Retro-fit CD changer, bolts?

tagscuderia

tagscuderia

Member
Thanks to redbull_a2 I'll be installing a CD changer this weekend and having read the fitting guide I'm wondering if anyone can tell me which bolts I need to use, length and thread? The guide simply states longer but also that you can't remove them once tightened; don't want a captive bolt that's too short!
I need to replace a couple of stripped screws and buy an extractor so I'll be headed to ScrewFix soon enough.

If anyone has any tips in general they'd be greatly appreciated -- including modifying a standard boot trim for the false floor bracket.
Thanks all.
 
Hi,

The CD changer bracket is fitted with 4 bolts. 3 go into the body panel and the 4th goes through the slot in the bracket that holds the seat belt real.
The bolts into the body screw into 3 captive nuts which fit in hexagonal holes in the body. If you don't have any of these it may be easier to buy some as two of the mountings go into the wheel arch area and so cannot be easily accessed from the other side. Note that any nuts and bolts used must be coated to prevent contact corrosion with aluminium.
I will post sizes of the standard bolts when I get home.

The fitting points are shown in the pictures below.

DSC03071b.jpgDSC03072b.jpg

Adapting the boot side for the false floor takes a bit of time and care. You need to cut away the foam from the inside to make space for the false floor bracket. Early cars have a heavy multi-coloured foam insulation which is quite difficult to cut. Later cars have a light weight dark grey insulation which also has a recess which shows where to cut! Just compare the existing panel with the one being adapted.

For the slots, I suggest you make a template out of stiff paper or thin card. Attach to the existing panel and draw round the outlines of the holes and then carefully cut with a knife. Then attach to the new panel and cut though with a dremel or similar.

DSC03126.jpg

regards

Andrew
 
Cheers Andrew, that's a big help. I'm starting from scratch so don't have any of the bolts et al. Sizes would be great.
I'm also now hoping that I've got one of the later boot trims, should get that tomorrow. As a perfectionist I can see cutting the trim being an abject lesson in compromise!
Thanks.

Update: trim waiting for me and just my luck, it's the early version with the foam! Shame that it's without recesses... I do like my false floor though so it's looking like a fun weekend for me.
 
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Hi,

the 4 mounting bolts are M6 and 20mm long. As you can see from the picture, the standard bolts have captive washers.

DSC03132.jpg

The following two pictures show the mounting places marked on a car which doesn't have the CD changer and then on a car which does. This shows the 3 captive nuts in place.

DSC03134b.jpgDSC03135b.jpg

regards

Andrew
 
@Andrew, thank you so much for your help with this, greatly appreciated.
The bolts are easy to find but... what would you suggest for the captive nuts, can't find anything on Screwfix et co. I'm guessing with the photos that this is an update that you've done yourself? Really helpful, thanks.
Oh and cheers for mentioning galvanic corrosion, I hadn't given that a 2nd thought!
Tom.
 
This suggestion is not much help unless you have access to a lathe. I had the same problem and made some alloy bobbins with a thin, large diameter flange, drilled and tapped to take the standard bolts. The body dia was a neat fit in the square holes originally intended for the captive nuts and the flange was Araldited in place.

Cheers Spike
 
spike said:
This suggestion is not much help unless you have access to a lathe.
Click to expand...
No access to a lathe unfortunately. Albeit that's probably a good thing, never felt particularly in control on a lathe, milling is more my thing. Well, 3D printing is more my bag nowadays ;)
Might take the trim out tomorrow and see what I'm dealing with, hopefully things will come together easily (fingers crossed).

@Bret, original as in from a dealer? Didn't expect them to have them but... stranger things possibly. Annoying that I didn't think to ask redbull_a2 for them off the breaker. If Audi have the captive nuts available that'd be a huge headache removed!
 
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errr, use original bolts. Corrosion otherwise.

Really, they won't be expensive and they're the right material.

- Bret
 
bretti_kivi said:
errr, use original bolts. Corrosion otherwise. Really, they won't be expensive and they're the right material.
Click to expand...
Tried Audi and unfortunately... the nuts and bolts are only available in an "installation kit" that includes the bracket and wiring costing £83 -- I've already bought the bracket and wiring so they're some very expensive fittings! Seems to be that if you want to retro-fit the changer, go to Audi.
Had read up on what was required and wasn't expecting any issues with the bracket so it's annoying. Looks like I'll be getting some spare parts unless anyone can suggest anything?
Thanks all, appreciated.
Tom.
 
@Spike, going from Andrew's photos up top the cut-out is a hex, just to complicate things. However I have just thought of rivet nuts! I've never used them but in theory they'd do the job if I can find the correct size (or modify the existing cut-outs). Doubt that B&Q, Screwfix et al will stock them so might have some fun sourcing them but... progress, possibly.

According to Audi the installation kit "shows the loom, 2 brackets, bolts, screws and washers." 2 brackets? For anyone contemplating doing this retro-fit I'd recommend buying that! Going to make the job 100x easier. They quote £151 for the boot trim, I paid £50 off eBay for a brand new one sans false floor bracket cut-outs so depending on ability with a Dremel...
If I had an iPod I'd be kicking myself at this point for going this route, at least I'm spared that.
Thanks everyone for the help, this forum is part of the A2 ownership experience :D. Any further tips or thoughts greatly appreciated.
Cheers, Tom.
 
Just to push this thread on a bit, I also tried to get the captive nuts from Audi. Although there are 44 different sizes used across the different car models and I would be very surprised if a completely unique size was used to hold the CD player on the A2 which wasn't used somewhere else on another car, I was faced with the same "if its not on the diagram we can't order it" mentality.

I was able to find similar closed end ones to the OEM fitting, but these were direct from China and a 1000 minimum order!

Instead, I bought Rivnut Hex M6 thread size, panel hole 8.90mm - NST36P from Bresco Vehicle Services Limited.
http://www.bresco.com/acatalog/Rivnut_Inserts.html

These have an open end rather than the closed end which Audi typically use. I don't know whether this is important as I could not see if the bottom two go into a closed or open cavity. I will be sealing the end of them with silicon just in case.

To make sure that there won't be any contact corrosion with aluminium, on the advice of a friend I coated them with Zinc:
http://www.bilthamber.com/paints-and-coatings/electrox

The Rivnuts have a thinner flange to the OEM part so I will be using a washer between the nut and the bracket to make up the difference.

Pictures of Rivnut part and Audi OEM CD Changer nut removed from an A2. The Audi part is used so you can see the bulge where it has expanded to lock it in place.
These were taken before I coated the new nuts with Zinc.

DSC03186.jpgDSC03185.jpg

I haven't fitted them yet (for various other reasons). I will post when I have.

I made up 3 sets of nuts with the Zinc coating. As I only actually need one set, if anyone wants them I will post a set off for a donation to the club. PM me with your address.

Regards

Andrew
 
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To follow up the last instalment, the CD changer bracket is now fitted.

3 of the Rivnuts have been mounted on the car with the lower two filled with silicone sealant, just in case the other side is open to the outside and the bracket mounted in place.

Left picture, fitted Rivnuts. Right picture, the CD changer bracket mounted. I placed washers between the bracket and the Rivnuts to make up for the thinner flange compared to the OEM nuts.

DSC03244.jpgDSC03245.jpg

The expanding nuts are fixed into place before the bracket is attached. I tried to do this using a nut, bolt and washers but the bolt broke before any expansion occurred. The bolt I picked at random turned out to be a soft aluminium bolt! I suggest anyone attempting this who doesn't have an expanding nut fitting tool, choose a high strength steel bolt!

regards

Andrew
 
Cheers for adding to the thread, I still haven't progressed which is a little embarrassing. I'm now wondering about trying to find a N/S boot trim without the false floor cut-outs/bracket -- I don't have a Dremel and have been a bit chicken about butchering the the trim I bought (new) for the CD changer. My car has the false floor but no space-saver so it probably wouldn't be missed... probably.
I have found that Ford sell aluminium M6 hex rivnuts for the Transit so that's what I'm going to try, no worries regards corrosion then. Just need to get my act together and call them!
 
Hi Andrew, the rivnuts that I was after turned out to be M9, disappointing. Given the difference in flange height and adding washers to make up the difference, do you think that you could use non-hex rivnuts? You can get aluminium M6 rivnuts just not hex so...
Cheers.
 
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