How would you...

MountaineerTom · June 14, 2002

How would you go about removing the clear plastic gauge cluster lens from the cluster trim housing? It looks like the plastic is "melted" together, holding the two pieces together. I know how to take the actual bezel part (that white face gauges would go under) with the clear plastic off the rest of the rest of the cluster, I just want to seperate the clear lens from the bezel for a little project I want to try. (It's got nothing to do with white faced gauges either)

I tried trim trough the "plastic weld", as I call it, with an x-acto knife, but it wsn't working too good. I'm afraid it's going to crack the clear lens. It started to once, but just barely, so I stopped. Where it started to crack is not visible anyway.

I was thinking about using a hair dryer to warm up the area and try cutting through it or prying it apart again.

Anyone got any thoughts or ideas?

MarkD · June 14, 2002

You might want to try a Soldering gun with a thin tip.

GnatGoSplat · June 14, 2002

Dremel with a cutting attachment.

Or get a metal x-acto knife and heat it up with a torch.

racer0175 · June 29, 2002

20 lb sledge???

was thinking the dremel also, but i bet that the knife with the torch will work sweet if you have the patience....how you gonna put it back together, glue?? silicone??

HillHound · July 1, 2002

Yeah Tom-try a Dremel with one of the thin abrasive cutting wheels.

So what's this new project? :ehh:

MountaineerTom · July 7, 2002

So what's this new project? :ehh:

Sorry for the delay Ron, I've been on vacation.

I may try the dremel tool method when I get a chance.

I can't say what the new project is until I complete it. If I decide not to do it, then I'll tell, If I do complete it, I'll post a pic. It's nothing big though.

LarryE · July 7, 2002

ya painting the trim or tinting the cluster cover? im doing both on mine to match the rest of my red dash.

i took one apart on my friends to put the billet trim on and it just snapped off with a breeze but mines like yours it's held on their pretty tight

MountaineerTom · July 8, 2002

ya painting the trim or tinting the cluster cover? im doing both on mine to match the rest of my red dash.

i took one apart on my friends to put the billet trim on and it just snapped off with a breeze but mines like yours it's held on their pretty tight

Ehh, close...

MountaineerTom · July 21, 2002

ya painting the trim or tinting the cluster cover? im doing both on mine to match the rest of my red dash.

i took one apart on my friends to put the billet trim on and it just snapped off with a breeze but mines like yours it's held on their pretty tight

Ehh, close...

Alright, Larry pretty much guessed it. I should have known he would know what I was thinking of doing. I painted the trim around the gauges and the black part of the dash bezel. I did't do red though, and it wasn't the whole dash bezel. Here's the pic: Painted Trim

I tried using a dremel tool with the small, thin cut-off wheels as suggested (thanks racer0175 and Ron ), and it worked really well. Just take your time and watch what your doing so you don't cut too far in and scratch the clear lens in an area where it could be seen when put back together. I then glued the two pieces back together with some silicone sealant.