Cargo Net Installation Instructions

Installing a cargo net was one modification which has made a huge difference in daily life. Before, I'd drive home from the grocery store with a few groceries in the back (not very many since I'm single), and even though I'd drive really slow, going around a turn at any speed made all my groceries fly around in the back. It looked like there had been an explosion in my hatch when I stopped to get my groceries out.

Acura made a factory cargo net for the Integra sedan, but not for the hatchback. Did they think that single people don't buy groceries? Well, I went to my local Advance Auto parts store and found an aftermarket cargo net for about $15.00. It's black and is about 4 feet long when not stretched out. Each corner has an elastic loop that loops around a plastic knob. These knobs can be attached either using the supplied Scotch adhesive or with screws. I recommend using screws, since the net fell off in a day after I first tried the adhesive.

Both rear plastic panels need to be partially removed, enough so that you can reach behind them in the hatch area. You don't need to completely remove them. Pick four spots to place the knobs, trying to keep them geometric. I was successful in this on the right side, but not on the left because of the placement of the courtesy light and the vent. It will probably be advantageous to drill holes in these four locations, no larger than the screws. The screws are held to the panels by speed nuts, which you'll have to reach around the panel with and hold in place while you tighten the screws. (A speed nut is basically a flat piece of metal with a hole in it--if the net doesn't come with these, get some. Screws don't attach to plastic easily.)

For best results, you should then hold the speed nut with pliers while fully tightening the screw, to make sure these knobs don't come loose. When you're done with this, reattach the panels as shown in the service manual. This can be a pain--a couple of the retaining clips are uncooperative. Attach the net, and take a trip to the grocery store.