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Ok....this seems like a simple enough task, but for some reason the simpliest things always turn out to be the hardest. I bought a used glove box door and want to remover the inner plastic panel (the part with the tire pressure and maintenance stickers) and transplant that panel into my car. So I have to remove the entire glove box lock to get the panel free. Sounds simple enough. I look in the Chassis Service Manual and all I have to do is slip a small screwdriver or paperclip into some imaginary hole in the lock cylinde that the manual fails to show you....and POOF! the lock cylinder is supposed to pop out.
Well, as you guessed, it ain't happening. Now I don't have the key for the lock I'm trying to remove, but other 70 keys I have seem to open the lock just fine. I put the screwdriver (and a paper clip it took me 20 minutes to find) where they show you're supposed to put it in the manual....and I just don't see what the screwdriver or paperclip are supposed to be pressing on to make the cylinder pop out.
Can one of you great guys explain to me how to get the glove box lock out?....and please explain it like I'm an idiot....which is about how I feel right now.
Put the key in the lock and turn it counterclockwise to the "locked" position.
There is a small latch to depress that you can see from the top on the inside of the door, at the 12:00 position, just between the door and the latch mechanism. It appears when the lock is in the "locked" position and disappears when it is in the "unlocked" position. Press it down with a small screwdriver and the **** and cylinder will slide right out the front.
Use the tool of your choice to fit into the giant hex-shaped hole that remains to unscrew the nut and remove the latch from the door.
I've been looking at a misaligned glovebox for THREE YEARS.
Stuck the key in, locked the tab, turned it, and to my surprise...
POP, the assembly came right out! And the reason why the box wasnt aligned, the hex threaded nut wasnt even screwed in! Thats why the lock was always flopping around.
Now, it was fixed, for FREE. I love antique vehicle diagnosis, makes me feel great to fix something without needing to buy a new part.
Originally Posted by MDchanic
Open the glove compartment.
Snap the lock finger back to the closed position.
Put the key in the lock and turn it counterclockwise to the "locked" position.
There is a small latch to depress that you can see from the top on the inside of the door, at the 12:00 position, just between the door and the latch mechanism. It appears when the lock is in the "locked" position and disappears when it is in the "unlocked" position. Press it down with a small screwdriver and the **** and cylinder will slide right out the front.
Use the tool of your choice to fit into the giant hex-shaped hole that remains to unscrew the nut and remove the latch from the door.
Just found this thread while trouble shooting a similar issue. These instructions are great if I only had the glove box key.
Anyone have any tricks to tighten the lock without the key? The lock on a 72 Cutlass I just picked up is loose and the entire glove box door appears to be a replacement from another car since the wood grain does not match. Any help is appreciated. Thanks
Originally Posted by MDchanic
Open the glove compartment.
Snap the lock finger back to the closed position.
Put the key in the lock and turn it counterclockwise to the "locked" position.
There is a small latch to depress that you can see from the top on the inside of the door, at the 12:00 position, just between the door and the latch mechanism. It appears when the lock is in the "locked" position and disappears when it is in the "unlocked" position. Press it down with a small screwdriver and the **** and cylinder will slide right out the front.
Use the tool of your choice to fit into the giant hex-shaped hole that remains to unscrew the nut and remove the latch from the door.
Put the key in the lock and turn it counterclockwise to the "locked" position.
There is a small latch to depress that you can see from the top on the inside of the door, at the 12:00 position, just between the door and the latch mechanism. It appears when the lock is in the "locked" position and disappears when it is in the "unlocked" position. Press it down with a small screwdriver and the **** and cylinder will slide right out the front.
Use the tool of your choice to fit into the giant hex-shaped hole that remains to unscrew the nut and remove the latch from the door.
No button visible:
Button visible:
No button visible:
Button visible:
- Eric
Eric,
When you say "press it down", do you mean push it in (toward the tumbler), press it down (toward the glove box door) or (away from the door)? Just asking, because it seems that there is no movement in it at all.
Similar question- Those pics are great but what I need is to see down into where the cylinder meets the glove box on the inside. I got my lock cylinder off ok, but why it is flopping around I can't tell. I think maybe that the piece that screws up to the outside piece of the lock was on the outside but maybe should be on the inside? When the inside portion of the lock cylinder screws up to the outside piece, there is nothing to hold it in place, so it spins freely. Am I missing an interior lock ring to screw in to hold the whole assembly tight or should the flanged lock ring go on the inside?
Thanks!
... what I need is to see down into where the cylinder meets the glove box on the inside.
I got my lock cylinder off ok, but why it is flopping around I can't tell.
I think maybe that the piece that screws up to the outside piece of the lock was on the outside but maybe should be on the inside? When the inside portion of the lock cylinder screws up to the outside piece, there is nothing to hold it in place, so it spins freely. Am I missing an interior lock ring to screw in to hold the whole assembly tight or should the flanged lock ring go on the inside?
The cylinder has some kind of a nub or ridge that fits into a groove in the hole to keep it from spinning.
You should be able to hold it in place, press it in toward the door, rotate it, and feel it drop into the notch.
The nut with the huge octagonal socket screws into the cylinder from the outside of the glove compartment door.
The nut with the huge octagonal socket screws into the cylinder from the outside of the glove compartment door.
- Eric
That must be the piece that I am missing. I have the round collar-like piece with the flanged edge that is threaded on the outside. I can get the inside metal piece, the collar, and the outside piece mated up, but the entire assembly spins freely when in place.
Are you saying there are two pieces on the inside and two on the outside? The threaded, flanged collar and the dark metal piece with the clasp part of the lock that actually grabs hold of the striker arm in the box go on the inside and octagonal nut and the chrome piece where the key goes are both on the outside?
If that is the case, I am definitely missing the octagonal nut. Anyone know where I can get one? I saw OPGI has the tool that apparently goes with the octagonal nut but I don't see the nut itself:
The piece I am calling the collar with the flange (which is apparently called a glove box bezel nut: https://www.amazon.com/310016-Glove-.../dp/B0089K9UGI) DOES go on the outside, mine was on the inside. Also, oddly enough, mine does not have the octagonal shape on the inside, it is round, thus I could not understand what the nut removal tool was designed to help with.
Once again, many thanks you guys! I think I can sort this out this evening. We'll see! I'll post some pics to hopefully help the next person.
Last edited by mownhoj; September 21st, 2016 at 09:04 AM.
Reason: added Amazon link
Does anyone know a Locksmith in the Lawrenceville/Atlanta area that keys old ignition locks and glove box locks?
Got a stash of good locks that need various key jobs done. I went to all the big guys in my area and they all said no and had no one to reccomend either. Help.
Nothing like subscribed threads when you need to look for specifics. These are glove box doors, the one from the W, broken
and the one to replace it with. One note on the removal is that you DO need a key, it doesn't have to be the correct one for unlocking the lock,
but it does need to fit the lock to get the tumbler to slide out. Thanks again Eric.
Oh, if anyone needs an original 442 G/B emblem, let me know.