Dashboard Mount Repair - Version 2.0 Topic is solved

[cn90]

For those of you who have installed "Toggle Bolts" at home, these are basically installed straight a hole in the drywall, as you tighten the bolt the "wings" spread out and secure themselves behind the drywall.

http://www.athomealterations.com/2010/0 ... crews.html

So, I am wondering, can you avoid dash removal by:

a- Removing the cowl at the windshield (from engine firewall side)

b- Insert the "Toggle Bolts" through the holes, then tighten the bolt.
In the process of doing that the wings spread out and wedge against the dash plastic part.

Just a thought...

Toggle-Bolts.jpg (11.49 KiB) Viewed 1778 times

[kmesse]

There's nothing solid to attach the wings through. What they would go into is shattered.

[rspi]

Also, as soon as you make it through the dash, you are met with the mount anchors which would stop you from pushing those things into the dash.

[kmesse]

For what it's worth, I found no other way to secure the dash besides what I did in rebuilding the 4 mounts, but someone mentioned brackets on either side by the door jamb. I didn't find a way to do that on my model.

[Redneck]

I have 1996 Volvo 850 GLT. I am working on the evaporator now. Pulled dash and have two broken mounts. What can I buy at Lowes or Home Depot to fix the mounts? These are the only two stores that I can walk to in order to get supplies. Has anyone used: SEM 39767 Problem Plastic to glue broken mounts?

http://www.semproducts.com/dual-mix-pro ... -material/

Is the dash made of ABS plastic or Polypropylene plastic?
Wich JB weld epoxy is the one you guys used and it held? I don't see JB Weld Marine Putty at Home Depot website. Can you send me a link to it? Did it really work with the Dashboard plastic?

If it was worth the effort, I could also walk to West Marine store but it is much farther away. What would I need to get there? (that would attach to this plastic and not "eat it"/melt it.

[Ozark Lee]

Lowes has the JB WaterWeld.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_355112-81288-82 ... facetInfo=

It is best suited for repairing the shattered mounts where the lower dash panel bolts up.

...Lee

[Redneck]

Thank you for the link to the epoxy, Ozark. I will buy it and try it out on some area to see how strong it its. I also have Harbor Fright:) $2.99, 5min epoxy which I used to glue similar plastic type in a non-structural application and it wasn't too bad, but I don't think that it was great.

My broken mounts are two of the four upper dash mounts. They aren't totally shattered into pieces. One has a piece that broke off along the screw hole. The second one has a crack at the base.

Because my mounts aren't completely broken, I am a bit worried about drilling holes for aluminum plates because each hole is another damage and self tapping screws while forced into the plastic introduce residual stress around the hole that may actually weaken the plastic around the tapped hole. The stripes of aluminum that people use to hold the mounts in place are too flimsy - they move around because aluminum bends. As they move around, they pull on the tapped holes and rip them out. It is one of the possible emergency solution that is done when planning time and resources are limited. I may still opt for that out of desperation, or in addition to, but I don't really like that method.

The attachment needs to be 100% stiff and not compromise the strength of the existing plastic causing future damage and expending the repair area.

It appears to me that fiberglass that sticks well to plastic would best (If one can recommend me one that actually sticks to the plastic) When I was a kid, I used to work at a boat marina and made fiberglass repairs. Fiberglass resin did not sick to plastic. To clean the plastic bucket where you mixed resin+hardener all you had to do is to drop it on the ground and bucket shaped stone hardened resin would pop out from it. It was my favorite part of the job:)

Has anyone done it with fiberglass or some great epoxy glue and actually made it last?

[kmesse]

No luck with epoxys, it needs structural strength where there is none. With epoxy you're just rebuilding a bad design. JB waterweld is seriously strong stuff. Really gooped it on and reformed where there was room to put it, dried like a rock. 9 mos later not a squeak.

[Redneck]

Thank you. I am glad JB Waterweld worked for you. How did you prepare the contact surfaces? What are the "flashing strips" that you used? How did you place them? Do you still have a picture of them?

[kmesse]

I wouldn't even bother with the flashing strips, I don't know with the stresses that they'd do any good. Just clean the surfaces, they don't need prep. Stuff is designed to stick underwater so use rubber gloves. I molded it on thick and let it dry overnight. Basically trying to mimic what the original design did, so pay attention to the surfaces, and how it wants to pull away. Try to piece the plastic back together best you can, put in the metal insert, then putty around it all. Maybe add a thin piece of fabric while the putty is wet around that outside piece that broke where it goes against the frame would give it extra strength. Just thought of that.
Getting the air bag out was a drag, but great sense of accomplishment.