Warped dashbord fix (help)

[Tunnermann]

Hi there,

I just bought a 94 Ranger 4.0 v6. It's dash cover doesn't quite fit over the dash. Then I had a closer look and it seems that the edge of the dash has warped upwards making the face of the dashboard taller, so the cover doesn't fit there anymore.

Have you guys experienced something similar?

How did you fix it?

I thought about using a hair dryer or heat gun to warp it back in place. But I'm afraid the excessive heat on a cold day on the windshield could shatter it.

Any ideas/tips?

 

[Denisefwd93]

My truck has the same problem right over top of the radio, I did use a heat gun and clamps left it set overnight it still popped back up, I think plastic actually shrinks with age and that is the problem.

 

[Curious Hound]

I just live with it.

 

[Tunnermann]

I'm working on it as we speak... I'm just trying the hair dryer way...

I've warmed up a section of it until it is hot to touch. Then I rubbed it down with some force with my fingers/palms/ and the side of od a screw driver. It made some difference. But I guess later on it could move back to it's warped way. So I've clamped down a piece of wood to flatten it and let it cool down this way.

I'll post the results later on.

 

[Uncle Gump]

looks just like my 94...

 

[Tunnermann]

I've also realised that 4 out of the 8 pins that attach the frame to the dash were broken. So I've cut some 8mm screws about the length of the pins to "screw" the clips to what was left of the pins.

Thos clips are a bitch to open... Get a flat head screw driver and pry them open, then you'll need some kind of wedge to hold It open while you insert the chopped screw in. Then just screw it all together ?

 

[Denisefwd93]

I'm working on it as we speak... I'm just trying the hair dryer way...

I've warmed up a section of it until it is hot to touch. Then I rubbed it down with some force with my fingers/palms/ and the side of od a screw driver. It made some difference. But I guess later on it could move back to it's warped way. So I've clamped down a piece of wood to flatten it and let it cool down this way.

I'll post the results later on.

At this point I'm wondering if you are reading any of the answers people are giving you,. I did the exact same thing you're doing guess what happened

 

[Tunnermann]

I guess I'm just stubborn... But so far people only said that they lived with it... Not that they've done anything...

 

[Curious Hound]

Denise did exactly what you’re doing. She was the first to reply to your thread. Good luck with it.

 

[Denisefwd93]

And I use an actual heat guns I had that dashboard warm I mean hot! I'm going to try again someday, somehow I pushed my new radio too far into the sleeve so I have to take the frame off again

 

[Tunnermann]

Denise did exactly what you’re doing. She was the first to reply to your thread. Good luck with it.

Somehow I've missed that first post...

I'm gonna try something different... Maybe adding some screws from the inside... I dunno.

 

[Tunnermann]

I held the hair dryer (a powerful one) for a minute ir 2 on the same spot... Probably it didnt get as hot as the heat gun, but i still managed to burn myself a bit...

I've noticed that there's a metal frame supporting the dash up to the point where it starts to warp.

Perhaps it is a lack of aupor from.underneath?

 

[Denisefwd93]

Very interested to see the results of your efforts!

 

[Tunnermann]

I've dug out some of that foam under that warped area to try to conform the vinyl a little bit easier... I plan to use contact glue on it and then to clamp it again. Followed by some stapes to the front of the dash.

I'll need to recreate the brackets around the cigarette lighter too. I guess one day someone just pulled it out not taking into account those two bolts.

 

[Shran]

If it's not split anywhere, I'd probably have left it alone. I know it's irritating but it looks like yours is really in pretty good shape... most of them I see are cracked and split everywhere. Look on the bright side, could be worse... most 94-01 Dodge trucks don't have a dash left anymore! They just fall apart. Same with the 73-87 GM trucks and a lot of the old Mustangs & cars from the mid 60's on up... they split and warp like crazy.