DIY fix for sagging rear shelf

[jeff]

Hey folks,

I spent $8 on a piece of welding steel (Lowe's) and made a brace to fix my sagging rear shelf. Here's what I did.

Supplies needed
- Fiesta with rear sagging shelf
- piece of welding steel or similar product
- nuts, bolts, washers

Steps
1. Cut 38" piece of metal
2. Measure and drill 3 holes as pictured
3. Assemble shelf brace

Pro tips
Pro tip #1 wrap the ends of the brace with electrical tape
Pro tip #2 use Velcro on the shelf holder to minimize rattling

It's not completely flat but it's much better than before. Hope this is helpful.

BEFORE

AFTER

OTHER PICS

FINAL WITH LOW-BLING SHELF MOD INSTALLED

 

[The_Ryan]

why steel over the angle aluminum they have? also pics didn't load

 

[jeff]

why steel over the angle aluminum they have? also pics didn't load

I just found the steel first and figured it was stronger.

Pics work fine for me...not sure why you are having trouble.

 

[The_Ryan]

weird.

Hey folks,

I spent $8 on a piece of welding steel (Lowe's) and made a brace to fix my sagging rear shelf. Here's what I did.

Supplies needed
- Fiesta with rear sagging shelf
- piece of welding steel or similar product
- nuts, bolts, washers

Steps
1. Cut 38" piece of metal
2. Measure and drill 3 holes as pictured
3. Assemble shelf brace

Pro tips
Pro tip #1 wrap the ends of the brace with electrical tape
Pro tip #2 use Velcro on the shelf holder to minimize rattling

It's not completely flat but it's much better than before. Hope this is helpful.

BEFORE

AFTER

OTHER PICS

FINAL WITH LOW-BLING SHELF MOD INSTALLED

Weird, maybe my work computer is blocking something.

Also nice pro tip about velcro. Here I was trying to finagle get magnets to work, but now I'm going to pick up some velcro.

 

[Sam4]

I still think depositing it into a dumpster is the best fix - 0$$.

 

[Dcs_grey_shoe09]

I'm going to be doing the angled alum shortly so I can report on how that works compared to the steel.

 

[jeff]

why steel over the angle aluminum they have? also pics didn't load

I'm going to be doing the angled alum shortly so I can report on how that works compared to the steel.

Hey guys, I don't know why I went with a flat piece instead of angled, just wasn't thinking that day, yes angled obviously would be much stronger.

So I spend $6 today at Home Depot and got a piece. This time I cut it 36" instead of 38" so there was margin on the sides. Come to think of it they have it in 36" length so that is the way to go if you're replicating this. Anyhow the bracket with the angled alum doesn't bow and the shelf is super straight now.

 

[Dcs_grey_shoe09]

Hey guys, I don't know why I went with a flat piece instead of angled, just wasn't thinking that day, yes angled obviously would be much stronger.

So I spend $6 today at Home Depot and got a piece. This time I cut it 36" instead of 38" so there was margin on the sides. Come to think of it they have it in 36" length so that is the way to go if you're replicating this. Anyhow the bracket with the angled alum doesn't bow and the shelf is super straight now.

Nice and the place I went didnt have 36" in stock so I picked up 48" however I have other things I can use the extra for lol.

 

[joesiris]

this is a good idea. im also glad to see you still have your sticker shelf. I ordered some shady rays glasses to try out and of course it came with a sticker so I just added it to my sticker box. Im looking at all the stickers thinking to myself I should do something like jeff did, only have like some battery powered LED strip under it for when im at these car meets. Does your sticker shelf produce weird glare on the back windshield?

 

[jeff]

this is a good idea. im also glad to see you still have your sticker shelf. I ordered some shady rays glasses to try out and of course it came with a sticker so I just added it to my sticker box. Im looking at all the stickers thinking to myself I should do something like jeff did, only have like some battery powered LED strip under it for when im at these car meets. Does your sticker shelf produce weird glare on the back windshield?

No glare, the window is tinted but you can see them. It's subtle from the outside and unnoticeable from the inside rear-view mirror.

Here's the thread with pics:

https://www.fiestastforum.com/threads/sticker-shelf-insert-low-bling-mod.19450/

 

[Flaco]

So here is my fix modified from Jeff's . I used the same angle, and attached from the string pickup on the shelf. Just drilled two holes to push the pin threw. Worked like a charm ! I had to trim the legs of the pin just a little to allow for the thickness of the aluminum angle.

 

[CarGuy]

So here is my fix modified from Jeff's . I used the same angle, and attached from the string pickup on the shelf. Just drilled two holes to push the pin threw. Worked like a charm ! I had to trim the legs of the pin just a little to allow for the thickness of the aluminum angle. View attachment 31804 View attachment 31805

So are you saying that you drilled no additional holes in the panel itself just the metal support brace and then used the existing string to keep it in place?

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

 

[Flaco]

So are you saying that you drilled no additional holes in the panel itself just the metal support brace and then used the existing string to keep it in place?

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

Yes that is the string push pin threw the panel and aluminum angle

 

[DEss]

Yes that is the string push pin threw the panel and aluminum angle

This method doesn't require the additional nuts/bolts/washers?

 

[Flaco]

This method doesn't require the additional nuts/bolts/washers?

Nothing else required

 

[DEss]

Nothing else required

Mine must've gotten brittle from the heat cycles. Once I tried to fold in the tabs, one snapped off very easily. Went with the extra hardware method instead. Thanks all the same though - would've preferred the cleaner look of your solution.

DEss

 

[PhoenixM3]

Why not a carbon fiber rod (arrow maybe)?

 

[EnginerdNate]

Why not a carbon fiber rod (arrow maybe)?

Over that length, you'd want something bigger than an arrow on diameter for stiffness. A round bar is also more difficult to attach.

That said, if you had a way to punch some slots in the shelf you could do a big kite rod and attach it with black zipties. Would end up being pretty subtle.

OP's fix is nice because it picks up the supports on the sides. This takes stress off of the rest of the shelf and the strings.

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk

 

[joesiris]

im really glad you shared your thread here, that sag has bothered me for so long, and such a simple fix, just never thought to do anything about it. thanks

 

[verns]

I threw it away because my back window is tinted so the shelf isn't even doing it's function anyways