Glovebox Lid - The old broken hinge problem

[jdp1962]

Mine has gone. The hinge has cracked away from the lid. I could fix that using the patented Andymac two-screws-and-a-bit-of-angled metal method, but I also noticed that the damper is stiff - even after squirting with WD40 - and, worsestill, is only attached to the hinge by a cable tie that has been pulled tight & clipped off! I reckon someone has tried to bodge a repair before now.

I reckon it might be worth my while to replace the whole glovebox, but that raises another question. As far as I can see, they're supplied without a lock barrel, so presumably I have to transfer the lock from the existing lid.

How the hell do I do that?!!

 

[J7USS]

When my Catch broke I bought a new one from stealers minus the Lock so its basically a swap over.
Cant quite remember now how I did it but Im sure when you unscrew the latch from the glove boxe there is a way to take the old lock out. Think its a twist method but cant ****** remember now. You'll see once you take the latch out. Very easy though so you'll have no probs at all!

 

[jdp1962]

Thanks, J7USS. When you say the "latch", are you referring to the opening lever on the lid? If so, when I examined it earlier, I couldn't see any screws to unscrew, hence I couldn't figure how to take it off.

 

[NHN]

Show me the damage please as I have repaired a few, when I see yours maybe I can advise.

 

[jdp1962]

Show me the damage please as I have repaired a few, when I see yours maybe I can advise.

Thanks. I'll take some pics, but it'll need to be one evening in the week.

 

[J7USS]

Yeah sorry mate, the lever, If you open your glove box, on the right hand side you will see a screw hole (phillips) right next to the catch IIRC and im sure I had to take the glove box out to get to it unles you have a small type screw driver end..
If you unscrew that screw, Im sure the Lever pops out then you can twist out your lock mechanism!

 

[jdp1962]

Yeah sorry mate, the lever, If you open your glove box, on the right hand side you will see a screw hole (phillips) right next to the catch IIRC and im sure I had to take the glove box out to get to it unles you have a small type screw driver end..
If you unscrew that screw, Im sure the Lever pops out then you can twist out your lock mechanism!

I've just has another look, and sure enough, there is screw hole, recessed, on the right hand edge. Is that the one?

 

[J7USS]

Thats the one matey!!

 

[jdp1962]

:thumbsup:

 

[jdp1962]

Well, I decided to go for a complete replacement box after finding one on Ebay for less than half the dealer price. The existing lid is a bit marked, so I'm killing a number of birds with one stone.

I seem to recall that a long time ago, someone posted a guide (it looked fairly simple at the time) on how to connect a hose from the glovebox to the air-con system, thus turning the glovebox into a chiller cabinet. I've been searching but just can't find it.

Can anyone point me in the right direction?

 

[NHN]

1st of all mate does the glovebox have the fridge area in it already on the one your buying, if not then cant do as it has specifically an area with door on front to use for this feature, personally I had it on my S4 & it was crap, useless.

 

[jdp1962]

1st of all mate does the glovebox have the fridge area in it already on the one your buying, if not then cant do as it has specifically an area with door on front to use for this feature, personally I had it on my S4 & it was crap, useless.

In that case, I'll not bother. Cheers, NHN.

 

[jdp1962]

New glovebox is in. I ordered it yesterday from Ebay, and it arrived today, brand new OEM for £84 delivered, instead of the dealer's price of £167. I lubricated the damper with silicone spray, swapped over the lighting loom and popped it in in a matter of minutes. The only hitch came when I prised the lock barrel out of the old one. As it came out, the innards flew out never to be seen again. So the barrel is in place in the new one, only it doesn't actually lock any more. That's OK, there's never owt of any value in there.

Oh, and one other thing. The new box is the one for the CD changer, so the upper right slot has no back to it. That's OK, too, though, as it means I can use that slot to house the handbook folder, cos it now slides all the way back (it wouldn't go back far enough to allow the lid to close on the old one). I just hope it doesn't disappear into the recesses of the dash next time I brake hard!

When I get some spare time, I might see about fixing the old one and flogging it.

 

[no_idea]

If I remember correctly the damper was upgraded after 2007and the hinges were upgraded. The new one reads '09S'or higher on it. This was a common problem with the earlier ones almost seizing and snapping the hinges. There was a TSB released on this.

 

[quattrojames]

Got home from work, 3am, opened glovebox to put ipod FM transmitter in and ... hinge broke!

Seems like I shall be needing a new glovebox then.

New glovebox is in. I ordered it yesterday from Ebay, and it arrived today, brand new OEM for £84 delivered, instead of the dealer's price of £167.

Don't suppose you have the sellers details do you?

 

[J7USS]

Do the repair james, so much cheaper, you wont even notice apart from when you open it and saves you the £80 odd at this time of the year.....xmas approaching!

Im considering doing a bracket for the right hand side too just for extra stability!

 

[quattrojames]

Lol, funnily enought I've woken up thinking the exact same thing!

Didn't Andymac do a write up for it? I had a quick look but can't find it.

 

[J7USS]

I know where you coming from there James, wake up with the Important detail on Mind!!!
There you go mate, Andymac's fix is Widely used due to the 'timer controlled Hinge Snap'..... Defo worth doing and you'll save yourself some pennies (Bigger xmas present for the wife maybe..........or use the £80 you was going to spend but instead on the Cupra Lip & some 'small' ballast hids in 4300k....)

Oh and make sure you grease up the mechanism (damper - whatever its called) on the left hand side of the glovebox, directly above the hinge

 

[quattrojames]

Cheers mate! I'll do that in the near future.

I already have slimline ballasts, but some new 4300k bulbs would compliment the Cupra splitter nicely

 

[jwhat]

What's the little hinge thing? Any ideas where to get one? I've been putting this off for a while

 

[J7USS]

I did mine with 40mm piece of ally, bent it 90degress, drilled 2 holes in either end, Bobs your uncle!!

 

[Marc1]

If you take the damper barrel apart and remove the rubber o-ring the box doesn't have that resistance behind it when closing so shouldn't break again either. If you're taking the box out to repair anyway it may be worth doing and seeing what you think, it's a 2 min job, so easily reversable. I perfered it like that and box isn't stiff anymore. :thumbsup:

 

[quattrojames]

Right I've got the glove box out today, and am trying to take the lid off so I can make a bracket up. The trouble is I can't seem to remove the pins that hold the hinge in!

They are a captured pin so I can knock them through, the obviously do come out, and I imagine they can only be pulled, but I don't want to mess up the box too much! Any tips?

 

[Marc1]

I couldn't get that pin out either James and as I'd already snapped the hinge I didn't want to F it up any further. I just got a bracket bent it further to the right shape as it's more like a 110degree than a 90 and then trimmed it down to fit and drilled better holes. From there I just screwed it directly to the hinge with the lid attached, which worked but was awkward.

If I was you I'd take the damper appart too. Once you get the cap off and splide the rod out (this isn't starting to sound dodgy at all is it?!) there's a rubber o-ring, just take that off and put it all back together. The box falls freer but doesn't drop heavily and it closes with a nice click with only one finger, so silky smooth. If you decide you don't like it, you can always put the o-ring back anyway so no loss.

Sorry that doesn't really answer the question of how to remove the pin, but at least gives you other options. :thumbsup:

 

[quattrojames]

Pins removed now Marc. It was a struggle, but using molegrips and plenty of WD I was finally able to free it. The end of the pins are a bit chewed and the surrounding area a bit scratched, but I've tidied it up and it will be fine as its hidden anyway.

It made it a lot easier to make a nice neat bracket that way. The end of the pins are knurled and probably glued in I would think. I have made the bracket now and am just waiting on the black paint drying and will re-assemble it tomorrow.

I have taken some pics which i will post in due course.

I took the O-ring out and have trimmed a mm or two from around the edge so it still has some damping effect but it's not so stiff. Will trial it tomorrow

 

[quattrojames]

I fixed mine today, and did a mini write up HERE.

 

[jwhat]

I couldn't get that pin out either James and as I'd already snapped the hinge I didn't want to F it up any further. I just got a bracket bent it further to the right shape as it's more like a 110degree than a 90 and then trimmed it down to fit and drilled better holes. From there I just screwed it directly to the hinge with the lid attached, which worked but was awkward.

If I was you I'd take the damper appart too. Once you get the cap off and splide the rod out (this isn't starting to sound dodgy at all is it?!) there's a rubber o-ring, just take that off and put it all back together. The box falls freer but doesn't drop heavily and it closes with a nice click with only one finger, so silky smooth. If you decide you don't like it, you can always put the o-ring back anyway so no loss.

Sorry that doesn't really answer the question of how to remove the pin, but at least gives you other options. :thumbsup:

How do you take the damper apart? I can't seem to get the cap off! GRRR

 

[AndyMac]

I wouldn't bother taking the damper apart, just use some silicone spray on it. When it starts to get stiff again just give it another spray. It won't break on it's own, it's when you have to force the lid open that it happens, so just refrain from forcing it and give it another spray.

 

[tre_audi]

AUDI A4 glove box removal and hinge repair DIY