Dal
Active member
- Joined
- Oct 3, 2007
- Messages
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Parcel Shelf Fixes
Guide Overview:
This guide will hopefully help you stop the parcel shelf from constantly falling into the boot. It's normally a combination of the hinge / hinge location wearing and the strings not staying on the hatch pins. Sometimes the hinge comes away from the parcel shelf too.
Hinge pin modification
Difficulty: 1/5
Time: 30 mins - 1 hour
Required Tools:
Rather than constantly wrapping electrical tape around the hinge pins, I’ve found that applying heat shrink sleeving is a more permanent fix as it “sets” to a much harder finish than tape ensuring it lasts a lot longer.
1. Remove Parcel Shelf from car. Work on one side at a time.
2. Apply heat to the 2 plastic hinge sections on the parcel shelf to slightly soften the hinge and allow removal of the metal pin.
3. With the pin out, cut a length of heat shrink to cover the rubber cylinder.
4. Using a hot air gun / hairdryer shrink to fit uniformly around the rubber. (thus increasing its diameter)
5. Insert the metal pin back through the plastic hinge whilst inserting a smaller length of slightly smaller heat shrink to the metal pin between the two hinge parts.
(If you haven't been fast enough with steps 3 and 4, the hinge may have cooled and the pin may be difficult to re-insert. Simply re-heat the hinge and insert the metal hinge.)
6. With the hinge in position, gently heat the central heat shrink to ensure the pin never comes out again.
(The plastic hinges will contract round the metal hinge again as it cools down securing it, but this is just to be sure)
7. Repeat for the other side of the parcel shelf.
8. Wait for the hinge / heat shrink to become cool.
9. Returning to the car – re-fit the hinge back into the hinge location slots. It should be a much firmer push you need now whilst it still pivots.
Before pushing in:
Pushed in:
10. Refit the strings to the hatch pins.
11. Push a grommet over to stop the strings falling off.
Mines lasted over a year now with no signs of wear happy
Hinge to parcel shelf fixing modification
If your plastic hinge has come away from the parcel shelf, then the best way to fix it back is to bolt or rivet it back into position. Using any adhesive will only be a temporary fix due to the vibration and contact surfaces involved (carpet / plastic)
Difficulty: 2/5
Time: 30 mins - 1 hour
Required Tools:
* Drill
* Suitable drill size for Rivet / bolt
Required Parts:
* Rivets or Bolt & nuts
1. Drill through the hinge either side of the mounding to ensure a flat surface using the drill and an appropriately sized drill bit.
2. Place on Parcel shelf and mark the position.
3. Carefully drill the parcel shelf (It's thicker than you think!)
4. Place hinge back on shelf and Rivet / screw as required.
Job Done
Any questions / comments are more than welcome.
Guide Overview:
This guide will hopefully help you stop the parcel shelf from constantly falling into the boot. It's normally a combination of the hinge / hinge location wearing and the strings not staying on the hatch pins. Sometimes the hinge comes away from the parcel shelf too.
Hinge pin modification
Difficulty: 1/5
Time: 30 mins - 1 hour
Required Tools:
- Hot air gun / Hairdryer
- Scissors
- Heat shrink sleeving (*see bottom of article)
- Grommets x 2 (*see bottom of article)
Rather than constantly wrapping electrical tape around the hinge pins, I’ve found that applying heat shrink sleeving is a more permanent fix as it “sets” to a much harder finish than tape ensuring it lasts a lot longer.
1. Remove Parcel Shelf from car. Work on one side at a time.
2. Apply heat to the 2 plastic hinge sections on the parcel shelf to slightly soften the hinge and allow removal of the metal pin.
3. With the pin out, cut a length of heat shrink to cover the rubber cylinder.
4. Using a hot air gun / hairdryer shrink to fit uniformly around the rubber. (thus increasing its diameter)
5. Insert the metal pin back through the plastic hinge whilst inserting a smaller length of slightly smaller heat shrink to the metal pin between the two hinge parts.
(If you haven't been fast enough with steps 3 and 4, the hinge may have cooled and the pin may be difficult to re-insert. Simply re-heat the hinge and insert the metal hinge.)
6. With the hinge in position, gently heat the central heat shrink to ensure the pin never comes out again.
(The plastic hinges will contract round the metal hinge again as it cools down securing it, but this is just to be sure)
7. Repeat for the other side of the parcel shelf.
8. Wait for the hinge / heat shrink to become cool.
9. Returning to the car – re-fit the hinge back into the hinge location slots. It should be a much firmer push you need now whilst it still pivots.
Before pushing in:
Pushed in:
10. Refit the strings to the hatch pins.
11. Push a grommet over to stop the strings falling off.
Mines lasted over a year now with no signs of wear happy
Hinge to parcel shelf fixing modification
If your plastic hinge has come away from the parcel shelf, then the best way to fix it back is to bolt or rivet it back into position. Using any adhesive will only be a temporary fix due to the vibration and contact surfaces involved (carpet / plastic)
Difficulty: 2/5
Time: 30 mins - 1 hour
Required Tools:
* Drill
* Suitable drill size for Rivet / bolt
Required Parts:
* Rivets or Bolt & nuts
1. Drill through the hinge either side of the mounding to ensure a flat surface using the drill and an appropriately sized drill bit.
2. Place on Parcel shelf and mark the position.
3. Carefully drill the parcel shelf (It's thicker than you think!)
4. Place hinge back on shelf and Rivet / screw as required.
Job Done
Any questions / comments are more than welcome.