I hated the proclip, I have it lying around somewhere I found it very obtrusive, if you want it I can let it go cheap.

I like the Kuda location for my GPS, plus I have Bluetooth, so I leave my cell in my pocket. However if you don't use your GPS much, and don't have bluetooth, I guess its better to have your cell there, plus if you ever get (or have) a cell with GPS, solves two problems.

 

A little late in my reply here and I'm guessing you figured it out already, but thought I'd note that the screws point inwards towards the speedo - i.e. the top of your torx driver will be angled towards the glass.

 

Finally got my mount on....I needed no tools just slide it in....took me 30 seconds

 

JudgeS, thanks for the tip on this. It was great.

I also received mine on Wednesday. I bought a 59 cent plastic putty knife at Home Depot to use as a gap tool. I had the Kuda mount installed in seconds. It took longer screwing in the Garmin ball mount than installing the mount to the car. This was the best mod I've done yet. Money well spent

My next step to complete the install is to put the "add a circuit" in for power and run the aux cable to the aux port in the dash withe all the wires behind the dash panels.

 

Just bumping the thread so I can find it when my Kuda arrives in a few days -- already prepping the wiring.

 

Use JudgeS's method. It is incredibly simple and easy to do. I did mine in a parking garage in 30 seconds.

My only dilema now is where to take the wires into the dash to run to the center stack for my aux port. Right now they are tucked in above the vent but are visiible if you look for them. Here is my wiring path.

1. took of trim piece. A nerve wracking process.
2. Tuckek the power and 3.5 mm aux cable between the upper portion of the vent and dash. Still visible though.
3. Ran the wires behind the trim and to the gap for the steering column in the dash.
4. Loosend the lower trim panel. Ran wires over to the center stack.
5 Removed the CS side panel and fished wires into the cubby. There are gaps at the bottom that will allow you to gain access to the cubby.
6. I hid the wires under the rubber cubby insert that I bought from Moss and concelaed the wires to the aux port and the lighter socket.
7. As soon as i get the add-a-circuit, I'll bring the wire over to the center stack from the fuse box and hide the cig socket and power cable within the passenger side of the CS. There are a 1000 ways to this and This is mine.

I love how the Kuda mount looks like it is meant to be there and prefer the Garmin MP3 player interface better than iPod or menu on the radio display. I am very pleased with the results.

I would like to know of a better and invisibe way to bring the wires behind the dash. any suggestions?

 

Digging into the sound system has gotten me well acquainted with the Mini's wiring...

If you get the Mini Nuvi kit, they pick switched power off a particular connector, X9002, on the steering column. My plan is to pick up power from this connector, and mount a socket for the cig plug - traffic radio end of my Nuvi 660 on the back of the left dashboard trim piece.

Haven't decided on running an audio cable at this time, or if I want to dig into the centre stack yet again one more time to look for the car's GPS antenna feed, which should be there by the radio.

 

Hey, thanks! I was all ready to do battle with the dash again, but spent a couple of minutes futzing around, using a plastic card for a spreader, and got it installed with no problems! I'd already put the Nuvi stem on it, so it went in without a fuss!

I wish the rear speakers had been so easy!

 

Hi - I installed my Kuda mount today. Everything went well, but I'm concerned about my speedometer bezel.

There is a 3/16" gap between the chrome ring and the plastic "face" of the speedo. I don't know if it was there before I took it all apart, so I'm not sure that i have everything put back together right. I've tried taking it all apart and putting it back together again, and I have the same gap. The tabs are in the slots at the bottom of the trim, all of the screw holes line up as they should.

Can someone confirm that the trim ring is not flush against the face of the speedo? If it is supposed to be flush, can anyone offer any suggestions on what might be incorrectly aligned?

Thanks for your help?
B

 

Although I don't have the chrome package, I think if you can take a pic to show that could be helpful? Did you take everything apart b/c you can use the JudgeS method and get it in there without doing that. Have you tried this thread - it's full of chrome interior people - https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...d.php?t=152206

 

Hi toolazy - thanks for replying. I tried to do the upholstery wedge approach - i just couldn't picture how the bottom hook fit under the top piece of the dash, so I went with the tried and true "take it all apart" method.

Attached is a picture showing the gap between the trim piece and the plastic bezel - it's between 3/16 and 1/4" (didn't have a metric ruler handy).



I think that it must have been that way originally - when I took it apart the second time, the speedo seemed firmly mounted, and there are no bulges or gaping seams - just concerned that I messed up my car (nothing a couple hundred dollars and a few hours at the dealer couldn't fix, but..)

I'll also ask in the chrome interior thread whether there is a gap between the trim and bezel.

Thanks!
B

 

When you put the dash back together you have to make sure the tabs at the rear of the face plate are in the right place. if they get out of wack then the face place will not go on smoothly. they have to go between the plastic and the metal of the vent where the screws go.

 

Dragonflyer,

Thanks for the tip. I think that the tabs are in properly - I didn't have any issues getting the rear screws in. I've also taken it apart twice trying to see if anything is pushing the speedo back.

I'll probably just take it back to the dealer to see if they can reassemble it differently.

B

 

Good luck with that. I'm sure it's something simple that you just over looked. It's easy to do whith the R56

 

I was directed here from the Video Tutorial: Speedometer Removal on R56 thread by 'Toolazy'. I have a Kuda mount for my GPS and found that the video showed a lot of info on what needs to be done for removal of the bezel.
I am SO glad to have been directed here! It took less than five minutes to install the mount by 'reforming' the tabs to 'field specs'.
I have a ProClip mount for my cell and their gapping tool worked well. A plastic putty knife would also be a good gapping tool.

 

What's the trick for removing the driver side trim? I even put on gloves so I could pull it toward me harder, but it won't budge on the right side---the far right is loose, and the left side is partly loose, the the center right is rock solid and I can't budge it. Any help would be appreciated.

Rob

 

If I remember correctly there is one on top in the middle and the one to the left and right are on the bottom. I just worked my way over to the center and its in there tight. Look at it just right and pray that it doesnt snap in half.

 

Thanks Mitemini,

I went ahead and used JudgeS's easy install.

 

are these kuda mounts available for the R56's in the UK? right hand drive.

 

If you find that it is let us know. I would like to pick up a second one [for the right side of the tach] to mount a satellite radio receiver.

I emailed Kuda a few times but never got a response.

 

I was on the Kudausa site today and they show no right side dash mounts. There is one that goes on the right side of the climate control stack, but I'm assuming that it is no good for right hand drive vehicles.
I don't know if there is a UK Kuda site.
Lots of luck in your search. If I find anything in my wanderings, I'll pass on the info.

 

I want to remove the left had vent to hide some wired behind it. Where are the two screws for this vent that you are talking about?

Thanks,

Jim

 

On the left side, you will have to remove the dash trim that is between the vents, above the steering column. That, supposedly, can be popped off using a flat blade screwdriver (with the tip wrapped with electrical tape to prevent scratching the trim's surface). The screws for the vents should then be visible.

 

So the "dash trim" is actually the EO pannel and it hust pops off?

Jim

 

Reference this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bc0NZXTJDFk
it was posted on the thread "MINI Cooper Speedometer Removal VIDEO!". It shows how to remove the trim. (and a lot more)

I have not done this myself, but my Kuda Mount's directions sheet sort of says the same thing.