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Trying to help out a buddy with his newly acquired '04. The previous owner (yes he's on the forum ) must have damaged it. Any suggestions on how to modify things so it can be used - not concerned about security. Just need the door to open and stay closed.

The little plastic tit that hold the door closed seems stuck. It can be opened by using a thin screwdriver but he needs a better solution.





Canadian FJR

Canadian FJR wrote: ↑Sun Jun 07, 2020 5:04 pmTrying to help out a buddy with his newly acquired '04. The previous owner (yes he's on the forum) must have damaged it. Any suggestions on how to modify things so it can be used - not concerned about security. Just need the door to open and stay closed.The little plastic tit that hold the door closed seems stuck. It can be opened by using a thin screwdriver but he needs a better solution.
Canadian FJR

Canadian FJR,

If you don't mind making the factory latch set as open at all times, you can use a magnetic latch made for a kitchen cabinet. Use tape strips to cover the magnet or metal plate to "weaken" the latch. Make it "weak" enough to cause the latch hold the door closed nicely, but still open easily enough to be convenient.

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Red wrote: ↑Sun Jun 07, 2020 5:35 pm

Canadian FJR wrote: ↑Sun Jun 07, 2020 5:04 pmTrying to help out a buddy with his newly acquired '04. The previous owner (yes he's on the forum) must have damaged it...

...If you don't mind making the factory latch set as open at all times, you can use a magnetic latch made for a kitchen cabinet...

This. My loving and cared for '04 none the less broke some critical plastic bits in the glove box that required extremely expensive replacement parts. The solenoid worked fine, the parts it moved and meshed with went south. I went the kitchen cabinet magnet set solution. The location of the magnet and plate doesn't align the way you would expect. Use double sided tape to get the alignment correct. Move on. The glove box has always been susceptible to a quick screwdriver pop and shouldn't be considered secure.

Sounds good, I'll pass the info along.


Canadian FJR

Gen3 on the other hand is easy to modify.... remove the solenoid, now you have always open manual factory latch.

Canadian FJR wrote: ↑Sun Jun 07, 2020 7:37 pmSounds good, I'll pass the info along.
Canadian FJR

Canadian FJR,

I have an installation trick to go with that idea. Mount the magnetic latch where needed in the glovebox, using JB Weld or similar. Support the magnetic latch in place temporarily with a throwaway angle support, which may be card stock or whatever. Attach that angle support to the glovebox, with the magnetic latch held in place for the time being by the angle support with a dot of superglue (cyanoacrylate) while the epoxy sets. Once that part sets up fully, mix up more epoxy, but add wood sawdust (from fine sandpaper, not from a saw) to make thick epoxy mud. Stick the metal latch plate to the magnetic latch, pile some epoxy mud onto the plate, enough to meet the glovebox lid when closed, and close the lid. Once the epoxy mud sets fully, you will have the metal latch plate attached to the bottom of the glovebox lid at exactly the right height and angle to mate well with the magnetic latch. You can fill any gaps around the latch or plate with more epoxy mud later, for neatness. You may want to add a finger-grab handle to the top of the lid, to make it easier to open the lid. -No extra charge.
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