body and interior How to keep dash uncracked

[M3M3]

best way i have found to keep a dash from cracking it to keep it out of the car, wrapped in a dark garbage bag, in a climate controlled storage area on a flat shelf......that is where my uncracked dash has been for 10+ years.   i store the cracked dash in the 2002....?

[rdeeble]

Redtail - I posted the very same post probably 10 years ago and got much of the same responses you did.  I followed them all and mine is still crack free. Here is the advice that really stood out for me...

 

1. Use a windshield sunscreen religiously. I had a super cheap generic one for years a but just splurged last week to get one designed for the 2002 by Covercraft.  https://www.covercraft.com/us/en/product/carhartt-uvs100-custom-sunscreen.UVC
 

2. Use a UV protectant.  I was recommended 303 UV Protectant Spray by faq members.  Here is a link https://www.amazon.com/303-30313-CSR-Protectant-Plastic-Fiberglass/dp/B00KN0UOEE/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=303+vinyl+spray&qid=1623295609&sr=8-3
 

3. Garage it if you can!  I don't have a garage - just a driveway - so I grabbed one of these
https://www.shelterlogic.com/shop/garage-in-a-box-roundtopr

 

enjoy!

[pehlivanov_tii]

2 hours ago, Gordon said:

My 74 tii has a crack free one piece Euro spec dash (no fasten seat belt billboard) that I scored years ago at a vintage automotive flea market in Ludwigshafen Germany and mailed it back.  I'm moving to CO this summer and what scares me the most is cold weather during the winter.  Anything below zero can be hazardous to a crack free dash.  I'll make sure to look for a place with a heated garage.  My E30, that dash looks like the Grand Canyon with all the cracks it has but I do have a crack free E30 dash in my parts stash but that's way down the road...

I have a crack free dash too and i was asking how cold is too cold for a dash, so i think you answered me. At least make sure you treat it with all the vinyl pvc protectors that have uv protection and other agents that keep the vinyl soft and flexible, this could help also. I found out that there are many of them on the market. 
 

@The Geologist 

in your case the crack is very small and dont look deep so if it just the vinyl that cracked and not the foam i dont know if it could be grinded a little bit and fill it with something. I think that most of the other crack repairs are failing because the foam under the vinyl is already cracked.

i have heard of other interesting method of repairing cracks, but it seems to me like it is for deeper cracks. Basically the idea is that when there is a crack, in profile looks like “V” shaped. Probably it will need grinding the crack a little bit to give more space for work. Of course you have to fill the V with something, but in that method i have heard of also you have to add a metal wire(s) to link both sides and the wire in the ends must be like hooks so once you put it in the foam to not be able to come of easily. As i said this is for bigger cracks, but decided to share it because i dont think i have seen it here, and it worths a try to me, if a dash is already cracked what could go wrong. I was going to try it to my old dash, but then i found a crack free dash for my car. 

[2002FjordBaur]

I've found a sure-fire method....live in the UK! ? 

[landon]

14 hours ago, The Geologist said:

This seems to be the most appropriate thread to resurrect 5+ years later.  I believe the '76 2002 I recently acquired spent at least the first ~ 30 years of its life garaged in western Massachusetts, and as a result has an un-cracked 1-piece dash.    

 

 

 

 

Scratch that.  Upon closer inspection there are some very small cracks emanating from the tight radius right here, right where you'd expect the vinyl covering to be under most tension from thermal and mechanical stresses.  

 

 

I'd like to arrest further propagation of these cracks and am considering drilling small (4-5 mm) holes through the vinyl at the ends of the small cracks.   I remember my father did this to our Aeronca Champ windscreen when a crack started to propagate right in the middle of the  bottom of the plexiglass, right where where you'd expect the piece to be under most tension from thermal and mechanical stresses.  It worked; the crack never spread past that hole we drilled an inch or two from the bottom of the windscreen.  This gives the material more room to flex under tension without cracking further.  I'd expect similar resultsa from the vinyl dash material.  Obviously I'd fill in the holes and gaps with something black and inconspicuous, maybe a bit of RTV. 

 

I'm interested in other opinions or alternatives.  Thank you.   

The drilled holes work sometimes but often not.  I would not try the stress relieved drilled hole on these dashes. We've used it on various materials including wood, hot tubs , and I tried it on my E30 dash only to see the crack continue thru the hole. Conditioning and heat control would likely be better...   If you have the windshield out anytime , remove and don't replace the screw under the seal. I think it puts unnecessary restraint on the dash causing cracks right in that area.  

[visionaut]

The BEST sunshade custom-fit for our 02s is the Covercraft UVS-100. It’s foldable & insulated, easy to place up/take down, and looks neat installed too.

 

Don’t mess around with anything else, seriously. I like it as much as Tom loves his Innova 5568 Timing Light…

 

Tom-too

 

https://www.covercraft.com/us/en/product/uvs100-custom-sunscreen.UV

Edited June 15, 2021 by visionaut
Covercraft not coverking… duh

[Don Bower]

And for the inevitable cracks, I've found a filler product that meets my stringent criteria: cheap and looks decent from 10 feet:

 

https://www.amazon.com/Sugru-I000945-Moldable-Multi-Purpose-Creative/dp/B089WHGQDP/ref=asc_df_B089WHGQDP/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=475805820911&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=14431682539382341908&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9011072&hvtargid=pla-1063026617891&psc=1

[esty]

2 hours ago, Don Bower said:

And for the inevitable cracks, I've found a filler product that meets my stringent criteria: cheap and looks decent from 10 feet:

 

https://www.amazon.com/Sugru-I000945-Moldable-Multi-Purpose-Creative/dp/B089WHGQDP/ref=asc_df_B089WHGQDP/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=475805820911&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=14431682539382341908&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9011072&hvtargid=pla-1063026617891&psc=1

i tried that and didn't care for it... a better product but expensive, is body panel adhesive...when applied it flows to the bottom of the crack, filling all the voids and dries hard enough to sand

 

null

[SydneyTii]

I’d go the leather route like Ray posted many moons agog mine was cracked, I live in Aus so no shortage of sun, and fingers crossed no cracks in 13 years, I use a sun shield and always cover the car outside.

Would leather make it an 02 highline ? 

Edited June 11, 2021 by SydneyTii

[bavariaboy]

I am going to use the snow shield I bought this winter for the Forester. It goes on in about 20 seconds, attaches to the side view mirror, seems to be insulated, even covers the windshield gasket. Does heat and sun crack those too?

 

Only downside, too easy to remove by you know who.

 

Steve

[bmw_e30]

my dash has no cracks and looks brand new still after almost 9 years

 

[lowniss37]

Engineer and plumb a misting irrigation system that branches off the washer bottle and is set on a adjustable timer. When you are outside in the 90 degree weather it can cool the underside metal of the dash. Of course have it fully tung oiled so it doesn't rust haha.

 

[lowniss37]

19 minutes ago, bmw_e30 said:

my dash has no cracks and looks brand new still after almost 9 years

 

Pull that inside door opener handle off and clock it a tooth or maybe 2 upwards. It droops to far down. Sorry my pet peeve  Gorgeous interior!

[John_in_VA]

5 minutes ago, lowniss37 said:

Pull that inside door opener handle off and clock it a tooth or maybe 2 upwards. It droops to far down. Sorry my pet peeve  Gorgeous interior!

 

The word is "too."  Sorry, my pet peeve!  

[aeshal22]

Keeping your dashboard in good condition can help prevent cracks from developing. One way to do this is to regularly clean and condition the dashboard using a vinyl conditioner specifically designed for car interiors. This will help keep the dashboard moisturized and prevent it from becoming brittle and cracking. Additionally, try to avoid exposing the dashboard to direct sunlight or extreme heat, as this can cause the dashboard to dry out and crack over time. Covering your dashboard with a sunshade when parked can help to prevent this. Regularly inspecting your dashboard and addressing any small cracks that do appear can also help to prevent them from becoming worse over time.