.S. push in holders all them old cars had, that have to be pried
out of the door (some need a nice tool to prevent tearing up them things or
the panels themselves).

Once the Screws are out, then you just lift the panel up about 1/2 inch from
where it is normally, and it comes off the door, then you remove the switch
box from the panel and drop the door panel out of your way. I don't know
about Manual windows, you might need the clip tool, that releases the handle
from the cranking Assy,. unless they are held on with an obvious screw or
allen head bolt or something.

Hoping you find the older truck the same as my 2000 (technically same
bodystyle)

Good luck.
"Electrician" <electrician (AT) xo (DOT) com> wrote

"PlowBoy" <s (AT) yah (DOT) com> wrote

Thanks PlowBoy. I failed to post that it also has electric locks and
windows. Based upon your experience I'm going to be brave and jump right
into it. I'll let you know how it went.

should seem easy IMHO, I was nervous at first, least I didn't go Prying the
panel away from the door, like you would on older cars, if I had it would
have broken stuff!

it is painless compared to other cars I have done with those push in friggin
holders for the door skins.

"Electrician" <electrician (AT) xo (DOT) com> wrote

"Plowboy" <A (AT) invalid (DOT) invalid> wrote

The speaker has been replaced and the door is back together. As you had
posted, taking the panel off was fairly easy. Just take the 5 screws out and
the panel lifts up and out. The only difficulty I had was getting the
electric window and door lock switches disconnected. But other than that it
was not much of a problem. And putting it back together was even easier.
Thanks again for your help.

Yeah,

what I did was remove the switch assy from the panel (2 push in type clips
hold it in the panel) I guess I was not totally clear on that part, but none
the less you got it.
"Electrician" <electrician (AT) xo (DOT) com> wrote