Date: Sun, 22 Sep 2019 10:31:33 -0400
Reply-To: Eric Caron <ericcaron96@COMCAST.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Eric Caron <ericcaron96@COMCAST.NET>
Subject: Glove box strap GW product review
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Hi listers,
My glove box has been held on by one strap for years. When I first got the bus I found a plastic strip on the floor under the foot Matt and tossed it out. Later I realized it was the left side glove box strap. The right side had been doing the work for a long time.
Well it broke recently, I had been looking at a few things at GW so I took it as a sign. I purchased the straps.
Well, I can’t read the instructions so I was confused as the right strap was way longer then the original and the left, driver’s side didn’t have the same connector at the glove box.
After having a friend read the instructions we figured it out. Always a disappointment to resort to using the instructions! Actually, I’d use them if I could but all my life as a blind person I usually just look at the parts and have to figure it out. If I take things apart myself and the replacement parts are the same, it is easy, no fun when the replacement parts look different.
So, turns out the left side of my glove box has two ways to connect a strap. The original gook and a small slit. Unlike my original strap with the loop for the hook I needed to jam the end of the strap with two bumps onto the slit. Of course you first thread the strap through the whole in the sheet metal behind the glove box.
I figured it out on my own other then the slit on the box as my original strap had the loop.
On the right side my new strap had a loop, but if I used it the box hung out too low,. There is also a slit on the glove box that when used shortens the length, but then the loop hangs out. I instead tied a not in the strap way in the back and then used the hoop. The length is now good, both straps engage, and the loop is on the hook not hanging out in the box.
Hopefully I won’t have to think about this for another 30 years.
The straps are more springy, rubbery, not firm like the original plastic. But they seem fine.
I probably could have created a solution but it is trickier then it seems as the straps need to fold out of the way for closing correctly.
My van is a 85 and I suspect later vans have a improved set up. But if you have to make a GW order and have questionable straps they are available. I had looked for them a few years ago and could not find them at our venders.
Best.
Eric Caron
85 Vanagon GL