Removing glove box lock – 78 Blazer
This was done with the glove box sitting on the bench.
The latch was the “no key” version.
Per , there are three parts to the glove box lock;
1. Lock cylinder case (black)
2. Lock cylinder (silver, one end slides through the glove box door, and into cylinder case, other end has chrome cap that you turn to open glove box.)
3. Lock cylinder escutcheon (like a washer with a short threaded sleeve attached)
…#2 is really two pieces – the lock cylinder and the chrome cap.
Anyway, here is what I did:
Removed chrome cap by prying gently with small screwdriver.
Now, the tricky part…
On the cylinder case, manually put the latch into the closed position.
At about three o’clock on the cylinder case is a small square access hole. This gives you access to a small spring-loaded tab. Gently press on the tab and you can simultaneously slide/unscrew the case off of the lock cylinder.
BE CAREFUL – that tab and its VERY small spring can fall out of the lock cylinder, there is nothing holding it in.
Now the lock cylinder and the escutcheon slide out of the front of the door.
To re-assemble
Hint: On the cylinder case, use a zip tie to hold the latch in the closed position.
Slide the lock cylinder with the escutcheon (no chrome cap yet) through the door.
Next tricky part…
Slide the lock cylinder case COMPLETELY over the lock cylinder. You have to play with it a bit, and you may need to push on the spring-loaded tab to allow the case to fully slide over the cylinder.
Now turn the escutcheon (by hand) to thread it into the cylinder case until tight.
Line up the chrome cap on the lock cylinder and tap it gently with a rubber mallet.
Remove zip tie.
1
