Storage compartment, flap jammed

philharve

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Hi All

I've been a bit silly and put a bulky item - a packet of screen wipes - in the small storage compartment which is located immediately ahead of my armrest but behind the gear lever of my C230K. When I closed the flap the bottom lugs slipped out of their recesses and I could no longer open the flap.

But with a little gentle persuasion I managed to opened the flap and withdrew the item. Don't ask me how. However, I was unable to relocate the lugs at the bottom of the flap into their recesses in the sides of the compartment.

I am fairly sure that the flap and lugs are not broken and all that is required is a little TLC and a sharp Karate blow angled at 30 degrees to the vertical when there is an 'R' in the month and the lugs will happily slot back into their recesses.

Well, that might not be quite the correct procedure but I bet this has happened to other members and there is a simple fix. I don't want to apply too much force to the flap whilst not knowing what I'm doing because I might do some real damage and have to fork out for a new flap.

Can any member tell me how to get the flap's lugs back in place, please?

REGARDS

Phil
 

Alex M Grieve

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When I closed the flap the bottom lugs slipped out of their recesses and I could no longer open the flap.

Can any member tell me how to get the flap's lugs back in place, please?

Phil

I was with you up until the karate chop Phil.

I suspect that, in order to close the flap a deal of energy was required and that resulted in the leading edge being slightly convex at the moment the lugs popped out (it made the lugs relatively shorter in their channel, letting them pop out).

To reverse the process, you would need to reproduce that curvature, by finding some way to keep the centre of the leading edge of the flap convex and allowing the lugs to relocate.

When they popped out you were working at a greater mechanical advantage than you can achieve popping them back in, so - locate one side, create the convexity, and relocate the other side.

That's the theory, the practice might be less straightforward. Observers say that I have often resorted to verbal encouragement on occasions like this, good luck!
 

television

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I have the instructions to set up the glove box catch
 
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philharve

philharve

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storage compartment

I was with you up until the karate chop Phil.

I suspect that, in order to close the flap a deal of energy was required and that resulted in the leading edge being slightly convex at the moment the lugs popped out (it made the lugs relatively shorter in their channel, letting them pop out).

To reverse the process, you would need to reproduce that curvature, by finding some way to keep the centre of the leading edge of the flap convex and allowing the lugs to relocate.

When they popped out you were working at a greater mechanical advantage than you can achieve popping them back in, so - locate one side, create the convexity, and relocate the other side.

That's the theory, the practice might be less straightforward. Observers say that I have often resorted to verbal encouragement on occasions like this, good luck!


Hi Alex

Ah, you mean bend the flap slightly whilst reinserting the lugs!

I could try that but I've decided to leave the task to my indie. My car goes in for a service on Monday so why not kill two birds with one stone.

REGARDS

Phil
 
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philharve

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storage compartment

I have the instructions to set up the glove box catch

Hi Malcolm

The storage compartment I am referring to operates along different principles to the glove box in that its 'hinge', formed by the two lugs, has the ability a slide along a channel in each side of the compartment. When the compartment flap opens it actually slides into the compartment recess, a bit like the folding action of some sport car sun roofs that pack away into the boot.

REGARDS

Phil
 

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Hi Alex

Ah, you mean bend the flap slightly whilst reinserting the lugs!

Phil

Hi Phil,

Exactly so - possibly by putting an object in the compartment simulating the height it was bent over previously, locating one lug firmly bending the edge of the flap over the object then easing the other lug into place and wiggling the object out again.

I think your latest idea is better though - it will be interesting to ask the Indy how he did it!

Alex.
 

television

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OK I have the one, you can remove the gear shift surround very easily, I can sen it to you, there is nothing listed but it all comes off with the gear shift cover
 
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philharve

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storage compartment

Hi Phil,

Exactly so - possibly by putting an object in the compartment simulating the height it was bent over previously, locating one lug firmly bending the edge of the flap over the object then easing the other lug into place and wiggling the object out again.

I think your latest idea is better though - it will be interesting to ask the Indy how he did it!

Alex.

Hi Alex

I will be sure and ask the indie. I will post the solution here.

REGARDS

Phil
 
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philharve

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Storage compartment

OK I have the one, you can remove the gear shift surround very easily, I can sen it to you, there is nothing listed but it all comes off with the gear shift cover

Hi Malcolm

I don't see how removing the gear shift surround will help but that may well be the procedure my indie will follow. I would appreciate knowing the procedure for removing the surround because it may come in useful if not this time, maybe in the future.

REGARDS

Phil
 
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philharve

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Storage compartment

the top of the gear surround goes over the top of the compartment lid,in my picture and there is nothing else listed for this

Is yours 180 in the link

http://www.detali.ru/cat/oem_mb2.as...GM=716.628&CT=F&cat=69N&SID=68&SGR=255&SGN=07

Hi Malcolm

No, I don't see my flap in the engineering illustrations. It has a trapezoidal shape and doesn't lie horizontal. There is no lip for finger tips to open the flap. It opens by pressing on the flap itself which then disappears down into a recess adjacent to the storage compartment.

REGARDS

Phil
 

television

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Is it the same action as the ashtray where you push it down slightly and it opens on a hair spring and stays open. When you close it you push it down and release, and it latches closed
 
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philharve

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Storage compartment

Is it the same action as the ashtray where you push it down slightly and it opens on a hair spring and stays open. When you close it you push it down and release, and it latches closed

Hi Malcolm

Yes the 'action' you describe is correct. But unlike the ashtray the flap disappears vertically into a rectangular slot just ahead of the storage compartment. The flap doesn't pivot like the ashtray.

REGARDS

Phil
 

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Hi Malcolm

Yes the 'action' you describe is correct. But unlike the ashtray the flap disappears vertically into a rectangular slot just ahead of the storage compartment. The flap doesn't pivot like the ashtray.

REGARDS

Phil

OK now I know how the catch works and seen the problem before, the swinging catch lever is self setting change over action, if bent or a tiny piece of some thing stuck under the lever it will not latch.

I believe that I have an ash tray where I can take a picture of the part that is the same.
 
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philharve

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Storage compartment

OK now I know how the catch works and seen the problem before, the swinging catch lever is self setting change over action, if bent or a tiny piece of some thing stuck under the lever it will not latch.

I believe that I have an ash tray where I can take a picture of the part that is the same.

Hi Malcolm

'... self setting change over action ...' Hmm, you've lost me there!

REGARDS

Phil
 

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Hi Malcolm

'... self setting change over action ...' Hmm, you've lost me there!

REGARDS

Phil

The same principle as the lids and flaps on CD and TV sets
 

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This is beginning to sound as challenging as trying to describe a spiral staircase to someone who's blind :(

"The blind leading the deaf"? :rolleyes:

Flaps stuck in the open position is a worrying concept - potentially dangerous? :Oops:
 
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Self setting change over action

This is beginning to sound as challenging as trying to describe a spiral staircase to someone who's blind :(

Hi Jez

Oh no, describing a spiral staircase to a blind person is easy by comparison.

Another description I could use to describe the opening/closing action of the storage compartment flap is ... like that you see on larger vehicles, vans, MPVs where it is impractical to have a conventional hinged doors along the sides because they would swing out too far. Instead, during opening the whole door moves out and then slides aft along the side of the vehicle, hugging its sides. Some kind of track it fitted to the outside of the vehicle to guide the door passed the access point.

I expect there is a name (cantilever?) for this type of action. Failing that we can always fall back on Malcolm's description ... self setting change over action!

REGARDS

Phil
 


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