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[TIF2]

I wanted to put a nice set of speakers in the rear HD saddlebag lids and chose a set of JL Audio C5-570 component speakers. I looked at several sets and settled on the JLs as the best sounding to my ears. All of the speakers I listened to were component speakers due to the following requirements:

1. Typical (but not all) component speakers have a woofer element with a sealed dustcap (the very center of the woofer)
2. In a typical coax type of speaker, the tweeter is mounted on a stalk (or "post). This stalk is mounted in the center of the speaker frame, and a hole is present in the woofer element to allow for excursion of the woofer (movement up and down) as required to repeoduce lower frequencies. Because the woofer has to move in this manner, the hole cannot be sealed around the tweeter mount and if the woofer cone fills up with water, it will leak into the bag. There are some exceptions (such as the Rockford T1582 and T1682) where coax speakers contain a bridge for the tweeter and a sealed dust cap on the woofer. They are few and far between.

I like things to look as stock as possible. I think it is WAAAY cool to have mods increase functionality and performance without looking like anything has been modded (paint is the exception of course) so I wondered if I could build a set of stock looking speakers using JL Audio drivers. I ordered the HD 2-ohm saddlebag speaker kit as a starting point. I could have used the 1-ohm speakers as well, but liked the looks of the 2-ohm tweeter bridge better.

If you read my lid install Part 1 (here), you'll see that HD does not use standard hole cuts, diameters, or mount hole spacing for the HD saddlebag lids. This caused the install of the JL Audio components to be a lot more difficult and time consuming that I had planned on, but I proceeded anyway. I am very happy with how they turned out, but man would I be hard pressed to do another set. Certainly would be quicker as most of this I had to figure out on the fly. I dubbed the finished product a "Componiaxial" speaker as it is a component set of speakers built into a single coax speaker.

Let me know what you think of the results, and hopefully this will provide some guideance to anyone thinking about doing the same. It certainly can be done, but if you don't like tedious work, cussing a LOT, drinking more beer than you should, and taking a LONG time to complete it - I would not attempt  

Steps are a little combined/jumbled as it was a learning experience. First steps are to pop the stock tweeter bridge off, cut out the stock tweeter, and modify the stock tweeter bridge to accept the JL tweeter. Obviously this needs to be accurate work or the finished install will not look good. A pic of the stock HD speaker assembly and a modified bridge with the JL tweeter soft mounted is attached.

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Close-up of the JL tweeter mounted in the stock HD tweeter bridge.

From the game "Operation" -
"It takes a steady hand ....." 

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Pic of the JL mounted bridge on left and the stock tweeter bridge (with tweeter removed) on right for reference to show material removed.

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Same shot with the bridges flipped over. The stock tweeters were a tad difficult to remove (they are seriously glued in there) but an Exacto and a small screw-driver will do the trick The JL tweeter is soft mounted in this pic. Once both bridges were cut for the JL tweets, they were cleaned up on the back side, wires were run down the channel in the bridge, and tweeters were glued in place. I used some adhesive caulk I found at McMaster-Carr that replicates the black glue that Harley uses almost exactly. It is very, very thick (easier to work with on complex angles) and very, VERY strong once cured (24-72hrs) yet remains flexible. Although I didn't get a shot of the tweeters glued in - you can't tell it wasn't done at the factory.

[TIF2]

Here the woofers are being modified for mounting using the stock mount points and baskets from mother Harley. As I've stated, the mount spacing is non-standard on the lids. I need to mention that the way the HD saddlebag speakers mount is as follows:

1. Clip the provided protection baskets on to the underside of the saddlebag lid
2  Set speaker on top of lid (speakers are gasketed on the bottom of the speaker frame) and insert 4 screws into the baskets below.

In order to use factory mounting, the baskets must be used.  Not to mention that if they factory holes in the lids are not used, they must somehow be filled/sealed to prevent leaking. I wanted to use the baskets not so much for protection, but as a mount point for a 4-way spade board. The 4-way spade board will be mounted to the basket, the tweeters from the completed speakers will be attached to 2 spades, then the other two spades provide an attachement for the tweeter wires from the cross-overs. It just makes a cleaner, easier wire attachement point.

Anyway ... once the woofers were centered in the new lid hole to ensure they would seal (see Part 1 for mods required to the saddlebag lids), I marked the hole locations in the lids on the woofer frame. Since so much material must be removed from the woofer mount tabs to align with the mount holes in the lids, I became concerned with them being strong enough to hold the speaker in place w/o snapping. Additionally, it becomes very hard to seal around the mount tabs.

Enter JB-Stik cold-weld putty. Decided to use it to build some mount ears that would replicate the factory speaker ears. I outlined it's use in my Part 1 post so refer to it if you like. Cut chunk, knead, mold it onto the speaker tabs. This will be a very strong mount - not only does the JB-Stik harden like steel, think of the underlying speaker tabs as "rebar". It worked out great. In the pic you can see the application of putty on one tab, with the other three tabs for reference to material removed to align with stock mount holes in lids.

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Both rear tabs have been completed (shaped, sanded, smoothed and drilled) and I'm ready to assemble the new speaker. The front holes must be exact so I assembled the speakers on the lid in the final mounting configuration. Both rear mount screws were inserted and tightened (enough so the woofer would not move) then the bridge was assembled to the woofer using the front two mount screws.

Pic attached shows parts ready for assembly. In this pic you can see the modified speaker baskets to allow for clearance of the JL Audio C5 woofer magnets. The baskets have subsequntly been cleaned, smoothed, and shot so they look less hacked at

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Doing final assembly of the tweeter bridge. If you look closely you can see the tweeter wires feeding from the bridge through the woofer frame (ride side of pic). Prior to screwing the tweeter bridge into the speaker basket, I put 2 drops of adhesive sealant on the woofer frame. This is meant only to hold the bridge to the woofer so that it remains in place when I pull the speaker out and build the front two mount tabs with cold-weld putty.

From the pic you can see that putty must be used for 2 reasons. It provides strength for holding the bridge to the woofer frame, and provides a smooth underside so that the speaker can be sealed (gasketed).

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Both speakers installed and tweeter bridges curing to the woofer frame using adhesive caulk.

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Speakers are done!

I wasn't feeling the silver JL frame so once the front mount tabs were completed I shot the top part of the frame black. Again, this also maintains a factory look. I've included the 2 stock HD 2-ohm woofers (bridges removed) for reference.

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Last pic ...

Nothin' up my sleeve folks! A final shot showing me holding a completed speaker by the tweeter bridge only. It is now a single coax speaker that looks factory, but is comprised of JL Audio C5-570 component drivers. Part 3 will be the final install of the painted lids and these speakers.

Hope this helps ... a real pain in the butt to complete but I like the results.

[Cvostu]

I like what I see.   I'm sure the sound will be great.  I gotta say that you must have a ton of patience to be able to perform a task like that. Great job.  Can't wait to see more. 

[Harleypingman]

Part I of TIF2's saddlebag speaker lid project is this thread:

http://www.cvoharley.com/smf/index.php?topic=69504.0

TIF2 definitely goes to great lengths to maintain a "factory" look; e.g., buying HD's 2 ohm saddlebag lid speakers just to be able to get the tweeter bridges to install on the JL 5x7 speakers and mount JL tweeters in the bridges--beautifully executed, Rich.

Carl

[TIF2]

TIF2 definitely goes to great lengths to maintain a "factory" look; e.g., buying HD's 2 ohm saddlebag lid speakers just to be able to get the tweeter bridges to install on the JL 5x7 speakers and mount JL tweeters in the bridges--beautifully executed, Rich.

Carl

I'm clearly obsessed, but not quite THAT obsessed (unless you speak to the wife )!

I ordered the HD Rear Saddlebag Speaker kit for the periphery included (wiring harnesses, grills, baskets, grommets, etc). I will admit however, that I knew when I ordered the kit the first thing the HD speakers would see is a Dremel Tool 

Lids are off to paint today!! Can't wait to hear it all fired up!

[barefoot3zk5]

Dang Tif ... crank it up[ so we can ALLLL hear it .. LOL.. made loud to be played loud ..jus sayin . 

[wachuko]

Where is the Part 3 thread???