Jeep Cherokee Forum

Speakers in the older (1984-1996) Cherokee XJ's are 5.75" (5x1/4"), but some 6.5" (6x1/2") and 6.75" (6x3/4") aftermarket speakers will fit into the openings. You may have to use the grilles that come with the aftermarket speakers if you choose to go the larger size, and the stock speaker grilles just unscrew from the back of the front door panel and rear tailgate plastic panel. Adapters are available so you don't have to splice into your factory wires (they just connect to the factory harness, and then the butt connectors slide onto the speaker terminals on your aftermarket speakers). You'll use the factory screw holes and screws if you choose 5.75" speakers, or else you'll have to re-drill the factory screw holes and use self-tapping screws if you choose 6.5" or 6.75" speakers... the great thing about older Cherokees XJ's are that you can put pretty much any speaker in the factory openings that meets the size requirements. However, if you don't already have rear speakers, you'll have to run new speaker wiring from your radio back to the tailgate where the speakers are to be mounted, as there's no speaker wiring from the factory if you don't have the rear speaker option.

The factory speakers are 4 OHM, regardless of whether you have the standard system (plastic louvered speaker grilles), or the AccuSound by Jensen premium system (speaker grilles have the 'AccuSound by Jensen' emblems on them, and are your typical metal mesh grilles with a plastic surround). It really doesn't matter what brand you use, as anything's better than the stock speakers at this point... the paper cones on the stock speakers are probably wearing out by now due to dust, sunlight, and just from being used over the years. My old 1994 Grand Cherokee ZJ has the Pioneer TS-G (TS-G1xxxx) Series 6X 1/2" speakers (TS-G1644R) in all four of the doors that were rated at 250w maximum power and sounded great for the $50 a pair I paid for them.