A shortcoming to MB's fiber optics, besides it being gross overkill (it's about a billion times faster than any need a vehicle has), is that the way they designed it, if one link goes down, the whole network goes down.

So if you want to remove any of your components, you have to put in a dummy connector so the ring is unbroken.

The first option is, at $10 a pop ($3 direct from China) you can get a plug-in bridge:

Only problem is there are slight differences to some connectors. Better hope you get the right one.

All the connector has to do is bridge the two ends. The terminals need to be more or less butted straight against each other, without too much gap. Here is a cheap DIY solution.

The connector looks like this to start with:


Take off the magenta arc strain relief things. They are there to stop the fiber from bending at too small a radius. Be careful with the fiber and don't bend it hard or kink it.


There is a little locking tab; pry it out.


The inner plug then slides out. You will see a little blue tab running through the middle.


Push it out, all the way.


There are also little black tabs that hold each cable end in. Pry those outward to release each cable.


Fully disassembled:


Go get yourself a trigger spray bottle. This is from a smaller bottle, and its dip tube is the perfect size. The dip tube fits snugly over the short cylindrical section at the cable termination. Windex dip tubes probably work too, but they are a little big. I didn't try it. The cable ends just need to be butted up against each other and as close to in line as possible.


You also need heat shrink, with a diameter that just fits over the cable ends and the strain relief. I had clear and like it. It needs to be long enough to go over both connectors butted together and some of the strain relief. The heat shrink holds the whole connection together.


Put the strain reliefs back on, this time right up to the cable termination:


Put the little piece of plastic tube on the cable termination tip. The plastic tube needs to be shorter than the sum of the two terminations' straight ends, so it's holding the connection straight and also not preventing the tips from butting together.
Slide the heat shrink over either side.


Push the two ends together. Again, make sure the two tips actually butt against each other.


Slide the heat shrink over the connection:


Heat shrink the heat shrink. If you aren't experienced in doing this, you might want to practice on something less mission critical.


And you're done:


Tuck it safely out of the way. You may want to admire the fireworks before closing everything up.


Yes that's actual red laser (maybe just a red LED) for the fiber signal.

Pull out your unwanted fiber ring components and sell them on Ebay to poor guys that don't realize they don't need to have a working component in there.

Enjoy, and hit me up with any questions.

 

What are the fiber components in the x164?

 

Dunno about all of them, but thus far I pulled the CD changer, the Sirius module, and the phone link module.

If you pull the CD changer, there's a void above the glove box. I'm trying to figure out how to set it up to store a firearm. Thought maybe I'd reuse the dropdown mechanism, but no luck.

For sure the radio connects; probably also the in-dash CD and Nav disc players, plus the radio module which I think is under the 2nd row seat, plus probably the Harmon-Kardon module, wherever that is.

 

thank you - I like the idea of inconspicuous gat storage.

 

Not sure where you're located, but if you do keep a firearm in your car, please make sure its double locked.

I'm a Police Officer here in St. Louis, per capita our crime rate is almost always number 1. Our biggest issue is people leaving firearms in their cars.

I've taken so many reports where the vehicle is rummaged through and nothing was taken except for the firearm.

 

Well, the SD ain't South Dakota.

An officer in St. Louis? My deep respect to you. Thank you for your service.

I managed to separate the dropdown mechanism from the actual CD changer. This idea might have legs after all. I'd fabricate a blind front box of some sort. It could be good for storing all kinds of valuables. "Firearm" is just representative of Valuable And/Or Controversial Items.