Help! How do I remove radio and cubby hole above

mikeonb4c · Post by **mikeonb4c** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 2:54 pm

Hi chums. Just trying to fit my BMW clock but am stumped at square 1. I cant work out how to remove the cubby hole that has been fitted above the radio as well as how to remove the radio. Anyone able to advise? I think it may be a prise it with a screwdriver job but don't want to damage anything and it didn't yield to modest prising.

I'll await replies and get on with one of the other jobs on the Bongo. Boy this is fun

David Edwards · Post by **David Edwards** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 3:12 pm

Depends what make it is, normally the face plate has to be removed and two clips inserted in each side to release the radio, if you had a book with the radio you prob had the metal clips too, have a look I found mine loose in the glovebox, when I took the radio out the cubby was easy, it just slides out but have a good look before you tug at things. Good luck, happy motoring.

crazy uncle gray g · Post by **crazy uncle gray g** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 4:58 pm

Davids right about the little releasing scooby`s for the radio Mike. You can buy them in Halfords for the price of a pint

If you try and remove the radio without them you may damage it and the dash. GOOD LUCK

corblimey · Post by **corblimey** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 8:42 pm

I've got a Beemer clock waiting to be fitted but I know I'm going to struggle removing the cubby hole becasue I've already tried.

I got the head unit it out no problem; it's an Alpine and it has little latches that need to be released to allow it to slide out. When I got to the cubby hole though I was stumped. I know there must be clips or somehting I was missing but I just couldn't work it out.

Any clues will be greatly apperiated before I end up losing my rag and breaking something

timbers · Post by **timbers** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 8:55 pm

removed original jap radio/cd in my bongo by using a flat butter knife on both sides to depress the spring type lugs top and bottom , the eased the unit out , causing no damage at all.

hope this helps

charterhouse · Post by **charterhouse** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 10:33 pm

The first thing to do is take out the glove box. Just open it as wide as possible and then press in each of the plastic studs on both sides while pulling it gently forward. Should come out of the bottom lugs easily. You then have loads of room to get your hand in behind both the radio and the DIN storage box. The radio will probably ease forward with a push on each side in turn. Take out the antenna plug on the right when you can see it and don't put too much strain on the main connector block. The storage box has a couple of plastic spring mouldings that you can see if you look with a torch. Press in, one at a time, and ease the box forward on each side until it pops out or you can get a grip on it. May need to help it out with a flat knife or similar. When you come to the wiring all the connections you need can be piggy backed from the main radio connector block.

johnzbenson · Post by **johnzbenson** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 10:56 pm

Depending on the radio fitted it should have small side covers that need to be gently prised off to reveal the radio removal slots or holes, I ddn't have the correct removal tools available for my radio's removal so a good alternative was some small ball-ended Allen keys to push into the holes and enable the release mechanism. for the cubby hole i found once I had one of the DIN units out (the radio) then I could then get my hand in and push at the side locking mechinism with asmall flat bladed driver, incidentally you may be able to release one side from opening the glovebox and reaching around. not ideal but I'm sure you will manage,

Best of Luck

mikeonb4c · Post by **mikeonb4c** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 12:20 am

Fantastic advice as ever guys - I dont think I can add anything to top that. I got mine out OK, more by luck than judgement if I'm being honest. I used two stout dinner knives, one each side of the cubby box and by sliding them in between the box and the fascia I must have persuaded the box clips to let go when I started to lever. Popped out with a bang. Wasnt pleasant though and I think I was a bit lucky. The Radio then came out with a push from behind because someone had obviously fiddled with it before and left the springs clips pushed in so they werent really holding it in. Fine by me!

I've installed the clock and it is working, but with no light. I had hoped to pick up a wire that took feed from the sidelight/das lights supply but had no luck with any feed, let alone that one. So I tested the bulb and it seemed duff - DOH! Just to be even more stupid, I brushed the end of the test wires together momentarily to see if a little spark would confirm the feed to the bulb was at least live (I imagined a little touch wouldnt do any harm). WRONG. A quick POP and the sidelights and interior lights went out - blown fuse. Silly me. I had spares though and rather luckily found the culprit on my fourth pull of a 10Amp fuse.

Anyone know where you buy a replacement bulb for a BMW clock? Looks a bit specialised to me.

My ebay TV aerial arrived today and I tested it with a telly in the van - fantastic receptiion. What I did was to get 3 sucker pads, screw them to the base of the portable aerial and then stick the aerial upside down on the inside of the Freetop skylight. The aerial hardly protrudes into the car and is almost clear of the Faraday cage that is the cars steel shell. Because the aerial has a ball socket, it can be rotated through 360 degrees horizontally as well as +-30 degrees in the vertical plane, and all this can be done by the passenger just reaching up. It will be interesting to see whether this makes it possible to watch telly on the move. I'll keep you posted.

Aerial was bought off ebay at:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... &rd=1&rd=1

Oh and my memory foam mattress arrived today. I tell you, I've got to retire just to keep up with all the stuff I want to do on the Bongo

Memory foam ordered yesterday, arrived today, from:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... &rd=1&rd=1

Was tempted to buy 3" thickness but thought I might be pushing my luck on roofspace - 2" seems v good anyway - will keep you posted after I've tried it out.

pippin · Post by **pippin** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 11:07 am

The clock light is a fairly standard dash light, should be readily available.
Just take the sample into any garage or motor accessory shop and they should have them.

mikeonb4c · Post by **mikeonb4c** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 11:09 am

Thanks Pippin - I'll do that. How'd you get on wiring up your clock?

bigdaddycain · Post by **bigdaddycain** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 2:30 pm

i,m still trying to book the auto electrician for this coming week to do mine mike, if you haven,t found out by then, i,ll let you know where to take the feed...

pippin · Post by **pippin** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 3:55 pm

Haven't had a chance yet!

mikeonb4c · Post by **mikeonb4c** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 5:23 pm

That would be grand bigdaddycain - I'll get the bulb (if I can kick the kids out of it - they are having a whale of a time eating popcorn and watching Hitch Hikers Guide on the 12v TV in the drive - a gentle introduction to wild camping

)

Help! How do I remove radio and cubby hole above

Help! How do I remove radio and cubby hole above

radio and cubby hole removal