Glove Box Alignment Issue
09-30-13, 10:31 PM
#1
Glove Box Alignment Issue
So I dropped the lower glove box for the sake of routing wire (read: RCA and remote wire, so nothing thick like the 4 gauge I'll be running some time tomorrow/day after) and I basically left it hanging there by a little yellow tube-type thing (my dad somehow convinced me not to take the glove box out...) for the duration of a night and much of today, and drove around with it. Now, when I reassemble the glove box with all the screws/nuts/bolts (well, I'm missing one but I've found it, though I don't think it may effect the alignment much without it) it doesn't align flush and actually hits the side leather bit, making it really hard to open/close the glove box without forcefully pushing it closed. The leather on the upper glove box door is beginning to come undone as well...
Could the glove box have warped from the sunlight/heat?
Pictures:
Lower glove box closed.
Lower glove box opened.
Left side of lower glove box, opened. Here you can see a view of the bolt I am missing (but found and will install tomorrow - the "hidden panel" bolt behind the lower glove box).
Upper glove box closed. It seems as though the leather is coming apart from the door itself and it also gets caught on the lower glove box. Any ideas on fixes?
Upper glove box opened. Here you can see more of what I described above about the leather on the lid.
This is all fairly irritating for me since today was filled with all sorts of (positive) progress (wires ran, sub mounted/wired, cables crimped, literally power/ground connection away from being done) and moreso since this heavily detracts from the supposedly seamless install that I've spent nearly 4 days working on, as of now. (about 3 days longer than most people who've done it on here)
Could the glove box have warped from the sunlight/heat?
Pictures:
Lower glove box closed.
Lower glove box opened.
Left side of lower glove box, opened. Here you can see a view of the bolt I am missing (but found and will install tomorrow - the "hidden panel" bolt behind the lower glove box).
Upper glove box closed. It seems as though the leather is coming apart from the door itself and it also gets caught on the lower glove box. Any ideas on fixes?
Upper glove box opened. Here you can see more of what I described above about the leather on the lid.
This is all fairly irritating for me since today was filled with all sorts of (positive) progress (wires ran, sub mounted/wired, cables crimped, literally power/ground connection away from being done) and moreso since this heavily detracts from the supposedly seamless install that I've spent nearly 4 days working on, as of now. (about 3 days longer than most people who've done it on here)
Last edited by Sc0pe; 09-30-13 at 10:35 PM.
09-30-13, 11:14 PM
#2
I had a similar issue on my 95 when i dropped the glove box to replace the ECU.
Assuming the 98+ glove boxes are mounted in a similar fashion, there are both screws and plastic snappy clip things on the back. Well, when I pulled mine, some of the clips snapped and bent sideways, which caused the whole thing to go back in all crooked and stupid.
Kinda funny as they are absolutely unnessisary since there are screws holding it in as well, but once i backed it out then saw and corrected the hangup, it went back in just as it had been before.
Assuming the 98+ glove boxes are mounted in a similar fashion, there are both screws and plastic snappy clip things on the back. Well, when I pulled mine, some of the clips snapped and bent sideways, which caused the whole thing to go back in all crooked and stupid.
Kinda funny as they are absolutely unnessisary since there are screws holding it in as well, but once i backed it out then saw and corrected the hangup, it went back in just as it had been before.
09-30-13, 11:18 PM
#3
Lexus Champion
not meaning to be a monday morning quarterback here, but two things related to good mechanic's practices:
● never leave anything hanging there by a little yellow tube-type thing that wasn't hanging there from the factory
and
● take the friggin glove box out next time, it takes like 4 minutes tops and you wouldn't have this alignment fouled up now
Father doesn't always know best!
As far as your alignment issues, I don't think it was the heat, take it apart again, and reinstall it, after locating ALL of the fasteners (none are optional) and slow down and try to understand the engineering as you reassemble it, I think you have something popped out or not installed straight and true, because you got in a bit of a hurry to get done, it's common at the end of a long project!
● never leave anything hanging there by a little yellow tube-type thing that wasn't hanging there from the factory
and
● take the friggin glove box out next time, it takes like 4 minutes tops and you wouldn't have this alignment fouled up now
Father doesn't always know best!
As far as your alignment issues, I don't think it was the heat, take it apart again, and reinstall it, after locating ALL of the fasteners (none are optional) and slow down and try to understand the engineering as you reassemble it, I think you have something popped out or not installed straight and true, because you got in a bit of a hurry to get done, it's common at the end of a long project!
Last edited by LScowboyLS; 09-30-13 at 11:29 PM.
09-30-13, 11:47 PM
#4
I had a similar issue on my 95 when i dropped the glove box to replace the ECU.
Assuming the 98+ glove boxes are mounted in a similar fashion, there are both screws and plastic snappy clip things on the back. Well, when I pulled mine, some of the clips snapped and bent sideways, which caused the whole thing to go back in all crooked and stupid.
Kinda funny as they are absolutely unnessisary since there are screws holding it in as well, but once i backed it out then saw and corrected the hangup, it went back in just as it had been before.
Assuming the 98+ glove boxes are mounted in a similar fashion, there are both screws and plastic snappy clip things on the back. Well, when I pulled mine, some of the clips snapped and bent sideways, which caused the whole thing to go back in all crooked and stupid.
Kinda funny as they are absolutely unnessisary since there are screws holding it in as well, but once i backed it out then saw and corrected the hangup, it went back in just as it had been before.
not meaning to be a monday morning quarterback here, but two things related to good mechanic's practices:
● never leave anything hanging there by a little yellow tube-type thing that wasn't hanging there from the factory
and
● take the friggin glove box out next time, it takes like 4 minutes tops and you wouldn't have this alignment fouled up now
Father doesn't always know best!
As far as your alignment issues, I don't think it was the heat, take it apart again, and reinstall it, after locating ALL of the fasteners (none are optional) and slow down and try to understand the engineering as you reassemble it, I think you have something popped out or not installed straight and true, because you got in a bit of a hurry to get done, it's common at the end of a long project!
● never leave anything hanging there by a little yellow tube-type thing that wasn't hanging there from the factory
and
● take the friggin glove box out next time, it takes like 4 minutes tops and you wouldn't have this alignment fouled up now
Father doesn't always know best!
As far as your alignment issues, I don't think it was the heat, take it apart again, and reinstall it, after locating ALL of the fasteners (none are optional) and slow down and try to understand the engineering as you reassemble it, I think you have something popped out or not installed straight and true, because you got in a bit of a hurry to get done, it's common at the end of a long project!
10-01-13, 12:10 AM
#5
Lexus Champion
if you think you have broken or bent any of the "plastic snappy clip things" as Yoshi so eloquently put it, don't be afraid to order more of those online at the online dealership or the local dealership, or even grab a handful while at the pull-a-part junkyard next time
10-01-13, 12:28 AM
#6
if you think you have broken or bent any of the "plastic snappy clip things" as Yoshi so eloquently put it, don't be afraid to order more of those online at the online dealership or the local dealership, or even grab a handful while at the pull-a-part junkyard next time
10-01-13, 01:19 AM
#7
Lexus Champion
I personally just go really slow on trim work, because it is easy to rush it and get these kinds of problems, if you saw me putting trim back together, you would say "Dude, you are SOOO friggin slow, just get it done already!" - but that is the only way I can make it look like new is to go slow and study the logic behind the factory thinking!
oh yeah, and plenty of fresh new "plastic snappy clip things"
oh yeah, and plenty of fresh new "plastic snappy clip things"
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10-01-13, 01:37 AM
#8
I personally just go really slow on trim work, because it is easy to rush it and get these kinds of problems, if you saw me putting trim back together, you would say "Dude, you are SOOO friggin slow, just get it done already!" - but that is the only way I can make it look like new is to go slow and study the logic behind the factory thinking!
oh yeah, and plenty of fresh new "plastic snappy clip things"
oh yeah, and plenty of fresh new "plastic snappy clip things"
but really though, these cars are built like tanks, and are designed in such a way that everything is reinforced, whether by a small clip or a (hidden) bolt. It also makes me slightly envy those with "simpler" cars
10-01-13, 02:23 AM
#9
This was one reason why my cap fix took long, getting the glove box aligned right relative to the striker position. Like getting the doors/hood/trunk aligned, a small incremental adjustment will align it right. If it is angled as it is, the fastener to adjust is the opposite side. You'll also see where the prior screw was fastened, it has to go back into the same spot. Breaking retainer clips doesn't help because now it does not have a reference spot. You'll get it in. I've manged many parts learning along the way too. 
10-01-13, 08:53 AM
#10
The Retaining clips i was talking about were not replaceable in my case, as a few of the actual plastic clip protrusions on the back of the glovebox had snapped clean off. Even with using the proper trim removal tools and following the Factory Service manual it is still tricky to get those puppies out intact. Since there are screws that ultimately secure it to the car, there are no squeaks or rattles coming from mine.
Last edited by YoshiMan; 10-01-13 at 08:57 AM.
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