13th gen F150 external speaker location

[jcefd10]

Hello all

I’ve been searching and reading in this for a bit and figured it’s best to just ask.
On my ‘18 F150, I have a NX5700 with a HHCH. The internal speaker on the control head didn’t impress me so I thought of an idea for external speaker. I disconnected the factory center channel speaker, ran my wire up and converted it to my external. And it’s worked good…. Until now. It pops and crackles, and fades, and I just don’t think it was made to be used in this fashion.
So, anybody with a trucklike mine, where did you mount an external speaker (KES5), where it was hidden and provided good output? I saw there is a spit behind the radio controls to mount, it was unsure of the sound clarity there.
I have the full console and big nav screen.

Im open to any ideas and am not scared to tread the truck apart 😂.
Thanks!

 

[trumpetman]

You're in luck, I just did my install in my '20 yesterday. I'm surprised with how well the speaker is doing under the driver's seat. There is a plastic bar that runs the width of the seat underneath that only exists to hold the master plug to power the seat adjustment. If you disconnect the plug from that bar and scoot it to the side a little and ziptie it back down it still maintains the ability to move with the seat. At that point you can mount the speaker bracket to the plastic bar in an existing hole and point the speaker forward towards the pedals. Even at interstate speeds it was still easy to hear and doesn't blast your passengers. I was skeptical with the placement but it works well and a Motorola speaker is the perfect size to not be in the way and still allow full range of movement for the seat.

 

[OhSixTJ]

I mounted a similarly sized speaker behind the radio screen. There’s a good amount of room there to do it. Pull that tray off that the center speaker sits in and look down behind the entertainment screen.

 

[mmckenna]

This is from a 2018 F350, but your F150 should be similar. Like OhSixTJ, I mounted mine behind the AM/FM radio head. Lots of room back there, and if I recall correctly, even some 6mm studs you can use for mounting. Sound is not muffled and when the CDM it's hooked up to is cranked up, it's plenty loud enough to be heard at 65mph with all the windows down.

 

[slowmover]

This is from a 2018 F350, but your F150 should be similar. Like OhSixTJ, I mounted mine behind the AM/FM radio head. Lots of room back there, and if I recall correctly, even some 6mm studs you can use for mounting. Sound is not muffled and when the CDM it's hooked up to is cranked up, it's plenty loud enough to be heard at 65mph with all the windows down.

Very cool!

 

[slowmover]

You're in luck, I just did my install in my '20 yesterday. I'm surprised with how well the speaker is doing under the driver's seat. There is a plastic bar that runs the width of the seat underneath that only exists to hold the master plug to power the seat adjustment. If you disconnect the plug from that bar and scoot it to the side a little and ziptie it back down it still maintains the ability to move with the seat. At that point you can mount the speaker bracket to the plastic bar in an existing hole and point the speaker forward towards the pedals. Even at interstate speeds it was still easy to hear and doesn't blast your passengers. I was skeptical with the placement but it works well and a Motorola speaker is the perfect size to not be in the way and still allow full range of movement for the seat.

How I mounted one for my sons SUV. Suggestion by k0bg.

Above and behind left ear still the ideal, but not always possible.

.

 

[jcefd10]

You're in luck, I just did my install in my '20 yesterday. I'm surprised with how well the speaker is doing under the driver's seat. There is a plastic bar that runs the width of the seat underneath that only exists to hold the master plug to power the seat adjustment. If you disconnect the plug from that bar and scoot it to the side a little and ziptie it back down it still maintains the ability to move with the seat. At that point you can mount the speaker bracket to the plastic bar in an existing hole and point the speaker forward towards the pedals. Even at interstate speeds it was still easy to hear and doesn't blast your passengers. I was skeptical with the placement but it works well and a Motorola speaker is the perfect size to not be in the way and still allow full range of movement for the seat.

I’ll have to look at this! I have my Alpha SL mounted under my drivers seat, so I might not have enough room for a speaker there too

This is from a 2018 F350, but your F150 should be similar. Like OhSixTJ, I mounted mine behind the AM/FM radio head. Lots of room back there, and if I recall correctly, even some 6mm studs you can use for mounting. Sound is not muffled and when the CDM it's hooked up to is cranked up, it's plenty loud enough to be heard at 65mph with all the windows down.

This is one of the posts I was referring to about behind the screen! I have both a KES-5 and a Motorola speaker in my stash, and was going to try and cut behind the speaker grille of the center tray and try to fit one there but after looking it doesn’t look very easy. I have a KES-3 too but it’s no better than the internal speaker 😂. Especially being mounted behind something. My tires are loud as sin, so you say this is pretty loud/clear?

 

[mmckenna]

This is one of the posts I was referring to about behind the screen! I have both a KES-5 and a Motorola speaker in my stash, and was going to try and cut behind the speaker grille of the center tray and try to fit one there but after looking it doesn’t look very easy. I have a KES-3 too but it’s no better than the internal speaker 😂. Especially being mounted behind something. My tires are loud as sin, so you say this is pretty loud/clear?

The KES-3's are pretty weak. Good for a small car, but not something noisy.

The tires on my personal truck are not super loud (BFG All Terrain), but it's a Diesel and I often drive with the windows down at highway speeds. Haven't had any issues hearing radio traffic, or being able to clearly understand what's being said. Remember, loud is one thing, but loud and clear/understandable is another. I wasn't sure when I mounted that speaker back there that it would do everything I needed, but I did it back in early 2018, and haven't felt the need to change it. In fact, I sometimes forget which truck it is that's set up that way. I have a 2017 F350 gas engine truck at work. That one has speakers mounted behind the seat (regular cab).

As for the Motorola CDM's and the big speakers….
I have a CDM-1250 mounted in a Polaris Ranger. When I'm driving it, I wear a full face helmet. It's got big ol' knobby ATV tires on it, no windshield, and usually my dog barking his head off in the back. Even at 30+ mph on the trails, full face helmet, Ol' Dofus in the back barking, I've near had an issue hearing anyone on it. In fact, if I forget to turn the volume down when I stop, it can be painfully loud.

Not sure how well it would do with a little CB or a ham radio, but a big commercial radio designed for driving one of these large speakers should work just fine.

 

[K7MFC]

I also repurposed the center channel speaker on the dashboard in my F-150 for scanner audio output, but soldered the contacts on good. No cracks or pops.

 

[jcefd10]

I repurposed the center channel speaker on the dashboard in my F-150 for scanner audio output:

Same as I did. But Its been acting weird lately

 

[K7MFC]

What kinda weirdness? Updated my last comment, but I soldered the speaker wire on to the contacts real good. No audio issues.

 

[jcefd10]

It randomly fizzles and sounds very tinny. Then begins to fade out and go off completely. Then comes back on. I checked the connections and actually re l-did them last week. Checked the plug on the back of the radio to make sure it was clean. But the connector was new and I soldered the wire in it myself.
I don’t know, just acting like maybe the radio deck is overdriving it.

 

[tweiss3]

What kinda weirdness? Updated my last comment, but I soldered the speaker wire on to the contacts real good. No audio issues.

It randomly fizzles and sounds very tinny. Then begins to fade out and go off completely. Then comes back on. I checked the connections and actually re l-did them last week. Checked the plug on the back of the radio to make sure it was clean. But the connector was new and I soldered the wire in it myself.
I don’t know, just acting like maybe the radio deck is overdriving it.

If I remember correctly, K7MFC completely disconnected the speaker from the sound system. I would guess that is a source/the source of your sound issues.

 

[jcefd10]

I %100 disconnected mine too. Installed a 2 conductor AMP connector on the speaker, oem wire and external speaker wire. That beat I can easily swap it back to factory without having to repeatedly cut the wore.

 

[jcefd10]

Been wanting to mount my KES 5 back behind the screen but can’t find a dang bracket 😂
Guess I used the bracket for my Moto speakers too. Those suckers keep hiding from me.

 

[OhSixTJ]

Long tie wraps. Or a long Velcro strap thing. There’s a bar behind there you can zip it to.

 

[jcefd10]

I can put the world together with zip ties lol.

I can imagine the KES5 is going to be a dramatic difference. With it being 40w 4ohm, and the center speaker being a 3.5” 12w 8ohm.

You know, I may be the weird one here but I’m not a fan of the KCH-20 HHCH.
I’d rather somehow mount a KCH-21 under my hvac controls in that pocket. If I could fab up a faceplate I’d do it. I like using a traditional mic. Something about holding the controller on my hand… I dunno

 

[jcefd10]

Just a small update. Friday, I attempted to mount my kes5 behind the screen. But, no luck. My truck has some silver box behind the screen that takes up a good bit of space. Not sure if it’s the Nav module, or what but I wasn’t going to try and relocate it. So I figured I’d try something else. I’m going to order a 50w 4ohm 3.5” speaker off Amazon and replace the factory center speaker with it. That may eliminate any issues I have had, and should give me better volume as the oem one is pretty cheap. Just a paper cone with foam surround.
Anyway, once it’s here and installed I’ll update once again.

 

[slowmover]

Just a small update. Friday, I attempted to mount my kes5 behind the screen. But, no luck. My truck has some silver box behind the screen that takes up a good bit of space. Not sure if it’s the Nav module, or what but I wasn’t going to try and relocate it. So I figured I’d try something else. I’m going to order a 50w 4ohm 3.5” speaker off Amazon and replace the factory center speaker with it. That may eliminate any issues I have had, and should give me better volume as the oem one is pretty cheap. Just a paper cone with foam surround.
Anyway, once it’s here and installed I’ll update once again.

KES-5 mounted under drivers seat firing into footwell will beat it.

.

 

[fordcobra04]

I have one of these mounted in the left side of my console "cubby hole" if that makes sense. Aimed directly up towards driver. FWIW, this is hooked up to a Uniden SDS200, not an actual mobile radio...: https://www.amazon.com/VECTORCOM-TR...9Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=