RE: cracks in dash.

["Will Hartje" <WHartje@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

The main problem is that the thing is drying out and becoming brittle. Use
of Armorall and similar products that supposedly "protect" dashes only make
things worse.

 The only product I have found, and have used with great success on  rubber
and plastic is Meguiars Mirrorglaze 40, I used for years on the rear spoiler
on my Porsche 944 in Arizona and the spoiler stayed like new, no greasy
film, no going hard or oxidizing . It is in a class of it's own when it
comes to restoring rubber and plastic components.

- -----Original Message-----
From: owner-bmw@domain.elided [mailto:owner-bmw@domain.elided]On Behalf Of David
A. Leonard
Sent: Monday, November 05, 2001 8:26 AM
To: canike@domain.elided; bmw-digest@domain.elided
Subject: cracks in dash.

It was written...>>>>Dash cracking...I am concerned that the crack will
expand and increase in length, and
eventually become very visible..   Is there anything I can do to prevent
further cracking?  >>>


One way to stop a crack from continuing is to " stop drill" the end of it.
The optimum size of the hole is about three times the thickness of the
materiel that you are drilling.  It won't fix the crack, but it usually will
stop it from propagating, as it relieves the stress.

You simply drill a hole at the end of the crack.  This spreads the stress
over the entire wall of the round hole, rather than at the point of the
crack.  It is commonly done on aircraft fairings in plastic, fiberglass, and
aluminum .

The only problem is getting a drill in there , but in a dashboard, I might
try a 1/16" bit, and try turning it by hand..the dash skin is thin and
plastic, so it would probably work. Make sure the center of the hole/ drill
point is exactly on the most extreme point of the crack.

You might then try sneaking a little black urethane (3m4200 is one of my
favorites) in the crack after drilling , but that may cause it to be more
noticible than just leaving it.

I've even had luck drilling the plastic rear window on my 325ic and stopping
the plastic from cracking further.

Hope this helps,

Dave Leonard




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