Outback Cargo net mounting instructions

I have a 2002 LLBean and I bought the stock cargo net. It attaches to the hooks that are already there near the hatch opening (don't remember if they flip out or they are already flipped out). No holes necessary. Are you positive there are no hooks already there?

Yup. There are existing hooks along the floor, one set near the tailgate & another halfway to the seatback, but nothing along the top.

It's not the pop-out hooks. Those are for plastic grocery bags (or whatever. The hooks you want are close to the hatch, and there are four of them, and are sort of T shaped.

Greg --

I installed a cargo net on my 2002 H6-3.0 VDC Outback Wagon shortly after I bought it in the fall of 2001. The instructions for drilling the upper T-Anchor holes read:

1. Locate the tail light access door and mark a point 1" back from the rearmost edge, placing your mark along the horizontal crease as shown in Figure 1. (Figure 1 shows the crease extending horizontally toward the hatch from the bottom edge of the tail light access door.)

1. With a drill and 3/16" bit, drill a hole thru plastic panel and sheet metal underneath. Make sure drill bit does not penetrate second sheet metal layer.

2. With a drill and 1/2" bit, enlarge hole in plastic panel only.

1. Install large (self-tapping) T-Anchor assembly into 3/16" hole and hand tighten. See View 'A', Figure 1. Repeat for other side. (View 'A' simply shows the T-Anchor assembly being inserted through the 1/2" hole in the plastic panel and screwed into the 3/16" hole in the underlying sheet metal layer.)

These instructions for installing the lower T-Anchors in Outback models read:

1. Using flat head screwdriver, remove lower cargo hook mounting screw cover to access mounting screw as shown in Figure 2. (Figure 2 shows the hinged cargo hook folded down with the plastic cover in the center of the hook mounting assembly inset into the interior wall removed to reveal a Phillips-head screw.)

1. Using Phillips screwdriver, remove screw and keep both the screw and cover for future use if necessary.

2. Install small M6 T-Anchor (machine thread) assembly with spacer into lower cargo hook weld nut hole and hand tighten. See View 'A', Figure 2. Repeat for other side. (View 'A' simply shows the T-Anchor assembly being screwed into the hole from which the Phillips-head screw was unscrewed.)

These instructions matched the physical lay-out of my 2002 VDC Outback. Either you have different instructions or Subaru changed the lay-out when the 2002 model was introduced.

Hope this helps.

Bruce Remove "NOHORMEL" to reply.

Ahhh, the set near the tailgate was what I was talking about. Perhaps you have a different, taller/larger net.