Best method to cut small hole in back of glovebox?

[Michael O'Connor]

Hey,

I bought a Dension gateway as I thought this would be a nice way to bring my 20th century cassette head unit into the present day, retain the OEM look and have something that is concealed. It has a USB function on it that you can leave a stick plugged into, so I'm planning to mount a USB port out of the way in the glovebox somewhere. Somewhere in the centre console would be easier to get at, but I'm not planning on changing the USB stick very often and would rather not start cutting bits out of the centre console.

The USB extension lead I'll be plugging into the Dension has a 'snap-in' connector on the business end to be mounted in the glovebox, so the hole needs to be pretty uniform and of a specific size or else I assume the connector will wobble around.

Does anyone have any experience of cutting through the back of the glovebox? Should I use a dremel? Drill a few holes and get a jigsaw in to cut around the hole? No idea here. Thanks!

 

[Kbustera]

When i installed mine, i widened the hole that is in the glove box for the AMI unit. I used a coping saw, but a hole was already there.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[CrypticS3]

How big do you need the hole? Wouldn't it be easier to use a step drill the fit one of these with a couple of small Self Tapping Screws.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/usb-feedt...WqoG6Wrg-5QfMFE_h3WCZQu2JlakynV3PMaAv4z8P8HAQ

 

[SootySport]

I use a holesaw, for round holes. If it's a rectangular hole then a few small drill hoes then a Dremel.

 

[Michael O'Connor]

When i installed mine, i widened the hole that is in the glove box for the AMI unit. I used a coping saw, but a hole was already there.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

Mine doesn't seem to have any hole in it at all

 

[Michael O'Connor]

How big do you need the hole? Wouldn't it be easier to use a step drill the fit one of these with a couple of small Self Tapping Screws.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/usb-feedthrough-panel-mount-black-a65qq?cmpid=ppc:cables___connectorsla:google&gclid=Cj0KEQjw6-PJBRCO_br1qoOB4LABEiQAEkqcVc8cbjpovWqoG6Wrg-5QfMFE_h3WCZQu2JlakynV3PMaAv4z8P8HAQ

Pretty good point you have there mate. Ironically the only 'snap in' USB port I could find is from a US company. $7 dollars, I thought sweet! Then went to buy it and the only shipping option (FedEx) bumped it up to $53. Jesus ******* christ.

What would you use the step drill bit for? Just to make the hole progressively bigger till the USB port fits through? I think that would definitely be an easier option for sure haha. Will probably go and grab this tomorrow, cheers!

 

[DJ_26]

Mine doesn't seem to have any hole in it at all

When I had an IPOD kit fitted, we literally just drilled a hole in the back panel of the top right compartment to thread the cable through. You barely notice it, so I wouldn't worry!

 

[Michael O'Connor]

I use a holesaw, for round holes. If it's a rectangular hole then a few small drill hoes then a Dremel.

Oh ok. I think I'm going to go with Cryptic S3's suggestion. I must say the $53 blow to the wallet has wholeheartedly put me off Snap in USB port

 

[CrypticS3]

Pretty good point you have there mate. Ironically the only 'snap in' USB port I could find is from a US company. $7 dollars, I thought sweet! Then went to buy it and the only shipping option (FedEx) bumped it up to $53. Jesus ******* christ.

What would you use the step drill bit for? Just to make the hole progressively bigger till the USB port fits through? I think that would definitely be an easier option for sure haha. Will probably go and grab this tomorrow, cheers!

$53 shipped

Exactly. Use the step drill carefully to open the hole up enough for the Barrel of the Bulkhead to fit through then once lined up the way you want drill a couple of small pilot holes for some small self tappers. Note that that bulkhead is essentially an adapter so once you've run the cable from your HU (Make sure you get the right cable type A-B, B-B, depending on what's on the HU) and maybe secure the end into the adapter with a small drop of superglue to prevent it coming loose from vibrations. Just a tiny bit, so it's still easy to just pull out if needed. Most likely unnecessary but easier than pulling everything out just to plug a cable back in.

 

[Michael O'Connor]

Thanks for the replies everyone

$53 shipped

Exactly. Use the step drill carefully to open the hole up enough for the Barrel of the Bulkhead to fit through then once lined up the way you want drill a couple of small pilot holes for some small self tappers. Note that that bulkhead is essentially an adapter so once you've run the cable from your HU (Make sure you get the right cable type A-B, B-B, depending on what's on the HU) and maybe secure the end into the adapter with a small drop of superglue to prevent it coming loose from vibrations. Just a tiny bit, so it's still easy to just pull out if needed. Most likely unnecessary but easier than pulling everything out just to plug a cable back in.

Thanks man. You know what I was looking in the centre console yesterday and realised I've got one of those flip up cigarette lighters, where you push it till it clicks and it folds out but it's concealed usually. I think it would look dope to stick a USB adapter in that, but I've found it's an absolute nightmare finding one that is A) a flush fit and B) ends in a USB cable instead of just plugging into the existing 12v socket

 

[CrypticS3]

You could get creative with some delicate dremel and file work and a hot glue gun to make a flush fit socket yourself by bonding a female end usb cable to it and running the cable up to the HU. But it would take a lot of patience to get that hole just right and OEM looking.

 

[Michael O'Connor]

You could get creative with some delicate dremel and file work and a hot glue gun to make a flush fit socket yourself by bonding a female end usb cable to it and running the cable up to the HU. But it would take a lot of patience to get that hole just right and OEM looking.

Ha. Honestly I'm just going to go with the Maplin USB port. Fitted the Dension behind the glovebox today and I've gotta say, it's easy to remove from the dash, but pretty frustrating to get back on, one hole didn't line up and it required a lot of pushing and pulling to get it lined up. When I do the USB port, I want to have the glovebox off and back on as soon as possible.

Just need to find somewhere to mount the USB mic now. Thought I might be able to run it out the side of the dash, up the A pillar and into somewhere near the cabin light but there seems to be no way to get any of the A pillar and roof trims off. I think there are curtain airbags too so I'd rather not start farting about with the trims around that area

 

[downtothebone]

Dremelled two in the back of mine ...

 

[Rayner_1704]

Dremell is the best tool Iv ever bought

 

[Michael O'Connor]

Does look good but I can't be ***** with the dremel personally, I know it will be just another £30 or £40 for something I'm only going to use once.

I realised after putting the glovebox back in, that the passenger airbag warning light was on. Just had to drive half hour to my mate's garage to get him to sort the error code in the ECU. Presumably this was from disconnecting the airbag cable when I took the glovebox out.

Does anyone know if setting the passenger airbag to the off position in the glovebox will stop this warning light coming on if I have to remove the glovebox again?

 

[Michael O'Connor]

Hello! I'm back! I'm going to do this tomorrow but I'm not entirely sure how to drill through the glovebox. I realised the glovebox has a thin cloth lining, which I'm pretty sure will tear every which way if I try to drill through it. A few pilot holes would be fine but ideally I want to use a wood drill bit to do the hole in one go.

I've made a card template, with a hole that will be the same diameter as the hole the wood drill bit will make, so I'm planning to use that template to cut a circular piece out of the glovebox cloth, leaving only the bare plastic and no cloth for the bit to tear up. Only problem is it's majorly tight inside the glovebox; even after removing it from the car, my drill will just about fit in and it's going to be pretty hard putting any downward pressure on it to encourage the wood bit to go through.

I've considered drilling from the outside in, but I'm not sure how I'm going to make sure the hole ends up in the right place on the inside, or how to (again) stop the drill bit from tearing the cloth on the inside. I've considered a few layers of duct tape over the cloth on the inside but no idea if that will work. Any ideas?

 

[samuelh_888]

Use a Dremel - once you have it you'd be surprised at how many times you use it. After doing my boost gauge mount (which I haven't fitted) I used the Dremel to cut a hole in the stud wall for chasing tv wires...

Dremel 8200-1/35 Cordless Multitool Li-Ion (10.8 V), 1 Attachment, 35 Accessories Amazon product

Although the corded one is half that price.

 

[downtothebone]

Agree it's not until you have it that realise what you can do. Mine gets very little use but when you do need it it just gets the job done ...

 

[jdsour]

I used a sheet metal punch to do mine worked a treat, prefect for the job. Something like this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/401353310755

 

[Michael O'Connor]

I would get the dremel but I'm really a bit skint at the moment, can't really justify buying it for just one job. The drill does fit in the glovebox, I'm just hesitant to do it (either outside in or inside to outside) if it's going to tear up all the carpet. I don't mean tear up the carpet where the hole is going to be by the way, I mean tear it up around the hole e.g. if the drill bit snags a bit of the carpet. What did you guys find happened when you drilled through, even with the dremel?