Modus Posted August 18, 2010 Report Share Posted August 18, 2010 The best idea so far that works impeccable is rare earth neodymium magnets. These will hold up an aged kick panel with broken tabs and screw holes so no one knows. The best thing is, they are hidden (cosmetically correct) and completely reusable. This write up is with a 98 S70. If your Kick Panel is different, I invite you to engineer something out of your ingenuity from my application. Rare earth neodymium magnets are very powerful. The pull force of these magnets are absolutely incredible, if you have played with some then you know what I mean. These little guys have pull forces of many pounds, they can pinch skin, shatter on impact, jump to a ferrous piece of metal with out warning . These usually aren't sold in craft, and hardware stores due to their potency of magnetic flux. One must look to either on-line or other places. The one that I used was from a HARD DRIVE. If you have a broken hard drive someplace (which I did) you'll find 2 magnets that control the wiper. These are glued in place, simply pop them off and wola you have 2 strong magnets. (don't use heat, it will destroy the force) I broke one in half and used the 2 pieces from it. A good magnet would be 1" x 0.5" x 0.125" Thick Neodymium Iron Boron NdFeB Block Magnet, these have about 13 pound pull! A resource for this would be magnet4less.com Or ebay which ever you feel. Original kick panel post Kick Panel Sagggg From popular demand request of write up Kick Panel.. Wtf The broken screw hole surround, it's what starts this whole fiasco of hitting bumps and having this panel land on your knees . I didn't have a problem with sag on the right side because of the floor vent and heater core panel holding it up. So no magnets were used. The left side needed fixing. Next, is to find the best place for 2 magnets to stick together through material. Whether it be 2 magnets glued to mate (very strong) or using 1 magnet glued and the other as a free point behind material (less strong, more manageable). I chose to glue one to the kick panel and the other behind the dash. These 2 points should line up correct, not perfectly but close to get maximum pull force. I used the second piece of magnet to clamp the glued magnet down while the Gorilla glue set. Other piece holding the other magnet being glued. The mating magnet rests in place in a little shelf in the dash pad. This was easier than actually trying to glue it there. The placed the magnet will fit itself when the kick panel is raised into position. The other magnets field will auto align it. (only problem I see is when I try to remove the magnet it all ways jumps to the knee plate. See scratches on trying to remove it LOL) Cosmetically correct: fixed sag with unlimited mounts and dismounts... WOW it's filthy in this shot! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oreo931 Posted August 18, 2010 Report Share Posted August 18, 2010 Excellent write up! FWIW, I used velcro tonight on mine in the same location as your magnets and had excellent results. Maybe a possible alternative for those who can't find strong enough magnets? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mesoam Posted August 18, 2010 Report Share Posted August 18, 2010 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattphi Posted August 18, 2010 Report Share Posted August 18, 2010 Great idea. My dad used to work for Dell Computers, so he's got drawers full of hard drive magnets. For the drivers side, do you only have magnets on the left side? I wonder where on the right side the drivers panel you could mount one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Modus Posted August 18, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 18, 2010 Excellent write up! FWIW, I used velcro tonight on mine in the same location as your magnets and had excellent results. Maybe a possible alternative for those who can't find strong enough magnets? The problem about velcro, that self stick kind is that on a 90 degree day with your windows shut the tape can't hold because of the heat and it falls off and then it gets all gummy. Great idea. My dad used to work for Dell Computers, so he's got drawers full of hard drive magnets. For the drivers side, do you only have magnets on the left side? I wonder where on the right side the drivers panel you could mount one? I didn't have a problem with sag on the right side because of the floor vent and heater core panel holding it up. So no magnets were used. I'm sure you can glue a magnet to the kick panel and have it stick to the knee plate metal. Just have to scrape off the fiber to give the glue something to adhere to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burn-E Posted August 18, 2010 Report Share Posted August 18, 2010 Wow much better than putting a torx screw through the edge of kick panel that wraps around on the left side and is covered by the door panel when the door is shut. I think I'm going to have to track down a spare kick panel at some point and take this approach when I get a chance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad850 Posted August 19, 2010 Report Share Posted August 19, 2010 The first sentence when you started talking about magnets I thought you were joking Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Modus Posted August 19, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 19, 2010 The first sentence when you started talking about magnets I thought you were joking There is just so many applications for magnets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98t5M Posted August 30, 2010 Report Share Posted August 30, 2010 Brilliant idea. Gonna have to try it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EVL WAGN Posted August 31, 2010 Report Share Posted August 31, 2010 lol...I thought mine was the only damn kick panel that has given up the ghost. Mine has been velcro'd with the heavy duty industrial velcro, but like someone said...I'm constantly fixing it due the heat inside the car on hot days. I'm going to invest some thought into the magnet idea as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
volvoskiah Posted August 31, 2010 Report Share Posted August 31, 2010 will be giving this a try, I'm sick of the panel resting on my knees! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Modus Posted September 22, 2010 Author Report Share Posted September 22, 2010 Update for passenger side. Well it's the wife's fault, in her wildly ways some how she kicked the passenger kick panel. I didn't have any magnets on hand, and an easy fix is to put a 1/4" sheet metal screw through the center tab accessible when you open the glove box. For everyone's information, on the passenger side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scandalo Posted September 23, 2010 Report Share Posted September 23, 2010 Used a spare dash torx screw through the door side of the drivers and superglued washers on the broken holes to fix the passenger. So many ways to fix it only but was easier to design it poorly and fix it later I guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firepuma Posted September 23, 2010 Report Share Posted September 23, 2010 This is beginning to sound like a support group for men with saggy panels. Anyway, thanks for letting me know i am not alone. My aggravation is shared by others, and that there is a over the counter way to ease my pain :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magicaljake Posted September 23, 2010 Report Share Posted September 23, 2010 i put a torx screw in teh side to hold mine up... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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