Speaker Removal Issues

[BLT]

A friend of my has asked me to convert his old Fender Stage Lead Cab to something Dumble like, so I suggested a D-Lite type build. The cab's in really good condition and the chassis was an easy removal, but the speaker is another issue. I removed the nuts on the back side of the speaker but it won't budge. My question is do they use some sort of adhesive to attach it to the baffle?

[Ken Moon]

Not that I've seen, but that speaker may have been in there for over 30 years, so it can stick pretty bad. Here's my suggestion:

Take all the nuts off and put a few drops of 3-in-1 or machine oil on each stud. Tap all around the speaker with a rubber mallet. Then slowly go around with something very thin (I like to use a plastic spatula), and try to get one area to pry up a bit. Once you do that, you can go around in a circle tapping and lightly prying, and it should lift off.

Depending on your grille cloth setup, you can buy replacement speaker mounting studs so you don't mount your new speaker with rusty studs.

[img928]http://www.tubeampdoctor.com/images/products/HR3055.jpg[/img]

[BLT]

Unfortunately, that didn't do it. I was able to get a modified putty knife to slip under the speaker rim, so I don't think there is glue there. It may be that the metal rim is hooked up on the screw threads.

[Stevem]

It looks like there is black sealer around that stud with the nut off!
Get the claw of a hammer or one of those small nail removing tools hooked on the metal lip of the speaker frame and get it to move some at a couple of points opposite of each other and then you will just rock it off.

[Phil_S]

I'd be very cautious about applying more force, though I think Stevem is on the right track. You don't want to bend or distort the basket. I think I'd try tapping the screws down towards the grill cloth. The screws only need to move a tiny fraction of an inch to get loose. That might help a great deal if you are using one of those mini crow bars. I might try 2 of them at the same time, 90 degrees apart to spread out the pressure.

Another thing to remember is that the gasket is a cheap part, so you can sacrifice it and replace it. See here for examples: https://www.midwestspeakerrepair.com/sp ... ts/gaskets BTW, in doing a search, I learned that Orange County Speaker has closed ;-{

Here is a more radical suggestion, more of a last resort. Use a Dremel type cut-off wheel to cut the screws. Once they are short, you can probably drive them out using a nail countersink tool towards the grill cloth and, hopefully, there will be enough room for them without damaging the grill cloth. This will allow you to put the plastic spatula under the surround and go around a full 360 degrees without any obstacles. Once you have the speaker off, you should be able to fish the loose screws out through the speaker opening.

[xtian]

Here is a more radical suggestion, more of a last resort. Use a Dremel

I thought of that...for a second. You'd have to tape off the back of the speaker so no metal shavings got in.

[BLT]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I will try the less damaging approaches first
and then work from there. The grill came off very easily with some
kind of velcro I'd never seen before holding it on. I tried budging the screws
but all I managed to do was to begin stripping the screw heads.

[Firestorm]

The screws are probably reverse threaded so they'd be "righty loosey" counterintuitively.

[Phil_S]

Now that you've got access to the front side, so you can use a screwdriver and a wrench, I'd apply a drop or two of Liquid Wrench to the screw thread and allow a few minutes to do it's work. In my experience, this is a very effective product. As Firestorm notes, it could be reverse threaded...

Remember, screwdrivers and speaker cones are not friends. Keep them apart.

[BLT]

Success! Reverse thread and a super stuck speaker gasket.

[Phil_S]

Good job! Thanks for letting us know how it worked out.