Front Door Pockets/Cup Holder Install - EASY/MEDIUM

One thing that became quickly apparent in my first summer cruising around in my Bay was that there was nowhere to put a drink up front. Years ago no one had cupholders in their cars but these days if they're missing in a modern motor it's seen as inconvenient.

So since last summer I've been planning to rectify this - and today I have.

I liked the look of the door pocket/can holders that Just Kampers stock and bought the longer version - 53cm as I reckoned that if I was going to go to the trouble of an install it may as well be as useful as possible. So here's how I went about it:

1. Strip the door furniture. The door handle is attached with 2 cross head screws found in the 2 square holes. The escutcheon for the door release has a single cross head screw. The window winder needs the cover pulling off and then the cross head screw removing. Then put a cloth over a flat head screwdriver (to prevent scratches) and lever off the door card. Work from bottom to top. Before you remove the last 2 top fasteners pull the bottom of the door card out and detach the speaker wires from the speaker. Then remove the remaining door card fasteners. The exposed shell of the door should look like this:

2.If you haven't done so before - now is a good time to rub a household candle into the rear side of the door card - it waterproofs it beautifully, so no matter how much water gets into your door - it won't weaken the door card and should drop straight to the bottom of the door frame.

3.Next up was the choice as to where to position the new pockets. I decided to put them towards the front of the door as there they wouldn't interfere with the seat position lever to the left/right of the seat respectively and they needed to be in a place where they were easily reachable but not foul the path of the window winder. Further if I wanted to stick a water bottle or similar in the cup section I needed space for the height of such. Having decided that they should follow the natural shape of the door I marked up the new pockets and drilled holes with a 3mm drill bit.

Fixing the door pocket along this line meant I could take advantage of the metal frame of the door for most of the screws. If you only attach the pocket to the door card - over time it will work its way loose.
4.Next up I refitted the door card with just four fixings -2 at the top and 2 near to where the new pocket would sit to make sure the door card was in the correct place. I held up the pocket into the position I wanted it to be and made 1 hole with a bradle - the far right upper screw hole (on the driver's door) and then used a 10mm screw to keep it in place whilst I made another hole at the opposite end of the pocket (ie edge of the door) to get the pocket straight. Having made all the necessary holes in the door card I removed the pocket and carefully drilled through the door card just 3 holes in the metal of the door as shown:

5. Next I took the door card off again to fit the pocket with the 2 screws that weren't going to go into the metal of the door. They were the centre lower screw and the top right screw (where the window lifter goes up and down - vital that you don't use a long screw here as it would interfere with the movement of the window)(remember too when doing the opposite door it's a mirror image.) I used a self tapping fixing on the back of these 2 screws such as you get for speaker attachment.

6. With the new pocket attached by 2 screws, I reattached the speaker wires then refitted the door card and screwed in the remaining 3 screws into the metal body of the door. I only used 1 of the supplied screws from Just Kampers - at the edge of the door as the depth allowed on the door frame was too shallow for anything but a 10mm screw. With 5 screws in place it was a perfect fit.

I'm really happy with the position of the pockets/cupholder as it doesn't get in the way of anything - is very accessible - and once I've painted the screw heads with satin black paint it'll look factory. As a bonus - given the choice of position if there's any spillage it'll drop straight down into the footwell and therefore out of the van


Finished job - with a strip of red B&Q electrical tape because Max is a SportsKombi

nice one tim looks good just the job all the best daz

Well done Tim, nicely explained. I've done much the same on Petal, I used black finished screws (I think it was 'spire nuts' that you meant for the 2 screws that only go into the card) I also used the opportunity to put some satin black paint on the edge of the card where it was poorly covered. I also fitted an elasticated net pocket at the top rear of each door to hold maps, cloths etc.

Tim
This is brilliant. These are just what I wanted to purchase. I was worried, though, as it said on the website that they would protrude, have a depth, of 8cm. That seemed to mean they would hit the seat no matter where I placed them.

Looking at yours though, that is clearly not the case.

Can I ask some advice?

I have the interior door cards with design to match the van colour. Will this matter in terms of following your instructions???

No not at all EvoFylde. I now have Newton Commercial panels on my cab doors and the pockets fit over them just fine.

Ok
Thanks Tim )

Tim
Do you think it is possible for me to install the door storage holders without taking the door cards off?
If screw in exactly the same places as you have, I should be ok, shouldn't I?
Or is that just avert bad idea?

I think it would be better to take the cards off to make sure they're securely fixed.

I'm not an expert though because I got my neighbour to do mine at his garage.

Take the cards off. Don't take short cuts. You run the risk of the screws not going through the metal frame of the door and just through the hardboard. Put anything heavier than a tissue in them and the pockets will come loose and eventually fall off.

It'll also give you the opportunity to Waxoyl inside the door frame. Protect your new Kombi NOW at the beginning of its life to make sure it has a long one.

Got it.

Thanks Tim.

Might give this a go!

Dickymint and EvoFylde, they are well worth it, one of the best things I bought, and I agree with Tim, do it with the cards off, it is a lot easier.

Mine are the shorter ones, and as said above, the screws just going through the hardboard aren't the best idea, where I positioned mine, I used M4 pan head machine screws with a flat washer on the back next to the card to spread the load, and a nylon insert lock nut. (I think they were 20mm long, and I used the same ones on the new cards even though they were thicker.)

They were on the original cards for 3 years like that, and didn't budge at all.






As you can see, it clears the seat and the adjuster handle.

Definitely worth it - you can't have too much storage space.

Have a read through from the beginning.
Adding door pockets is a vast improvement - we chose the shorter ones.
Well worth it as a Winter project.
osg