Repaired dash panel at base of windshield
shorod
09-08-2014, 04:03 PM
I recently purchased a used 2007 Escalade and it had the broken dash panel which apparently is quite common. I thought I was just going to replace the panel until I found they are $180 at an online OEM distributor. Scratch that idea. So last weekend I pulled the panel out and found that it was actually cracked in two places, completely from the VIN plate all the way to the instrument cluster, and about the same location 3/4 of the way across on the passenger side.
To remove the panel requires removing the pillar trim. On the passenger side the 10mm bolts holding the grab handle need to be removed, then the pillar trim unsnaps. On the driver's side there is one small bolt (7mm or 8mm hex head, I don't recall which) behind the oval cover, then it unsnaps.
With the pillar trim removed, the dash panel unsnaps near the joint with padded dash and then unhooks from near the windshield. When you get the panel loose, do a quarter turn on the ambient light sensor to remove it from the panel (rather than fighting the electrical connector).
With the pieces removed, I was able to use my $17 Harbor Freight plastic welder (http://www.harborfreight.com/80-watt-iron-plastic-welding-kit-60662.html) to fix the cracks from underneath. I used some of the metal screen cut to shape on the back side and held the cracks closed. When I was done and flipped the piece over, I was very pleased with the results. The crack locations are virtually unnoticeable and there was no discoloration or change in texture. The panel in my truck is black so any difference in sheen would have been obvious.
This was not the first plastic repair I've done with this kit so that might have helped me keep from applying too much pressure or from getting the part too hot. I applied just enough pressure to get the plastic warm and allow the screen to melt just below the bottom surface. I then used some of the filler rod to finish off the repair and make it somewhat prettier. There's really no function to adding the filler in this application though.
The repaired panel fit back in place perfectly fine and didn't manage to crack during the installation handling so hopefully it holds up to the sun and body flexing too, or whatever caused it to crack in the first place.
So my $17 plastic welder saved me from replacing a $180 dash panel, not to mention the multiple other plastic repairs I've done with it. I will say though, I have replaced the original soft metal welding tip with a solid brass tip sourced from a different plastic welder manufacturer. The brass tip is much more robust. The tip nearly doubled the cost of the plastic welder setup, but was still less than if I bought the kit from the other supplier.
-Rod
To remove the panel requires removing the pillar trim. On the passenger side the 10mm bolts holding the grab handle need to be removed, then the pillar trim unsnaps. On the driver's side there is one small bolt (7mm or 8mm hex head, I don't recall which) behind the oval cover, then it unsnaps.
With the pillar trim removed, the dash panel unsnaps near the joint with padded dash and then unhooks from near the windshield. When you get the panel loose, do a quarter turn on the ambient light sensor to remove it from the panel (rather than fighting the electrical connector).
With the pieces removed, I was able to use my $17 Harbor Freight plastic welder (http://www.harborfreight.com/80-watt-iron-plastic-welding-kit-60662.html) to fix the cracks from underneath. I used some of the metal screen cut to shape on the back side and held the cracks closed. When I was done and flipped the piece over, I was very pleased with the results. The crack locations are virtually unnoticeable and there was no discoloration or change in texture. The panel in my truck is black so any difference in sheen would have been obvious.
This was not the first plastic repair I've done with this kit so that might have helped me keep from applying too much pressure or from getting the part too hot. I applied just enough pressure to get the plastic warm and allow the screen to melt just below the bottom surface. I then used some of the filler rod to finish off the repair and make it somewhat prettier. There's really no function to adding the filler in this application though.
The repaired panel fit back in place perfectly fine and didn't manage to crack during the installation handling so hopefully it holds up to the sun and body flexing too, or whatever caused it to crack in the first place.
So my $17 plastic welder saved me from replacing a $180 dash panel, not to mention the multiple other plastic repairs I've done with it. I will say though, I have replaced the original soft metal welding tip with a solid brass tip sourced from a different plastic welder manufacturer. The brass tip is much more robust. The tip nearly doubled the cost of the plastic welder setup, but was still less than if I bought the kit from the other supplier.
-Rod
Automotive Network, Inc., Copyright ©2024