Slater Posted January 31, 2006 Report Share Posted January 31, 2006 OK, making a new steel part to address this problem was not economical, so I detailed the procedure to reinforce the stock part so it will not break. You can also use the same procedure to repair the part after it has already broken.It's very easy to do - a 2 on a scale from 1 to 10. Total cost $0.99 and is enough to do 4 gloveboxes (or $0.25 to fix my glovebox; however you want to look at it).Tools/Materials needed:- Phillips screwdriver- Dremel- Cutting and sanding bits for Dremel- 1/16" drill bit, 3/32" drill bit, 1/8" drill bit- #6-32 tap- #6-32x3/8" socket head screw (available at any hardware store)Step 1. Remove the glovebox door piece that houses the latch mechanism. On the door you just removed, take a look at how all the springs and pins and arms and stuff are laid out and oriented. You'll need to remember when you go to put it back together.Step 2. Unscrew the brown triangular shaped latch piece in the center.Step 3. Carefully pry off the small c-clip holding the latch pin to the frame.Step 4. Remove the latch pin. The small post is what breaks. Mine was not broken, but I was not going to wait around until it did.Step 5. Using your Dremel, remove the small post using a cutoff disc or wire snips or something. I then sanded what was left of the post down as low as I could go. Don't sand too much because you have to know exactly where the post was to center your drill bit.Step 6. Drill a small pilot hole in the center of where the small post was using the 1/16" drill bit. Then enlarge the hole using the 3/32" drill bit. Finally, enlarge the hole using the 1/8" drill bit.Step 7. Carefully tap the hole using the #6-32 tap.Step 8. Sand a small curved relief into the large head of the latch pin to allow the socket cap screw's head to clear. Then insert the socket cap screw and tighten. A dab of loctite isn't necessary but won't hurt for the extra piece of mind:Here is what the completed latch pin should look like:Step 9. Install the completed latch pin back into the frame, replace the c-clip, and finish putting everything back together the way it was taken apart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest AlvinL Posted January 31, 2006 Report Share Posted January 31, 2006 Excellent Slater! The community thanks you!It pinned!!!Edit- Of course, eveyone knows the best way of opening the glovebox if you haven't applied Slater's fix and the pin breaks, locking you out.The best way is to pry open the door just enough to allow a hacksaw blade in to cut off the wire loop that the latch locks to. Be sure tape is used to protect the surfaces of the door and dash from the side of the hacksaw blade as it cuts the loop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slater Posted January 31, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2006 Excellent Slater! The community thanks you!It pinned!!!No problem. Thanks for pinning.I am going to have a section on my site that will have stuff like this too and general maint type stuff since Bay13 is no longer around... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TorqueSteer Posted January 31, 2006 Report Share Posted January 31, 2006 Id recommend doing this, it sure does suck when It breaks and you need stuff in there... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slater Posted February 1, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 1, 2006 Id recommend doing this, it sure does suck when It breaks and you need stuff in there...Yeah, and you have to start cutting stuff to get in!A lot easier to repair the part now. Took me about 20 minutes tops and part of that was stoppnig to take pics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drPheta Posted February 1, 2006 Report Share Posted February 1, 2006 NOICE! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Account_Deleted_T5M Posted February 1, 2006 Report Share Posted February 1, 2006 I was a six flags when my lock broke, I ended up just snipping the latch with wire cutters because it was in the locked position and there was no way of getting in. :angry: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erikv11 Posted March 4, 2006 Report Share Posted March 4, 2006 OK I just finished this little job - took me an hour, but the good news is, even I can do it The potentially dicey parts were centering the screw hole exactly and then sanding/dremeling a groove to make clearance for the screw head - tiny metal piece, didn't wanna shave off one bit more than necessary. But I took my time, it went pretty much exactly as per instructions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eldertec Posted March 4, 2006 Report Share Posted March 4, 2006 I forget what I paid for the replacement parts from the dealer.......after I had the parts I fixed in about 20 minutes total.I'm not a dremel guy....yet.Great write up!Helped me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slater Posted March 4, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2006 The potentially dicey parts were centering the screw hole exactlyYeah, that's certainly a critical part. That's why it's important to leave a tiny little of the post left after cutting it off so you can see where the hole needs to be drilled. Also why people need to start with the smallest bit and go up from there. It makes it much easier to center the hole and drill it cleanly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeachRat Posted March 5, 2006 Report Share Posted March 5, 2006 Very nice write up there! Definitely helpful info, as dremelling something no one can see never hurts anyone.Too bad there's no fix for the other issues:Broken plastic around the hinges and latch loop on the dashboard of the car itself. My latch might as well be broken, because it's a huge PITA to get open! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erikv11 Posted March 5, 2006 Report Share Posted March 5, 2006 Yeah, that's certainly a critical part. That's why it's important to leave a tiny little of the post left after cutting it off so you can see where the hole needs to be drilled. Also why people need to start with the smallest bit and go up from there. It makes it much easier to center the hole and drill it cleanly.I had a hard time centering the 1/16 until I used a punch, I'd recommend the punch. it was smooth sailing after that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.