Warped dashbord fix (help)

[Tunnermann]

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.

LOL, I guess I'll try a bit more. I'll try not to ruin it completely ?

 

[Ranger850]

i agree with @Shran. i've seen a lot worse. some wouldn't even consider your worth messing with. you may end up doing something to make it worse or cause the warp to pop up somewhere else.

 

[Tunnermann]

Now I'm half way through it... If I were to damage I think I would have damaged it digging the foam out...

 

[Denisefwd93]

How you doing with the fix? Lookie look what I found pricey but it may be an option

https://www.americandashcaps.com/ford/ford-trucks/1989-94-ford-ranger-pickup-dash-cap.html

 

[Bird76Mojo]

Those are probably the exact same thing as the piece of crap Coverlay dash covers. The website even says "installs directly over your existing dashboard"

 

[Tunnermann]

How you doing with the fix? Lookie look what I found pricey but it may be an option

https://www.americandashcaps.com/ford/ford-trucks/1989-94-ford-ranger-pickup-dash-cap.html

I got to work a bit on it today...

I've glued it and I wanted to staple it too. But the staples I had were too weak.

So I just screwed to front part in.

Tomorrow I'll remove the clamps and I'll see how it went.

I've also built/welded 2 of the plastic brackets of the front cover too.

Making some slow progress...

 

[Tunnermann]

Here is the result after 36 hours without the clamps... It has been longer now, and I haven't seen any changes.

The repair doesn't look very pretty. But it will be hidden anyway. But I would recommend using a tough stapler, if possible. I think it would look neater.

I guess I was able to achieve it because I removed some of the material that was causing the warping, i.e. the foam. I think I took out too much of it. I would suggest removing a wedge of foam, instead of "square tube" of foam, if you get the idea. Basically remove from the middle, the same area of the warped area. That is, if your dash has warped 1 inch upwards and 1,5 in deep. Then I would remove that much material from the middle.

I guess the glue is NOT the secret. I used contact glue, and it was very liquid. It was hard to put it under the dash. I would use something not as runny, but also something that would be "spreadable", or something you could inject with a syringe.

Then just clamp it down for a day, staple the front, and you're done.

 

[Ranger850]

Pic in post#21 looks like you used brass/wood staples. I would definitely used steel stapl…. Never mind I would not have stapled it at all, but it looks like you "fixed" it

 

[Tunnermann]

Pic in post#21 looks like you used brass/wood staples. I would definitely used steel stapl…. Never mind I would not have stapled it at all, but it looks like you "fixed" it

Yeah, it's not a pretty fix from the inside. I'm not a mechanic nor a upholstery specialist... What would you have done instead? (Honest question)

 

[Ranger850]

Yeah, it's not a pretty fix from the inside. I'm not a mechanic nor a upholstery specialist... What would you have done instead? (Honest question)

I am somewhat of an upholstery guy, so my approach may have been different. removing excess foam where/if neede. instead of running screws through the dash, i may have used a strip of wood, plastic, or aluminum along where you did the screws and used that that to spread the load, epoxy and clamps intead of screws. idk of you used a heat gun to try to manipulate the dash before but after foam removal, i would have tried that first, and clamp it while it cooled...not saying mine would have turned out better, I have an Edge grill build thread that I totally ruined, so, take my advice with a grain of salt.

 

[Denisefwd93]

This problem is not common to ford. GM vehicles have the same situation going on with there interiors & vinyl padded dashes. gorilla glue was used by quite a few people with good results I'm not sure which glue gorilla glue they used. There are vrey few adhesives that will stick to polyethylene and vinyl, 3M make something for it. My guess, the screws are doing most of the work,. Oh yes there's an incredible amount of backward pressure when that vinyl starts to shrink! Looking good hope it stays put you are an inspiration young man! Now come do mine ?

 

[Tunnermann]

This problem is not common to ford. GM vehicles have the same situation going on with there interiors & vinyl padded dashes. gorilla glue was used by quite a few people with good results I'm not sure which glue gorilla glue they used. There are vrey few adhesives that will stick to polyethylene and vinyl, 3M make something for it. My guess, the screws are doing most of the work,. Oh yes there's an incredible amount of backward pressure when that vinyl starts to shrink! Looking good hope it stays put you are an inspiration young man! Now come do mine ?

Just get me a ticket, and I'll do yours for free...

I'm currently in Brazil ???

 

[Tunnermann]

I am somewhat of an upholstery guy, so my approach may have been different. removing excess foam where/if neede. instead of running screws through the dash, i may have used a strip of wood, plastic, or aluminum along where you did the screws and used that that to spread the load, epoxy and clamps intead of screws. idk of you used a heat gun to try to manipulate the dash before but after foam removal, i would have tried that first, and clamp it while it cooled...not saying mine would have turned out better, I have an Edge grill build thread that I totally ruined, so, take my advice with a grain of salt.

At least we agree on the foam removal part. Yeah, the screws look pretty nasty... When I finish more important things I should get back to it.

You know the pins that hold the front piece to the back piece? Some of mine broke, and both auto parts store in my city don't have them (I live in a small town, 70k people). Online I couldn't find them either. Not even on ebay. I guess I'll have to create them too.

 

[sgtsandman]

It looks like it will work and if the fasteners are hidden, who cares? What is it going to do, hurt the resale value? If you are happy with it and it fixes they problem, you are golden.

 

[Tunnermann]

It looks like it will work and if the fasteners are hidden, who cares? What is it going to do, hurt the resale value? If you are happy with it and it fixes they problem, you are golden.

Well Said ???