Only I could screw up a job this easy! I just received my aux input kit in the mail, so as a first step in installing it, I tried to remove the two screws at the top of my parcel shelf. Neither one would budge, and even when I put enough pressure on them to bend up the plastic around them a bit, I still ended up stripping both screws.

I know I could probably install the input elsewhere by pulling the radio out, but I want it to be in the parcel shelf area, and obviously that area needs to be accessible in the event that I need service.

Any suggestions?

 

You should not have needed to bear down on the screws to remove them if you used the torx screws provided with the shelf. Check to make sure you are using the proper sized torx driver (I think it's a T15). The screws are threaded into thin metal or plastic 'clip nuts' which generally dont have a huge amount of gripping power to keep a screw from turning. Unless Locktite was used on the screws (why?), the worst that one usually encounters is the the screw will turn but not back out, whereupon it can be gripped with pliers and pulled while turning.

If you (or the installer) used phillips screws, or some other fastener, there STILL shouldnt be a whole lotta torque needed to remove them. It's usually the wrong sized or worn out screwdriver being used to remove the screw that's the problem.

 

Upon further investigation, this is the problem. It was sort of dark, and I was using a Phillips. I didn't remember using a torx driver to install the shelf; I didn't know I owned one - must have bought it for that purpose. I'll have to look for it tomorrow. Sorry to take up NAM bandwidth with such a silly mistake.

Thanks greatbear!
Chris

 

Sounds to me like the bandwidth was used wisely and successfully!

 

Since I just installed my Euro Parcel Shelf, I know its a Torx T20. Good luck.

 

Used a T15, since that and a T10 were the only ones in my toolbox, and the screws came right out... Only problem now is that I don't know how to unclip the shelf to pull it out. I can see (I think I can see) the two clips on the bottom, but I can't find a way to release them by pulling or pushing in any particular direction. Try as I may, I don't see any instructions anywhere in how to remove the parcel shelf. Does anyone know exactly which way to pull to release the clips without breaking them?

Thanks!
Chris

 

Pry down the upper lip of the shelf to clear the lower edge of the dash, then roll the top forward as you extract the thing from the dash. The lower edge does not really clip into place as much as it is just 'located' by the tabs.

I find the shelf much more of a pain to remove and install than the knee bolster ever was.

 

Thanks again! I've just had a friend arrive from out of town, so I'm going to put this off until tomorrow.

 

I should just retitle this the aux install weird questions thread...

First of all, I removed the parcel shelf (thanks greatbear!) and plugged in the aux cable without taking anything else apart (thanks mom and dad for the thin, girlish wrists!), and it works! I'm so pumped that I don't even care if I ever actually install the plate, mount the jack properly, reinstall the parcel shelf, etc.

But assuming I do, here's my question. The directions that come with the aux cable (which admittedly SUCK) say to use a 10mm drill bit for the center hole, and 2mm holes for the screws. I only have American drill bits, which is no big deal for the 2mm because 5/64" is just ever so slightly smaller, but 10mm is pretty big. The biggest bit I have is 1/4", which is around 6mm and change. However, that's bigger than the hole in the mounting plate (barely). Will that be big enough, or do I need to go buy a drill bit?

Boy am I glad my car wasn't built a week earlier (week of 9/6/02 build date - first week of '03 MY production!), or I probably couldn't have installed this!

 

10mm is around 3/8", so the 1/4 wont be big enough. Remember though, you are drilling into plasic, so all you need to do is ream out the hole with the bit after you get through. It's soft stuff, all you need to do is make the hole large enough to clear the body of the jack. The threaded portion is not long enough to go through both the plate and the plastic, hence why you need the larger hole.

Remember, if you are mounting the jack on the side of the shelf as opposed to the back, make sure to be far enough forward or far enough backward to clear the lip of the radio-a/c-toggle console frame. It's a bit tricky there. Mounting on the back has no clearance issues except near the clearance 'bubble' is for the clutch pedal.

 

Ah. That's what I was worried about. Good info.

Yup, that is where I want to mount it - pretty much the same place you installed yours. I'll be vigilant. Thanks again!

 

Mounting ahead of the lip (closer to the rear of the car), you need to carefully bend the wires at a right angle where they meet the jack to get the mess to fit in the space between the shelf and the console frame. It fits, but it's kinda tight. I eventually drilled a hole in the console frame to make it a bit easier.

 

Hm. Not only did my local hardware store not have metric drill bits, the guy there I was the first person that had ever asked for them! Guess I have to bite the bullet and go patronize the big guy (Home Depot)...

 

Home Depot doesn't have metric drill bits, either. How is everyone else doing this? It seems weird that no one has apparently asked this question. Is everyone using a smaller bit and reaming out the plastic? If so, exactly what are you using to do it with? Am I just overthinking this? I definitely want to reinstall the shelf before I lose the screws and the jack and whatnot.

 

Skip the metric drill bit. In this case, there is a decent amount of slack that can be given, quite a bit in fact. You need a hole big enough to clear the jack housing (this hole can be larger than necessary), and the holes for the plate mounting screws are drilled smaller than the screw diameter for the self-tapping screws the have material to bite into. You can use the 5/64 bit for the screws with no problem at all, and a 3/8 or slightly larger for the jack.

I used non-metric bits to install mine, the only time I use metric bits is when drilling and tapping metric-sized machine screws into metal.

 

Thanks again! I really owe you for all the help. I guess I'm out of excuses not to just go ahead and do it (except maybe that it's like 8 degrees outside today).

 

I just want to point out that it took me until tonight to actually drill the holes and reinstall the parcel shelf. For a while I lost the baggie with the plate and screws and nut. And mostly I've just been lazy, and it's been convenient to have the full length of the kit cable at my disposal. I f I wasn't planning to sell my car, I'm not sure it ever would have happened.

 

hey chrisnl, I just finish installing my parcel shelf and it only takes about 5 minutes. Just follow one of the NAM how to on parcel shelf and it was easy.

 

Yup, only five minutes, and just a minor pain getting one of the screws to line up. Only thing is, it took me five months to get started.

 

when I installed my aux input into the back of the parcel shelf, the jack wasn't long enough for the plate, so I just left the plate off....no one can see it back there anyway