[Aaron K.]

I picked up a new gauge and hvac/radio surround from the junkyard yesterday to replace my deluxe rattle edition panels. Surprisingly enough they are in good shape, except the AC vents on both of them have broken free. The previous owner had tried to super glue them back into place, but that didnt work.

From the factory they have little plastic tips on the panel that stick through corresponding holes in the vent, and melt them over to keep them together. Most, if not all of those tabs are broken off and I need to find a way to securely reattach them. Has anyone done this or have any good suggestions?

 

[v8pwrdbird]

you can use CA glue. it is what we use to hold R/C stuff together. it is pretty strong. i just did that to one of mine and it worked well. also you could use some sort of two part epoxy. i would use the plastic epoxy is you choose that route. should not be hard to fix thought.

 

[OTOWNBIRD]

I agree the epoxy would be better, and most likely stronger than before!

 

[Hollywood Ed]

Get an piece of dash plastic from a garbage piece, use your soldering gun to plastic weld it together with the good piece. It works like brand new. If you look at the Ford plastic connections real close, that's what they did.

 

[Aaron K.]

Get an piece of dash plastic from a garbage piece, use your soldering gun to plastic weld it together with the good piece. It works like brand new. If you look at the Ford plastic connections real close, that's what they did.

Good call! I fixed the vent on one of those panels years ago with a soldering iron. That one still had a little plastic left sticking up and this one doesnt...but I never thought of using plastic from another one. I just hope I still have that soldering iron!

 

[Hollywood Ed]

That's why you need an old garbage piece cut about 1/8" wide. That is the plastic soldier.