Refoaming surround for jbl l86

[tbcyberzom]

Hello
I am new on this i need help how to refoam the surround of JBL L86 and can anybody tell me how to take it out from the cabinet if possible the speaker still work fine but the woofer surround need to be replaced...please help

[hjames]

Hello
I am new on this i need help how to refoam the surround of JBL L86 and can anybody tell me how to take it out from the cabinet if possible the speaker still work fine but the woofer surround need to be replaced...please help

I did a search on the site and found "Bo's Step by Step surround guide (http://audioheritage.csdco.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=469&page=3)"

It may not be exact for your speaker, but you get the idea.
For what its worth, I got a resurround kit from Rick Cobb (mentioned in that link) for my 15" subwoofer and did the surround on it back in February (http://audioheritage.org/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=150406&postcount=17) and it all worked out real nice.

[tbcyberzom]

how do i take the woofer out from cabinet...i took out the 4 screw and still tight?

[hjames]

how do i take the woofer out from cabinet...i took out the 4 screw and still tight?
Sometimes the speaker gets stuck to the "baffleboard" (the face of the cabinet). And quite often there is a gasket behind the speaker to acoustically seal it to the face of the cabinet. I assume the speaker cabinet is laying on its back so the face is point up to the sky.
You may be able to loosen that up with a blow dryer or maybe slip a putty knife under the edge where the speaker frame (the metal shell of it) touches the baffleboard.
But be REAL careful around your speaker cones with this!
A little slip can change your project dramatically

[briang]

how do i take the woofer out from cabinet...i took out the 4 screw and still tight?
I use a block of soft wood (pine) and a rubber mallet.

Set the block of wood flush upon the baffle board and place the perpendicular edge of the block up against the outer edge woofer frame. Gently tap the block of wood from the side such that the wood is the buffer between the frame and the mallet. Then do the same at 90 degrees to the first blow.

This technique usually loosens the woofer. If not, repeat with a little bit harder whack.

The woofer should then pry up with finger pressure alone.

[tbcyberzom]

Thank you all...i just clean the surround and i order a pair on ebay today.i just got this jbl l86 last night for 35...pretty good shape other than surround woofers all original plus the stand. well see..

[tbcyberzom]

i just add a picture...

[Zilch]

It appears that the original surrounds were attached to the rear of the cones.

If that's the case, make sure that is how you install the new ones, despite what the instructions which come with the surrounds may say about installing them on the front face....

[Robh3606]

Hello Heather

Bo's thread you referenced is a Sticky in the DIY forum. I did that so people wouldn't have to search for it. It's the first thread in the forum.

Rob:)

[tbcyberzom]

Thanks... hopefully i will get the foam surround by saturday..i start looking for jbl speakers since i got the jbl l5 for a trade...I used to use the l5 on my garage as a front and its sounds pretty good its the best speaker that i ever own...then i change the grill cloths my own for the fist time and its pretty good for me anyway then i painted it with piano black and put it on stand that i bought on ebay and put it on my living room and i love the look and sounds its driving by onkyo m-504 and p304 preamp that my uncle give it to me 8 years ago..i used to just hook it up in crappy speakers like sony that i have for a long time and i just realized that the amp that i have is pretty powerful..then i start getting in this stereo thing and bought a carver reciever and yamaha reciever and i turn my garage to a movie and game room needs lot of work still..i am going to used the jbl l86 as my front because its perfect size to fit under the table with my front speaker and i will drive them with my carver.today i was planning to go to the attick and run some wires for the surrounds that i bought a pair of bose 161 for rear... and i would like to used a bookshelf type of speakers for another rears...i will post some picture hopefully later on ...jbl i start loving it....jbl L5 SOUNDS GREAT EVEN I TURN THE VOLUME OF ONKYO HALF WAY ...which i dont normally do...

[tbcyberzom]

I JUST FINISHED...SOUNDS GREAT..THANK YOU ALL..

[tbcyberzom]

sounds great.

[macaroonie]

A good job well done sir.:applaud:

[mech986]

Excellent work, looks great!! Nice touch with the JBL speaker stands too!

Let us know how the restored L86's sound now :applaud::applaud:.

Regards,

Bart

[tbcyberzom]

Now its sounds great once again thank you all...now i need to do something on this speakers because its on my garage and its getting hot in here in dallas...do speaker go bad if i keep it inside the garage?

[pqrannes]

Hi tbcyberz,

Nice re-foaming story and very informative. I've just found a pair of L86 but are a little confused on the re-foaming material.

It is clear from you nice pictures that you re-foamed your speakers with foam. But did they originally come with foam or with rubber (like mine)?

Peter, Denmark

[hjames]

Hi tbcyberz,

Nice re-foaming story and very informative. I've just found a pair of L86 but are a little confused on the re-foaming material.

It is clear from you nice pictures that you re-foamed your speakers with foam. But did they originally come with foam or with rubber (like mine)?

Peter, Denmark
JBL speakers came with either foam (most of the newer ones) or an accordian pleat folded cardboard, usually treated with a thick tar-like compound to keep it flexible).
I don't think I've heard of any JBLs coming with a rubber surround - that sounds like a nonstock repair job. Perhaps a previous owner thought the rubber would be a better material after the foam deteriorated? Or maybe they didn't know where to get materials to have it repaired properly?
Of course, the speakers didn't play as they were designed to play with such non-standard material, but when the foam is gone its hard to remember what they sounded like when they were new (and correct).

EDIT: - Apparently there are some newer speakers that now have a rubber surround - see the thread at - http://audioheritage.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=18282

[pqrannes]

JBL speakers came with either foam (most of the newer ones) or an accordian pleat folded cardboard, usually treated with a thick tar-like compound to keep it flexible).
I don't think I've heard of any JBLs coming with a rubber surround - that sounds like a nonstock repair job. Perhaps a previous owner thought the rubber would be a better material after the foam deteriorated? Or maybe they didn't know where to get materials to have it repaired properly?
Of course, the speakers didn't play as they were designed to play with such non-standard material, but when the foam is gone its hard to remember what they sounded like when they were new (and correct).

Thx for the answer hjames,

Taking a closer look at the detoriated surround it is not rubber but could be - what you call- "accordian pleat foldet cardboard". It's thinner than rubber (and foam) and not very flexebel itself. It's kind of smooth - like rubber - that why I got it wrong.

I guess I can refoam it with foam, then.

Peter. Denmark

[pqrannes]

Well,

I took a second look.

It's not any kind of cardboard, rather stiff old rubber. The woofers must have got new surrounds at some point - do I see clue at the back of the cone?

One woofer out of the cab shows it is a "117H-1" as it should be.
:applaud:

Peter

[Fred Sanford]

My L46s were rubber surrounds from the factory. General consensus was to replace with Rick Cobb's foam surrounds. In my experience, Rick's careful to ask the relevant questions so that he sends the correct surround.

First pic is close up of OEM rubber surround, second pic has middle set re-foamed, outer sets still OEM rubber.

[pqrannes]

Hi Fred,

Great pictures of your 'wall of JBLs'!

And yes, it seems like the L86s came with rubber (like) surrounds, too. Will rid of those soon!

Peter, Denmark

[Fred Sanford]

Hi Fred,

Great pictures of your 'wall of JBLs'!

And yes, it seems like the L86s came with rubber (like) surrounds, too. Will rid of those soon!

Peter, Denmark

Thanks- but that's less than half of the JBLs here, not quite an entire 'wall'. I'll work on that, and come up with a better picture.

je