On this page you will find a very in-depth tutorial on how to remove the door panels in your Toyota Tacoma. This tutorial is for only the non-SR5 Tacoma's (because if you have a Tacoma with the power options, it is MUCH easier to do. That and I don't have an SR5 handy at the moment for pictures). So, on with the tutorial!!
Well first, sorry to rain down on the party, but you're not going to get a very big speaker in your Tacoma door. Sure it can be up to a 6 3/4", but it can only be about 1 7/8" deep. Unless you have some Illusion 6.5's or some ProHiFi's like mine, the only other speakers that fit in here are some bottom of the line Kenwood and Pioneer components (the Pioneers actually don't sound too bad and cost around $100 new! So keep this option in mind). But if you want deeper speakers like I do, be prepared to cut some plastic and make some spacer baffles. I'll have more on what to cut and where to mount your baffle later on...
1.) Remove the sail panel. I have found that it is almost impossible to break the knob that holds the panel in place, so yank away on it until it pops out. Top first, and then the bottom groove should come up and out.
2.) Remove the arm rest handle. There are two screws that are fairly long so don't give up on these and make sure your screwdriver is a good one or you'll either break your arm or strip the screw.
3.) Unscrew the door latch, but do not attempt to remove it yet. There is only one screw to worry about here.
4.) Next is the removal of the window roller. I went to an automotive parts store to buy one of those fancy removal tools, but I find using a very flat butter knife works best of all for removing the C-clip on the window roller. When I first started out with my truck, I was told "oh yeah, it's simple, just remove the C-clip and you're good to go!" Too bad I didn't know what a C-clip was, LOL...for those like me who need better diagrams to visualize the removal of things, here is a shot of what a C-clip looks like:
5.) Next will be the removal of the door latch. The latch will slide forward towards the hinge of the door and then should be free of the door panel, but still attached by a rod that connects to the door lock.
6.) Now you will have to remove the rod from the latch. Hold onto the latch with one hand and use a screw driver with your other hand to pop the small clip that is on the rod. After the rod is free from the clip, it will need to be raised out of a hole on the latch. Once this is done, the latch will be completely free and can be set aside.
7.) You will see a snap-on right below the sail panel in the upper window sill panel as shown in this picture. Sorry to say, but you will break this 95% of the time, so don't get pissed if you do, it is just designed terribly.
8.) Once this snap-on is removed, you can lift the window sill panel, starting with the lock side and moving up towards the mirror side.
9.) You can now finally remove the door panel itelf. It is held together by little snaps that can break if the outside weather is not warm enough or if you are not close enough to them when removing them. You'll probably break a few of these too, but any local hardware store should keep a fresh stock of them for only pennies each. Note the location of each snap on the door panel and what the snap actually looks like:
Voila!! You have removed your first door panel! Now do the same with the other and put them back in the reverse order of the steps above. Like I said, I will have more about baffles and panel plastic cutting to fit your beefy mids in these doors. Thanks for viewing my page and good luck!
