is there any way to improve a vinyl dash's appearance...

[greaseyfingers]

my red vinyl dash has cracks and a few places where the vinyl covering is missing, entirely, as it was this way, already, when I purchased the vehicle...

since, my vinyl dash is red... I was wondering if it work to get a tube of rtv red silicone and patch the areas where the vinyl is missing, entirely, and feather edge it to the surrounding vinyl to fill several areas of missing vinyl, and make it as smooth as possible... and then to try using the rtv red silicone to cover all the remaining cracks, elsewhere, on the vinyl dash...

would this idea work, or would the rtv red silicone decompose the the foam underneath the vinyl dash, where areas of the dash's vinyl are missing...

if the rtv red silicone won't decompose the dash's foam... do you think the appearance would look better, if the rtv red silicone was spread out, entirely, over the entire dash, as smooth as possible, instead of just using it for patching the bad areas...

has anyone ever tried doing this, before, as my vehicle's dash couldn't look any worse than it, already, does... and doing anything would, hopefully, be an improvement, compared to what it looks like, now...

but, I wan't to find out, first, if this idea would work, before, I try doing it...

 

[Insanejughead]

Best thing I can say is to try it out on a inconspicuous spot and see how that goes.


I don't see why it would eat the vinyl away, but I don't really know what's in silicone.

Best of luck, and let us know.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I have seen vinyl dash repair kits available in stores, I have always wondered how they work but I have never tried one.

 

[Insanejughead]

OOH, I just remembered about the replacement dashes that LMC truck sells.

I wonder how those are?

If anyone has used those... I am interested to hear because I could use a new one.

 

[Forcus]

I don't think silicone would work because you can't sand or shape it after you dried.

I have not used the vinyl repair kits but it looks like they allow you to work them flush and then apply a "grain" form to the top so it matches the surrounding area.

The LMC dash covers are a formed cover that uses adhesive to attach to the old dash cover. From what I've seen, they are good.

 

[bluovaldude]

You can always pull the dash, and paint it ... Spray a few layers of high build primer down, give it a nice sanding beteween coats to help smooth out the highs and fill in the lows, then top her off with a fresh coat of red to match the rest of the interior.

I have seen this done a few times and almost give it a look as if you fiberglassed the dash.

I really just depends on how much work you are wanting to do, or really how much this problem bothers you.

Either way good luck and post pics of your out come when you get it finished.

 

[dirtsquirt]

If i was you i would find a car/truck detail place! you know the guy's that detail cars for sales lot's. Odd's are with a little honey! maybe a dozen donuts, you might get some advice and maybe a little product...

 

[greaseyfingers]

If i was you i would find a car/truck detail place! you know the guy's that detail cars for sales lot's. Odd's are with a little honey! maybe a dozen donuts, you might get some advice and maybe a little product...

in reading your response, it's rather obvious, you appear to be hungry for eating a dozen donuts...lol..

bet you wish, you were, already, working at one of these car/truck detail places, that you mentioned, where you could be giving out your advice for donuts...lol..

cause, apparently, you don't seem to have any worth while advice to contribute, here, in regard to the discussed topic...lol..

 

[kunar]

my girlfriend's dad used red rtv to patch a missing spot on his armrest (buick riv) it doesnt look all that bad but it doesnt match at all as far as color goes. doesnt match texture either as far as that is concerned. it doesnt look any worse than a big hole there though.

 

[greaseyfingers]

You can always pull the dash, and paint it ... Spray a few layers of high build primer down, give it a nice sanding beteween coats to help smooth out the highs and fill in the lows, then top her off with a fresh coat of red to match the rest of the interior.

I have seen this done a few times and almost give it a look as if you fiberglassed the dash.

I really just depends on how much work you are wanting to do, or really how much this problem bothers you.

Either way good luck and post pics of your out come when you get it finished.

I've never heard of anyone doing that, before, but it sounds like a good idea...

wished I had the opportunity to see what it looks like, from someone who has, already, painted their dash...

the thought had crossed my mind, before, wondering if anyone had ever tried doing this, before, as you mentioned, you had seen...

I don't suppose you'd have any pictures, to get a better idea of what a dash redone like this and painted, would look like...

is it very hard scraping the foam layer off the dash's metal surface, before, sanding and painting it... or, does the foam come off quite easy...

 

[greaseyfingers]

my girlfriend's dad used red rtv to patch a missing spot on his armrest (buick riv) it doesnt look all that bad but it doesnt match at all as far as color goes. doesnt match texture either as far as that is concerned. it doesnt look any worse than a big hole there though.

I wonder how it would turn out and look, if a person took a rubber or plastic auto body bondo putty spreader, and spread a thin layer of red silicone, over the entire dash, cracks and all, trying to get it as smooth, as possible... even though it wouldn't, obviously, turn out to be perfect...

maybe, hopefully, it would look better than it does, now...lol..

 

[greaseyfingers]

my girlfriend's dad used red rtv to patch a missing spot on his armrest (buick riv) it doesnt look all that bad but it doesnt match at all as far as color goes. doesnt match texture either as far as that is concerned. it doesnt look any worse than a big hole there though.

I wonder how it would turn out and look, if a person took a rubber or plastic bondo body putty spreader, and spread a thin layer of red silicone, over the entire dash, cracks and all, trying to get it as smooth, as possible... even though it wouldn't, obviously, turn out perfect...

maybe, hopefully, it would look better than it does, now...lol..

 

[bluovaldude]

I've never heard of anyone doing that, before, but it sounds like a good idea...

wished I had the opportunity to see what it looks like, from someone who has, already, painted their dash...

the thought had crossed my mind, before, wondering if anyone had ever tried doing this, before, as you mentioned, you had seen...

I don't suppose you'd have any pictures, to get a better idea of what a dash redone like this and painted, would look like...

is it very hard scraping the foam layer off the dash's metal surface, before, sanding and painting it... or, does the foam come off quite easy...

Really you are not takeing any of the foam off just basically smoothing out the primer on top of it to even things out.

Here is a link to what I am talking about, when you paint it. http://www.rangerpowersports.com/forum/showthread.php?t=136217

Yes I know the dash is different but it will be the same process, and he even goes step by step to show you what he did.

 

[dirtsquirt]

in reading your response, it's rather obvious, you appear to be hungry for eating a dozen donuts...lol..

bet you wish, you were, already, working at one of these car/truck detail places, that you mentioned, where you could be giving out your advice for donuts...lol..

cause, apparently, you don't seem to have any worth while advice to contribute, here, in regard to the discussed topic...lol..

Well you just showed (your not to bright) I had dash repaired. Cost me a dozen donuts... And you never know