Tibbychick

Im sure this has already been discovered, but I was taking a glove box door out of the blue tib today and DAMN was that thing heavy. So I was wondering what made it so heavy. On the bottom there's screws, so I unscrewed them to take the panel off. Inside there's a huge, heavy metal plate. I dont even know why its there. Im sure its unessesary and it would save quite a few pounds. Its so easy to just unscrew it and take it out, and only takes like 15 minutes.

TibRacer01

I think it is there to make the glove box door feel more sturdy.

Tibbychick

yeah I was thinking that too. Also I guess so maybe when you open it, the door opens up quicker and easier. Because without it I'd imagine you'd have to pull it down because you dont have gravity helping you. I think I read somewhere to that its there for accidents.

Dweet

i think redz posted this somewhere.. but yeah doesnt hurt to mention it again

REDZMAN

Yup.

I can take a pic if anyone wants.

I showed it to Faith yesterday and he agrees it almost weighs 8 pounds.

I think it's there to deflect your legs in an impact. Either that or to make your glovebox feel less clunky.

But yup, talked about. Glad you did it Tibbychick.

Mad-Machine

and people wonder why new cars weigh so much... you could probably get the same protection (if that is what the plate is for) with a similar sized piece of aluminum plate at half the weight.

skierd

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Mad-Machine)</div><div class='quotemain'>and people wonder why new cars weigh so much... you could probably get the same protection (if that is what the plate is for) with a similar sized piece of aluminum plate at half the weight.</div>

Probably not. To get the same strength as a piece of steel, aluminum typically has to be 3x as thick due to its lower fatigue strength and finite lifespan. Making something that much thicker has a way of removing weight benefits, and most of the newer steel alloys are as light if not lighter than the comparably strength alumnium piece.

Either way, 8 pounds is 8 pounds. Not an obscene savings, but hey its free. laugh.gif

Double_A

It may also be for security issues. I think some of the glove boxes have locks on them (mine does not but i thought i saw ones that do). So what would be the point of having a lock if the door is just a flimsy piece of plastic someone could break through. Just a thought.

REDZMAN

No, not for security issues, I've seen a couple hundred RD's now and never seen a Locking Glovebox.

I'm tellin you, it's to deflect your legs in an accident, same as the plate under the drivers side.

Tibbychick

What??? Every one of my tibs has a locking glove box.