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Any experience and advice on how to successfully rescue an original glovebox grommet from a dash panel? Is it hard plastic and prone to breakage in the process of taking it out? I've got a couple to rescue and would like to promote success!!
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They are rubber, but as most things rubber not disintegrated by sunlight, are affected by heat and time.
They loose the plasticizers and natural oils over time and become hard and brittle as well as shrink.
I have been lucky with heat, but no more than about 140-160 F. Or dip an old wash cloth in boiling water, then lay that on the rubber, and it may help it become pliable. Then I use a heat gun to keep it hot for a couple of minutes.
I also used silicone grease/dielectric grease on the part and work it under the areas, coupled with the heat and have been lucky.
I also do the reverse to get a part in. (apply silicone) I have a Keurig coffee maker, run about 6 oz of water into a cup, plop the part in and wait about 2 minutes, then fish it out and put it in the hole. The silicone helps it slip around rather than "gripping".
It also works for the small round "bumpers" with the small rubber "pull through" tails, and helps keep from pulling them off.
And slow steady pressure is best.
Clean up of the grease can be done with a little Dawn and water, isopropyl alcohol (not denatured) or Windex, depending on the finish it is on.
