Please help... Parcel Shelf/Parcel Tray doesn't fit
 

Has anyone had difficulty installing a euro parcel shelf? I have a January '05 build MCS and tried installing the shelf (part #51 16 1 188 417) but the back right side of it runs out of space against a metal part that I presume is part of the dash frame. As a result, the right side screw hole (towards the down tubes) doesn't line up and the upper right side of the tray sticks out and down a little. Here are two pictures:
Attachment 9674

Attachment 9675

I've considered tapping a new screw hole but that would still required bending the top right of the shelf to fit. Also, the plastic part that the shelf is supposed to anchor to is pretty flimsy and may break over time if under tension from a bent, jury-rigged shelf.

What to do? Is there a difference in the '05 MCSs that requires a different shelf? (I know that other NAM members have installed this shelf in '06 vehicles). I'd really appreciate any ideas from everyone or solutions if anyone has encountered the same problem. Thanks, everyone, in advance!:thumbsup:

The right side is a bit of a PIA. I've found that you just have to sort of shove it up there. It's fairly flexible, so it moves past the resistance without issue. I always run into trouble getting the screw on the right side started - it's tough to guide it into the plastic nut. The screw goes in the left side (of the right side), nearer the steering wheel.
Definitely don't tap a new hole.

you have all the right parts, you just need to push it back a bit more. it's almost in far enough. make sure the bottom clips are clipped around the lower bar and that may help it go back far enough. some times it just needs a push up, on the part you took a photo of, to go back up under the dash parts. just give it a good push and you will be all good. hope that helps. chad :)

More Pictures of Problem
 

Wow, thanks Eric and Chad for replying so quickly! I just tried pushing it in some more as you both had suggested but it is out of room in the back. I got in the car upside down (lots of head room in the footwell!) to take more pictures. See the corner of the grey shelf abutting the diagonal bend in the metal thing? That's the stick in the mud. I made sure the bottom two clips were seated properly and that there wasn't anything in the way of the two side slots that are supposed to bear the weight of the shelf. By the way, the pictures are upside down so the top is towards the driver and the perspective is looking up from the floor.

Wierd problem, huh?
Attachment 9676

Attachment 9677

i think you missed the ledge that the parcel shelf needs to sit on on the right side. it has to go on top of the little ledge there to slide up into place, it looks like you tried to go under it.

just take it out and try again. make sure the steering column is up all the way when installing, it makes it easier.

i have been under the dash many a time upside down, but can not tell what is going on in the photo's. i see what it is hitting, but not sure why. zoom back out and take another photo maybe. also i see you have the aux kit installed. is the shelf caught on the wires? there is lots of extra wires for that unit and should be very lose. how is it mounted? maybe this is an item that is holding you back??:confused: we are getting closer.....:)

Mine was also a bit hard to install on the right side...

I had to push it very hard, and lost a bit of skin in the process... :lol:

Also, you could try to unclip the MINI dash molding where the parcel tray doesn't fit and get the parcel tray under it...

Good luck, and wear some gloves if you don't want to get scars lol

I found inserting the blue nut over the hole on the right from the side rather than the front helped it stay in place when screwing in the screw. It didn't push off the metal rail. It also seemed to go in easier if the left downtube was unscrewed and moved out of the way.

Welder must be from Texas
 

Progress... yes, I've made some ground:

First off, I'm an idiot because I was totally wrong labelling and explaining the orientation of my own photos.:grin: I swear I know right from left but up and down just goes right out the window when you're taking pictures upside down while holding the camera right side up! So... I mistakenly posted them upside down and what they actually show is the back wall of the shelf with the top towards the bottom of the pictures (note the steering column universal joint).

The metal thing, shown in this shot
Attachment 9701
should be above the shelf and not even in it's way. I managed to wedge the shelf past the metal thing and discovered that the real culprit was this bad boy:
Attachment 9702
It appears to be a bracket that braces the bottom edge of the dash to the firewall. Having that extra dash support is fine by me but the monstrously large weld is causing the back of the parcel shelf to tilt upwards into the other metal piece. That weld was making contact with a spline on the shelf seen in this photo:
Attachment 9700
You can see the white discoloration dead center where the plastic was stressed against the weld when I tried bending the upper lip to match up the screw holes. Unfortunately, my Herculean brawn (you'd find that funny if you knew me) snapped the left side of the mounting hole as can be seen in the second photo. I think it will still be fine though.

My battle plan is to shave off part of that plastic spline to clear the weld and hopefully the shelf should fit. I'll keep you all posted.

By the way, I checked the aux wire (good eye, Chad) but it wasn't getting in the way.

Thanks for everyone's help! The NAM community is great!

no problem :thumbsup: any time i can help. looks like it's almost there. any time you need help, give me a call, e-mail, PM. :)

Chad
Detroit Tuned

anyone have a tip for getting out the knee bolster ?

I'm following a DIY that said it just comes right out . NOT

left and right clips come off, but if I pull it out, the middle clip is going to break the cross brace at the back of the piece...

I hate DIY sh*t, Murphy's Law loves to ***** with me, every single time

By the way this is an '06, I wonder if they've changed something since mine was JUST built

Nope, it just feels that way - I promise! I wrote a good description in another thread of what you need to do. I'll go see if I can find it.

Check out post #10 in this thread. :)

Thanks Chris, I managed to get it out before seeing this post, but thank you for the help. Now I'm back to the beginning of this thread trying to get the ride side back far enough to screw it in ;-)

Ugh, I don't envy you! :lol: The parcel shelf install is a huge pain, but it's definitely worth it in the end.

what a royal PITA! I THINK I have the right screw in the blue nut, I had to insert it at an angle and there was some resistance. I put a bit of duct tape to hold the nut in place before SLAMMING the upper part of the right side up and as far back as I could...jeeeeeezus

Now I'll set about Goof Offing the airbag stickers, that should be a lot easier !

Thanks for the help

I just put my in. It was fairly easy to remove the bulster.
Fitting the in was easy but trying to get ther right screw.
So @#$%!! hard. I had to band it out 5-6 times and I think
my banging screwed up my stereo. Twice it turned on
by it self. And when I turn on Sat it takes a while to find
a signal. Let's see how it goes.

Studog

06 MCSa

It took me a couple of tries in my '06 to get the bolster out. I finally just tugged really hard and out it popped. I think I was worried about cracking something. The install took me a few tries of putting it in and taking it out before I found the "spot". I never even put the screws in, it's snapped in and hasn't moved since I put it in about a month and a half ago. I didn't have a screwhead to match those things.
Annette

More parcel shelf install hijinks
 

Greetings,

I also have an early '05 MCS and tried to fit the parcel shelf. I am a failrly big guy, and standing on my head with my feet out the door of the MINI was awkward as all !@#$/. I was probably in & out of the footwell 15 times.

Anyway the factory bolster came right out no problem.

The parcel shelf was indeed a genuine MINI part, but it would absoutely not fit. The shelf has two tabs at the back on the shelf which are intended to grab some notches in the lower crossbeam of the dash frame. These notches refused to stay on target as one pivots the shelf into place. I was also running into something which popped the shel fowards each time I got it to about 2 inches from level.

After about 5 attempts I noticed the shelf's edges were starting to shave my silver downtubes on the center console as they went buy. Annoying, but fixable with some low-tack masking tape on the downtubes.

This thing would absoutley not fit. I noticed that both tabs on the rear of the shelf were really chewed up on their left ends. I deduced they were rubbing/ grinding on the notches in the frame, and causing the thing to pop loose. I look a sharp blade and took about 10% off the left edge of each tab [ towards the door] and also widened the openings a hair to make them grab better.

Secondly I also doctored the notches in the frame crossmember a bit - made each one 10% wider and deeper.

The shelf clipped in correctly for the first time and went in like a charm. As stated elsewhere in this thread, the provided screw anchors were not easy to line up once the shelf is installed - hard to locate the anchors through the screw holes, and they are misaligned by about 3/4 inch in my case. I bent the flexible shelf top and used toothpicks to line them up.

Overall it looks good now, but I would not want to do it again!

shelf color?
 

I have seen online sales of the shelf in the grey, but I've not seen it in anthracite. Does anyone know if it comes in that color as well? Thanks.

That part of the MINI interior only comes in one color. The parcel shelf is the same color as the knee bolster panel that it replaces.

Thanks for the info. With only my mini in front of me to look at, I didn't know that they were all the same color on the bolster.

Wanting something different, I installed a "bootleg" Euro Knee Bolster :wink:

http://www.mini2.com/galleries/data/...ee_Bolster.jpg

Dude, where'd you get that one? I love having the small opening by the knee. Let's you store some small stuff WITHOUT it sliding around :sad:

:thumbsup:

Based on your location you should be able to get it from a German dealer ... PN 51-16-7-058-406 :)