felickz

iTrader: (4)

So i decided to wing my orbital install w/o the "instruction sheet"


Everything is going smoothly until i try to put the HVAC controls back into place in the lower compartment. The metal dash bracing in the lower part is directly in the way of where the TEMP (black) cable wants to go. Does this kit require me to modify that bracket as well? I have an 06 MR and there is a black rubber radio mount located down there as well that is pretty much in the way, is this because of the gauge kit??. I unbolted it and it kind of bends out of the way but it is defintiley not good.


Can anyone scan their orbital instructions?? Help a brother out?

YtDiamond05

iTrader: (10)

I cut the metal bracket to allow it to fit:

felickz

iTrader: (4)

Ah that was what i was about to do but before i went all out i figured i would ask!!!

Is this the way the said to do it in the orbital instructions?

YtDiamond05

iTrader: (10)

Not that I found. I dont have the instructions anymore so I cant look at them again. IIRC it said to maneuver them down there, but I sure as hell couldnt figure out a way. I just cut it and called it a day. Makes things sooo much easier. Did your buttons for defrost, a/c, and recirc work wel with no modifications. I had to sand those openings also. The fit was decent on both kits, but the finish was terrible, not what I expected for that much money.

felickz

iTrader: (4)

HAHA!! NO the damn button housing was being pushed against and the A/C and RECIRC button would not pop back out once i pressed them in....

SOO i got to sanding the opening, after about 4 tries ( and one broken PEG later) i figured out that it wasnt the opening but rather the bottom part of the bezel that was some pretty thick plastic pushing against the button housing. I got out the dremel and went to town, things fit now!

The guy that sells them seems pretty honest though... it might cost him around 300 bux to pay for the tooling to build the kit. He is also mentioning that a huge audio company might buy the copyrights to his product and if so he will offer a free upgrade to the better version!!! Sounds good to me!

You are right, there is no way that damn HVAC piece is gonna fit unless i get out the cutting wheel.

YtDiamond05

iTrader: (10)

Haha, mine did the same thing!!! I finally found that a wedge of wood under the heater controls made it work! So ghetto, but it worked. I also broke a damn peg, terrible design how they are part of the mold, which is like body filler and super thin.

darkbattousai

iTrader: (2)

Took me a while to figure out that the plastic was holding the buttons in. If only I read this thread before I spent a couple hours figuring out how to fix it without it looking terrible.

bKevO

iTrader: (17)

hey bro, I see u wasted no time in putting that in, lol....sorry about the instruction sheet - just noticed it's sitting on my desk, but in case ur wondering it makes no reference on using ur trimming skills.

....show pix of final install

felickz

iTrader: (4)

NOTICE how the black temp control cable wants to be exactly where the metal bracket lives (THIS IS WITH THE METAL BRACKET UNSCREWED AND BENT OUT)




SOLUTION:


Where i cut, it left a lip so that the top part sill rests on the bracket that was untouched ( i put some electrical tape behind to avoid squeeks, i hate squeeks) AND if i needed i could bolt the bottom piece back into place.


And Finally: (boost gauge on my side)




I have been doing the car audio thing for 5 or so years so i figued this would be a breeze, probably took me 4 hours just because i am a slow worker and like to get everything perfect. Once i make a trip to circuit city tomarrow i will have my alpine + sirius in the car instead of the crap factory unit that get static from radio stations only 30 miles away GOD I hate fm radio. Hopefully i will pull the trigger on a 2DIN navi unit sometime in the future (if the wife allows)

YtDiamond05

iTrader: (10)

haha, I just wanted it done. I was doing it in between cars, and just wanted it in. I also do car audio, for about 2 years. Its always personal cars that are rushed and done half-***, at least for me. After spending time on customers cars all day, my car is the one that suffers, haha. I too assumed this would be easy since I do it every day, but took me like 2 hours of grief to make it work. The HVAC was the hard part, only took like 20 minutes to get the radio in. Ill post some pics of it all done soon.

Jameson_IXMR

iTrader: (5)

sweet mother of god, this is what I have been looking for for the last month!! I too have an MR with the mysterious bracket in the way, I actually cut the white hvac control box some and JB welded the cable to the smaller post. Anyway, it's acting up again now.... That bracket comes out?? I thought it was structural. Im going to remove that thing right now (1:31 am ) and get a cutting. I sanded the hole down too!! Then figured out its those plastic braces under the HVAC stopping the button springs!!. What a pain in the ****. This thing really needs an "MR specific install manual". Crap

Thanks felickz for informing me of this thread!!

michaels_evo8

iTrader: (4)

This is good news.. im getting ready to install my orbital kit this weekend and now i know what im for. Thanks for all the info guys!

EzNateZ

iTrader: (1)

Yeah, Orbital advises that you just bend those old HVAC brackets upward instead of cut them out. Just incase you want to uninstall the relocation kit someday and put the old stuff back in.

Good luck!

Jameson_IXMR

iTrader: (5)

Im just going to clip out a small portion where the cable wants to go. So its still in the car and should work fine.