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Thread: Euro Glovebox Lock Cylinder Installation

  1. #1
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    Euro Glovebox Lock Cylinder Installation

    Are there any tricks to moving the lock cylinder for the glovebox?

    This is an odd thread for me because....

    I installed the Euro parts about 4 years ago. And I've forgotten a lot about it.

    I was doing a search on the topic and remembered something I'd completely forgotten. The glovebox latch that came with my euro glovebox was messed up, but I didn't know before moving the lock. One of the hing pins came out and jammed the unlatching pull (if that makes sense). ECS immediately sent me a new latch pull. Now I need to remove the lock and transfer it....

    I found a post by Vinci saying to transfer the lock with the key installed. If that's all I need to do it should be pretty straight forward. Is it that simple? I have a recollection of having some other problem, but it was 4 years or so ago, so my aging monkey brain is fuzzy.

    Right now my euro glovebox is held closed by a zip tie. Yeah, I know, not cool. Pretty ghetto actually. Next weekend I'd like to correct this.

    God, it's amazing how much I'd forgotten about this.
    George Roffe
    98 M Roadster
    01 325iT


  2. #2
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    These are my threads on installing a lock cylinder in the rear console storage box. I’m not sure if this will help you. Can you post a picture of the latch opening where the cylinder is inserted? You may have to order the lock parts kit from BMW because I don’t know if the plastic cylinder tumbler can be removed once it has been installed. I tried for a long time to remove the cylinder from the glovebox to get the tumbler sequence. But I eventually gave up on that and just used trial and error to get the right sequence of teeth to match my key.

    https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...-lock-cylinder

    https://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=353619

    EDIT: So you reminded me that I actually also have a Euro glovebox kit sitting in my closet for over ten years (!!). I looked and the receptacle for the lock cylinder is identical to the one in the console. I'm pretty sure it cannot be removed, with out damage. My advice is to buy the repair kit, part #51169061388, and then install the tumblers to your key. The cylinder will accept up to six, but you really only need to do a few to secure the lock. I personally just did four.
    Last edited by KBH22102; 11-13-2018 at 09:09 PM.
    Kelvin

  3. #3
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    OK, just following up in case someone searches in the future.

    Turns out just leaving the key in the lock worked like a charm. The Euro glovebox latch has 4 tabs that hold the lock cylinder in place. Once I pulled those back with a small screwdriver, I was able to pull the lock cylinder out with the key in the cylinder and then just pushed the cylinder into the new latch. There is a little floating ring that needs to be in place first, but otherwise, it was as easy as that.
    George Roffe
    98 M Roadster
    01 325iT


  4. #4
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    Thanks for the follow up. Did you take any photos before and after you removed the cylinder?
    Kelvin

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by KBH22102 View Post
    Thanks for the follow up. Did you take any photos before and after you removed the cylinder?
    No, because I was stupid. I feel shame.

    I truly meant to, but I'd been working on my E46 all weekend and was tired. I wanted to do something simple, and while I'd been worried I'd do something stupid with it, I was also tired and just wanted it done.

    Keep in mind, this was going from a Euro to a Euro. When I bought the Euro glovebox from ECS, the latch lever was messed up. They quickly sent me a new one, but for some reason (that escapes me 4 1/2 years later) I let it sit (the car was off the road for most of that 4 1/2 years).

    I cannot for the life of me remember what was involved to remove it from the US latch. Must have been easy though. I have vague recollections of searching the procedure here and following it and it being easy.

    The lock cylinder was held in place by four right angled clips. Think about a 4 electrode spark plug and you more or less have the idea. Basically, I used a small screwdriver to pry back the prongs (key in the lock cylinder the whole time). It does seem it's as simple as keeping the key in the cylinder, but God help you if it slips out.

    Now I just have to screw the latch mechanism into the glovebox. Should be easy. I'm just tired (and chasing a MIL on the E46).
    Last edited by Geo31; 11-27-2018 at 11:52 AM.
    George Roffe
    98 M Roadster
    01 325iT


  6. #6
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    Got your back!

    Here's a few (laughs to self) pics I took during a Euro glovebox install. Unfortunately for me, the owner in his long-stored cache of parts leading up to the day I'd install them, had lost that magical little ring. I had no choice but to laboriously fabricate one!

    The sequence of pictures begins on page 55 of this album: http://spcarsplus.com/piwigo/index.p.../246/start-810 A few of the standouts are shown below (so you think YOU had a hard time__HA!).

    I had to take my Euro latch apart to determine what was missing from his; the item circled.



    Knowing what I had to do, I started with this...







    Using copper bars as heat-sinks to be able to weld on a tiny aluminum tab.



    Okay, it's not pretty. Yet!









    So after all that work, and a prototype part, I played it safe and put the plastic piece in the customer's car, and the aluminum piece in my own!


  7. #7
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    OMG Randy, for the cost of your labor, it would have been far cheaper to order a latch from ECS! That said, wow, that's some great work though.
    George Roffe
    98 M Roadster
    01 325iT


  8. #8
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    Really awesome work there Randy... I need to learn to weld...

    I need to do this on my car soon. Have the euro kit on my m coupe I never drive, loosely installed because it never came with a complete latch kit. Figure I will order a latch and install it on the coupe I do drive...

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  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by BimmerBreaker View Post
    Labor is free if youve got the time
    Really awesome work there Randy... I need to learn to weld...

    I need to do this on my car soon. Have the euro kit on my m coupe I never drive, loosely installed because it never came with a complete latch kit. Figure I will order a latch and install it on the coupe I do drive...
    Hey, do what I've been doing...

    Zip tie it shut until you have the latch.

    OK... I fee shame again.
    George Roffe
    98 M Roadster
    01 325iT


  10. #10
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    Wow, Randy to the rescue again! So that ring piece is actually part of the glovebox latch? I don't remember seeing it in my console cylinder, but since the types of locks that are activated are different, there may not be a need for this piece in the console. The North American and Euro latches are different, but from reading post #5, the lock cylinders are the same? Can the NA cylinder be transplanted in the Euro latch?
    Last edited by KBH22102; 11-27-2018 at 02:33 PM.
    Kelvin

  11. #11
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    I didn't have my key in when swapping and I of course got screwed. I think buying a used lock cylinder is my best bet.

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  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by KBH22102 View Post
    Can the NA cylinder be transplanted in the Euro latch?
    Yes. That is exactly what I did. The problem I had is the first time I did it, I found out the lever was bad. One of the hinge pins fell out so it wouldn't work. ECS sent me a new latch/lever, but I wasn't sure how to get the old one out and then parked the car for a long period. I essentially ripped the old Euro lever out of the latching mechanism to reveal the cylinder was held in place by 4 prongs. Careful (or not I guess) prying back released the lock cylinder. Just be sure you have the key in the cylinder or you will lose the tumblers and then have a potty mouth.

    Installation is quite easy. Again, never let the key out of the cylinder. Put the little plastic ring (the thing Randy fabricated out of metal) in the opening for the cylinder and then slide the cylinder in place until the prongs click in place, grabbing the cylinder.

    That easy.
    George Roffe
    98 M Roadster
    01 325iT


  13. #13
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    I am replacing the lock cylinder from my US spec glovebox to my new-to-me Euro spec glovebox. I'm having trouble getting at the lock cylinder that is in the Euro box.

    Here is the back of the latching mechanism, there is no access to the back of lock cylinder until the hinged portion is removed from the housing:

    IMG_2668.JPG

    The hinged portion which contains the cylinder appears to be held in with one or more spring pins.
    IMG_2670.JPG

    I tried pushing them out with a wire as it appears that RF did per his picture below. Nothing doing. I tried tapping them through with a drift punch. Notta. I can't afford to break this part. It is pretty much one of a kind these days, so I don't want to apply undo force. Any idea how I can get to the lock cylinder? Once there, I think its removal and replacement is straight forward. I've seen videos that make it look pretty easy.


  14. #14
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    Put the key in the lock.

    Then remove the pin holding the lock cylinder in place.

    Lock removes with key.

    Pull key out of lock cylinder...

    Watch pins fly across the room and spend 12+ hours trying to get it all back together.

    Don't do the last two steps, obviously.

    I don't know what you are trying to do exactly, but its not complicated.

    LOCK WILL NOT COME OUT WITHOUT INSERTING THE KEY AND LEAVING IT IN DURING THE WHOLE PROCESS.
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  15. #15
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    Euro latch is weird... cant get to the back of it easily so the 'remove the pin' part is where he is stuck.

    I'd soak the pivot pin you say won't move with some penetrate and try in 24hrs with it up-ended. I'd bet it's just dusty as hell

  16. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by mpire View Post
    Put the key in the lock.

    Then remove the pin holding the lock cylinder in place.

    Lock removes with key.

    Pull key out of lock cylinder...

    Watch pins fly across the room and spend 12+ hours trying to get it all back together.

    Don't do the last two steps, obviously.

    I don't know what you are trying to do exactly, but its not complicated.

    LOCK WILL NOT COME OUT WITHOUT INSERTING THE KEY AND LEAVING IT IN DURING THE WHOLE PROCESS.
    I'm not sure we are talking about the same latching unit. The latch on the Euro glovebox is very different than the one on the US version. On the US version, once you take the latch out of the glovebox, you can see the back side of the lock cylinder and the tumblers. This isn't true of the Euro version.

    The blue arrow in the picture below points at one of the two spring pins that hold the hinged unit (that contains the cylinder lock) in an assembly that prevents access to the back of the lock cylinder. Removing THOSE pins is my problem - perhaps the step you describe as "Then remove the pin holding the lock cylinder in place."
    I haven't figured out how to do that.

    InkedIMG_2670_LI.jpg

    Rereading your post.... are you saying the key has to be in the cylinder in order to remove the pin?
    Last edited by JustinHalverson; 08-23-2019 at 04:43 PM. Reason: Duh

  17. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by robb1887 View Post
    Euro latch is weird... cant get to the back of it easily so the 'remove the pin' part is where he is stuck.

    I'd soak the pivot pin you say won't move with some penetrate and try in 24hrs with it up-ended. I'd bet it's just dusty as hell
    I didn't see your post b/4 I posted my question. So you are saying that those pins simply fall out? I may have screwed the pooch by trying to drive them inward with a drift punch. ARG.

  18. #18
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    I'll see about fiddling with mine again this week. I never swap the lock, and ended up pulling the old cylinder out without the key in and sending the pins flying so its a project for a rainy day. I'd expect its just a spring roll pin, and might need a little force and lubrication to be removed. You can reach out to Randy Forbes on Facebook, he usually responds same day.

  19. #19
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    FWIW. I finally got the lock cylinder from my US glovebox installed into the new-to-me Euro glovebox. I ended up drilling out ~ 1/4" of the hinge spring pins with a #50 drill (for a 2-56 tap). Then I ran the 2-56 tap into the end of the spring pins and used it to pull the spring pins out. Once I had access to the cylinder, it took a good bit of jimming of the tumblers to allow the old cylinder to be removed (I don't have a key for the old cylinder). I found a combination of paperclips and very small finishing nails finally did the trick. Inserting the US cylinder into the Euro latch was a snap (almost literally). Installing the hinged portion of the latch back into its housing was another matter. The latch return spring simply did not want to go where it was supposed to and stay there until I got the spring pins reinstalled. Wish I could tell you what the trick was, but it was simply a matter of patience (at least that was true for me).

  20. #20
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    I made the mistake of inserting my Usa lock cylinder with key into the euro latch without putting the plastic Ring piece in first. Oops. Managed to get it open but how do I get the cylinder back out since you can’t easily pop it loose from behind the latch assembly? Any ideas??

  21. #21
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    Quote Originally Posted by adonnan View Post
    I made the mistake of inserting my Usa lock cylinder with key into the euro latch without putting the plastic Ring piece in first. Oops. Managed to get it open but how do I get the cylinder back out since you can’t easily pop it loose from behind the latch assembly? Any ideas??
    See my "FWIW" post above. The latch is hinged on two spring pins, as you probably know from having assembled the unit already. Those spring pins have to come out on each side of the unit (they can''t be driven through with a drift pin). Some people say they simply fall out, but I found I had to pull them out with by drilling out the inside diameter a little with a #50 drill and then running a 2-56 tap into the hole and using that to pull out the pins.

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