[mresseguie]

Sitrep:

I recently bought a pair of speakers from a guy in Canada. While in transport, some klutz dropped one of the 60-pound speakers resulting in very minor damage to the cabinet, but managed to dislodge the crossover from where it had been anchored. This is a 3-way speaker with an 8" woofer. I managed to remove the tweeter, but it's too small and too far away from the woofer to allow access to the crossover. The midwoofer is in its own enclosure inside the speaker cabinet, so removing it is of no help. I really need to get the 8" woofer out in order to access the back of the cabinet. The port is front facing, but it's small enough that I can't get my hand in far enough to mount the crossover. [Someone with slightly smaller hands might be able to help.] I can see a large inductor in the back of the cabinet. It's loose/not anchored.

I removed all 8 screws holding the woofer in place. I flipped the speaker front facing down and tapped/slapped the back of the cabinet. Nothing. I placed the head of a thin screwdriver inside different screw holes at an angle and pulled on the backet to no avail. The woofer seems to be very snugly seated.

Anyone got suggestions on how to encourage the 8" driver to slip out of its housing?

Thanks for any help.

Michael

[FullRangeMan]

It can be placed with glue or just pressure.
Also wiring may be short.
What is the loudspeaker?
Any photo?

[mresseguie]

http://www.troelsgravesen.dk/SBAcoustics-3WC.htm

Important difference between the speakers in the link and my cabinets: My speakers do not have removeable back panels.

Short wiring isn't an issue here. The only way to access the interior is through the woofer hole. Clearly, the woofer was the last piece to be added.

[Tyson]

Pick Removal Kit

[mresseguie]

Pick Removal Kit

I don't know, Tyson. Those look kinda big. 

I'll swing by Harbor Freight to see if they've got something similar. Thanks for the suggestion!

[kmmd]

Michael,

As FullRange Man states, many times they glue the speaker to the cabinet.  It may be glue or a foam adhesive which really secures it over time.  A pick as Tyson mentioned will help.  Please be careful if there is a wood veneer, as the adhesive may pull off the “wood.”  Heat may prevent this.  Good luck.

Ken

[WGH]

As your Mother used to say "Don't pick at it"

A glued in or stuck driver can be removed by screwing a large sheet metal screw into the mounting hole so it grabs the metal but not the wood underneath.

The screw head is then levered up using a pry bar. A block of wood and padding under the pry bar protects the cabinet. Von Schweikert uses this method to remove drivers in their speakers because they are glued in. You will probably have to go round and round a little at a time at each screw hole.

[mresseguie]

As your Mother used to say "Don't pick at it"

A glued in or stuck driver can be removed by screwing a large sheet metal screw into the mounting hole so it grabs the metal but not the wood underneath.

The screw head is then levered up using a pry bar. A block of wood and padding under the pry bar protects the cabinet. Von Schweikert uses this method to remove drivers in their speakers because they are glued in. You will probably have to go round and round a little at a time at each screw hole.

!!! Brilliant!!!   

Thank you.

[FullRangeMan]

Do you can remove the BR duct?

[mresseguie]

The picks proved inadequate for the job, I'm afraid. I tried several different sizes and angles, but I didn't manage to move the woofer even one millimeter. The only thing I accomplished was to scrape a two-inch long gash along my forearm when one of the picks snapped out of the screw hole and scratched my arm. [Note to self: Be more careful.]

I don't seem to have the correct size of sheet metal screw, so I'll buy some screws tomorrow.

Fullrangeman:

The first thing I did was to pull the port tube out to access the back of the woofer, but my hand is too big.

[FullRangeMan]

I suggest that you move the enclosure forward, if its not glued in the position as is common in these cases, the speaker will move forward. Its a two-person task so you will need someone to grab the driver when it comes out, so it doesnot hit the floor.

[mresseguie]

I suggest that you move the enclosure forward, if its not glued in the position as is common in these cases, the speaker will move forward. Its a two-person task so you will need someone to grab the driver when it comes out, so it doesnot hit the floor.

 

I've already turned it face down and whacked the rear panel with the palm of my hand.

The driver housing is tight against the cutout, so I cannot get a knife blade in between to pry the driver out without damaging the front baffle.

Photo on the way:

[FullRangeMan]

Move the driver sideways, clockwise and back, this will loosen the boy.

[Letitroll98]

Try a corkscrew.

[Rusty Jefferson]

Normally, builders would only use adhesive on a sealed box design. Being a diy build, if the fellow you purchased from built them he would know. Sometimes the frame just sticks to the baffle paint. Use a heat gun on a low setting to warm up the metal frame. Take your time and be patient. Then simultaneously use either the curved pick in a hole to start getting the edge up or the oversized self tapping screw method. Either way, if it is glued in you don't want it to 'pop' out as it can tear the baffle if it's MDF. The combination of gentle heat and gentle lifting of the frame by the screw holes will break it loose, hopefully without damaging the baffle.

[FullRangeMan]

Heat may damage the rubber suspension/cone.

[S Clark]

I would be very careful with a heat gun.  The surround look like butyl rubber and is prone to distort.  Maybe a soldering gun could be applied  to the frame between the hole and the wood.  That would put the heat directly where you are trying to lift. 
I also think I'd try a bigger hook, although WGH's suggestion seems promising. 
As a last resort, drill a 9/16" through the rear baffle directly behind the woofer.  Use a 1/2" dowel to tap it out.  Fill the hole with a piece of the dowel rod and some expanding urethane glue like Gorilla Glue.   

[Rusty Jefferson]

For goodness sake folks. Common sense is in order to do this. We're not stripping paint, we're just warming up the metal. It works. I've done it many times without melting a surround or catching a paper cone woofer on fire.

[Zuman]

I've also had success at least five or six times with the oversize-screw-in-the-mounting-hole approach. Are the original screws tapping screws that bite directly into the wood or machine screws that go into a threaded insert? if they're tapping screws, I find a bolt (not sheet metal or wood screw) that is very close to the diameter of the hole in the driver flange, then use a wrench to "persuade" it to screw its way in. As it gradually makes its way through the flange, the flat tip of the bolt pushes against the wood of the cabinet and forces the driver out. You may need to do this with several different driver mounting holes to push the driver out evenly,

[mresseguie]

Many thanks, gents!

You're providing ideas that I hadn't considered on my own. Today's first try will be to use up to eight flat machine screws (and/or bolts) to <first> gently apply gentle pressure to the MDF underneath, and <second if the first method is unsuccessful> to pull on the screws with a claw hammer. My last resort method would be to drill a hole in the rear baffle. I had previously considered cutting a large enough hole in the rear panel to allow my hand(s) entry into the cabinet.

The speakers were built in Poland for the seller. I've asked the seller for contact information so that I may ask the builder for suggestions.