Can T4 dashboard speaker grilles be removed from above?

[Deeceer]

Recently purchased a really good condition 1998 T4 LWB diesel and just about the only thing wrong with it is the right-hand (drivers side) stereo speaker appears to be dead. There's a right channel signal going out of the back of the radio cassette and peering up from driver's footwell the speaker wire is hooked up to the speaker but the back of the speaker can't be reached.

Is it possible to remove the dashboard speaker grilles from above or is the T4 like a lot of vehicles where you've just about got to remove the entire dash to get to the speakers from below? If they can be removed from above, does anyone know how? I don't want to just go in blind and pry it out and break it or gouge the dashtop.

Thanks!

[Golf Loon]

Prise it out from the outside edge and the speaker screws down from above. There are 2 kinds of grille, early plastic flimsy ones and later metal ones which are stronger.

And welcome to VwWatercooled, please update your location details in your profile too

[Deeceer]

Wow - that was quick! Thanks for the tip. I'll see what I can squeeze in between the A-pillar and the outer edge of the grille. It appears to be metal framed in plastic.

Location details updated - I'm from the Gold Coast.

[X_FISH]

For the case somebody finds this thread using the search:



3 clips
2 "noses"
1 chassis



http://www.gaskutsche.de/tipps_lspfront.php?lang=_uk

There have been at least 3 different designs for the grill and the T4 without speakers in the door boxes have one 10 cm (diameter) speaker (full range) instead of the tweeter shown above.

Greetings, Martin

[Seano]

Prise it out from the outside edge and the speaker screws down from above.

My OEM speakers don't screw in. They are held in with metal clips that are riveted to the speaker chassis. Lever with a screwdriver and out they pop.

[Silver Caravelle]

The speakers in the above picture should pop out by turning them slightly anti clockwise.

Regards,

Scott

[Deeceer]

A bit belatedly, here are photos from when I removed the grilles and popped out the old speakers:



Above: Levering the grille up from the inside edge. I used a blunt chisel to get as broad a levering area as possible so as not to mar the dash.



Above: The grille lifted out. The close together clips at the top are the ones facing the inside edge of the vehicle.



Above: Another detail of the grille.



Above: The speaker simply lifts out in this case. It's held in place with metal spring clips.



Above: The speaker hole with the speaker removed.



Above: The speaker, showing the spring clips. In the case of my van, one of the speakers had just quit so I replaced both with aftermarket speakers that featured 'rip-off' mounting tabs and removed only those that fouled the grille tab holes. Then I marked and drilled holes for one or two of the remaining speaker mounting tabs and used the screws in the speaker kit to fasten them down. It probably didn't need this - once back in place, the grille probably would have held the speakers in place but I wanted to be sure.

Thanks again, Golf Loon, for the info on just prising the grilles out!

[DVR68U]

be very carefull with the early speaker covers they are amazingly brittle , can late model covers fit in the early dash ?? one of mine exploded lol

[jets]

Good write up & pics Deecee. I don't have to remove mine but it's good to know how it's done for future reference. Could save damage being done.

[Golf Loon]

be very carefull with the early speaker covers they are amazingly brittle , can late model covers fit in the early dash ?? one of mine exploded lol

Yeah late model covers can fit in the early dash.

Also the later grilles have more clearance for aftermarket speakers if required.