Saturday, October 23, 2010

Vinyl Dash Repair Tips

Imagine you will find cracks as part of your car’s vinyl dashboard. If you think covering them with masking tape and coloring the tape to match the dash is copacetic, shake yourself. Real vinyl dashboard repair isn’t really difficult, and it is cheap. Proper dashboard restoration costs more than the tape and marker plan, but that’s appropriate. Cheap out on your car too long and it will turn its back on you.
Do not be scared of the split when repairing your vinyl dash panel
Vinyl fabric over foam padding is usually what a vinyl dash panel consists of. Excessive sun exposure can trigger sun damage, and using harsh cleaners and protectants is a bad idea. According to Popular Mechanics, these elements can suck the vinyl-chloride plasticizer from the dash surface. That’s what causes vinyl to become brittle and begin to split. You can clean it the best with a soft rag and warm water.
Fixing a cracked dash
You might not think that one small crack is going to hurt anything. However, if it begins to spread into too many cracks, then your dash might have to be replaced. That will hurt your wallet. Slapping a shag fabric dash cover over the problem will make individuals think you’re a stunt driver in the remake of “Scream, Blacula, Scream.”. Rather than going blaxploitation retro, take the simple however effective street to vinyl dash panel restoration. According to eHow, you’ll need a utility knife, painter’s tape, silicone caulking and vinyl paint. Here’s the procedure:
  1. Carve the crack into a “V” shape for making room for the caulking.
  2. Use a rag and water to clean out all dust and debris from the crack. Make sure you’ve let it dry all the way.
  3. Mask off either side of the crack. You are able to do this with the tape.
  4. Apply the silicone caulking into the split. Let it dry for 15 minutes, then remove the tape. The split being small is a good thing. You can simply move to the next step. Before the crack is completely dry, you are able to use a vinyl repair kit to give the silicone texture if the split is pretty big. You’ll have to remove the tape afterwards.
  5. Let the split dry for two hours before other things. Then you could be able to paint the crack. Following the paint has dried a few hours, you are ready to go again.
Data from
EHow.com
ehow.com/how_2077554_repair-cracks-dashboard.html
Popular Mechanics
popularmechanics.com/cars/how-to/saturday-mechanic-blog/repair-cracked-vinyl-dashboard




Meguiar's Premium Car Care Products & Accessories

Saturday, October 2, 2010

Top 5 Gearhead Reality Show Poll

Click link to vote on your favorite! >>>>        Top 5 Gearhead Reality Show Poll