Installed Focal 165 A1s in my WRX using the IA Performance spacer kit.

Focals are deep (2.7in) so I needed to use both spacers, plus extra washers behind those.

So now the bottom of the door panel does not contact the door.

Two questions

1.

How to people keep the door panel off the speakers? I installed the grilles supplied with the speakers - so now there is that plus the door panel "grille" between the speaker and me which can't be good. What do folks usually do?

2.

The factory white clips which attach the door panel obviously don't work with the panel held away from the door due to deeper speakers. I used the longer black clips supplied with the IAP kit. The problem is that every time I remove the door panel, those clips shed their "fins". I'm pretty sure after one more removal, they'll no longer be functional.

Does anyone have a source for these longer clips?

( edit: found the answer here http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1223664&page=2 )

Alternatively, how to folks usually attach the bottom of the door panel after installing deeper speakers?

Thanks.

An idea of how to keep the speakers from making noise via contact with the doorcard, is to find a thick type of Weatherstripping that has a thin width, and place that around the front of the speaker, so that if contact does occurr, it won't make noise and gouge some plastic out of the back of the doorcard.

Also, on the inside of that doorcard, you need to trim away that odd plastic ring that is on the inside of the doorcard, however you see fit. This ring I speak of is on the backside of the speaker 'vent' on each doorcard, circular. I patiently removed it with a brand new razor blade.

As for grilles installed, lets see what you are looking at. PictArs please :D

As for the pins shredding, that is odd. Are you talking about the IA ones or stock ones? I have no experience with the IA ones, but others more knowledgeable than myself will chime in hopefully.

As for attaching the bottom after the install, I have 1" spacers used in coordination with 3" deep speakers, I didn't connect the bottom haha. Honestly, I know very few passengers who intensely study the interior of your car for flaws while driving and blasting BuckCherry's "Crazy $itch", so you should just rig something up to prevent doorcard and driver damage. I have an 06, which is more forgiving at this, but if it isn't having problems closing, and it isn't horrendously obvious your doorcard is bulging with it's own sweet 'package' ;), then you should be alright.

If you aren't, I believe IA also sells extended doorpins(if that isn't what you already have) that will attach the bottom to the door again.

Hope that helps a tad,

~Levi

Yes, I was talking about the IA extended door pins (also available from NAPA). I'll just go buy a bunch and replace as necessary (details in link I added to my post above).

I did cut the ring/ridge out of the back of the door panel. Problem is that on the 02s the speaker grille area inexplicably slopes inwards in it's top half... great piece of design.

What kind of weather stippign do you use, and where do you get it?

Yes, door closes fine etc, just wondering if there was a "cleaner" way to do it.