SilverRam01

Hey gang;

Can anyone give me any insight as to the best way to resolve this issue? I just purchased this truck a week ago, and uppon a throural cleanup of the truck, have noticed a small amount of lint / dust behind the plastic lens, just before the insturment panel.

Do I have to disassemble the entire dashboard in order to get this cleaned out? Any ideas ? How in the world did dirt / dust get behind the lens in the first place?

smokindog

Yup, the trim piece pops right off by hand, but then you'll need a screwdriver to remove the lens over the gauges. Not a big deal, should only take you about 15 minutes.

SilverRam01

Awesome! I was hoping this would be a minor issue. Thanks Dog!!

Just hope I dont break anything in the process. It seems that things that are supposed to "pop-off" generally "break-off" when I attempt this sort of project. LOL.

Thanks again.....any advice on "popping-off" the trim piece would be welcomed!

berner

A word of warning. The lense is very fragile. I cracked mine while cleaning it. I was holding it with one hand and wiping with the other. Best to lay it down on a soft towel. Be careful when cleaning around the pin on the speedo. They break really easy too.

SilverRam01

Thanks guys! Got er done! Felt like I was performing brain surgery cleaning / dusting around those gauges. Looks much better. Previous owner must have used wd-40 or something similar to clean that plastic lense, it has a "glazed" somewhat pitted look to it....but still looks much better having removed all the lint build up laying just ahead of the gauges.

Much abliged.

crobtex

Mine has the pitted and scratched look too, and it's never had anything but Windex and water.

Mopar1973man

The dust and lint come from the trip button... There is enough gap between the **** and the lens that you'll be amazed at what will fall through...

quantrill88

had the same problem on my 2000. solved it by pulling the lense and putting a grommet around the hole, no more lint.

infidel

Can't say enough good things about Meguiar's Mirror Glaze Clear Plastic Cleaner.
Takes any scratches and haze right out of clear plastic.

http://www.meguiars.com/estore/produ...eaner&sku=M-17

BoostdCTD

Excellent, this is one of the last things I want to do to my truck to have it finally all cleaned up.

I've used MAAS polish before on plastic and it also did a great job getting those scratches out.

ccmckee

It's the ammonia in the windex that causes the pitting.It dries the plastic out, you should just use a mild soap and water mixture or a dust rag, one of those rags that is coated with something to pick up dust. It's the same if you have window tint nothing with ammonia in it.

BoostdCTD

That's nice I just cleaned mine with Windex....

crobtex

Gotter Done!

Boy! Those little gage needles sure are touchy!

It's amazing how much crud builds up over six years. All I had to use was "non-ammonia" Windex and it done a pretty good job. Since the scratches are on the outside, I'll attack them when I get some Meguiar's Mirror Glaze Clear Plastic Cleaner.

MKELLY

You may want to try compressed air in a can, the type you'd clean your key board off with

crobtex

I wouldn't want to put too much air pressure on those little gage needles.