Date: Mon, 6 Mar 2023 21:58:04 +0000
Reply-To: "ddbjorkman@verizon.net" <ddbjorkman@VERIZON.NET>
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From: "ddbjorkman@verizon.net" <ddbjorkman@VERIZON.NET>
Subject: Re: Instrument cluster repair completed
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Hi Jim.What was the thickness (Z axis) of the parts you cut? It occurred to me the brass need not be thick, just better than the plastic.
Dave B.the Boston one
-----Original Message-----
From: Jim Felder <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM>
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Sent: Mon, Mar 6, 2023 12:33 pm
Subject: [VANAGON] Instrument cluster repair completed
The plastic instrument cluster housing rests on two plastic pads, one on
each end, about one inch wide and 5.25 inches long. Those are the parts
that break off over the years. I cut same-size strips out of brass and
taped them over the original plastic pads in order to mark the holes. I
unmounted those and drilled them for screws. I scuffed up the brass plates
and the plastic and epoxied the plates to the plastic feet.
Then comes the exact measurement part: of course the holes must align
perfectly with the holes in the dash before the epoxy cures, else you will
never make it fit since the only adjustment is in the repair part, not the
dash. You have already established the distance between the holes in each
plate when you used the cluster platform as a template. Note: You don't
need four unbroken corners to make this work--the two plates are identical,
if you find one side good enough then use it for both. Tape the two plates
together and drill them together.
Measuring the horizontal distance--the distance between the holes on the
left and the holes on the right--is trickier since the brake fluid
reservoir prevents a ruler from being put to the dash to measure the top
holes, and the instrument light molding on the cluster prevents the use of
one to measure those holes. You have to use a trammel unless you happen to
have a very large caliper. The measurement between the bottom holes
laterally is 87mm, between the two top holes is 370mm.
I think this approach is better than others I have seen that just deal with
the corners because the adhesion to the plastic is distributed over the
maximum area of both feet, and there is metal reinforcement over 100% of
the available surface of the plastic feet over which to spread the load.
The effect is a rock-solid and strong instrument cluster mount.
My advice would be to not use any metal that won't spring enough to conform
to the gentle curve of the plastic feet. If it's too thick and stiff, you
will force the feet to conform to the metal, which will end up making your
cluster not sit well on top of the dash and whose tightening will
eventually crack the plastic. I used brass strips cut from an old front
door kick plate. Now I know what I saved it for!
Anyone wanting photos, email me.
Jim
