Plastic Dash Panel Rehab

[Willie300s]

I just finished repairing my drivers side panel and the radio panel using BtDt's method. I didn't use fender washers but did repair the broken corners using CA glue, rebuilt one corner using filled epoxy and covered the entire back of each panel with fiberglass cloth & epoxy resin. I then lightly sanded the front side, cleaned with alcohol and applied 3M Di-Noc wood grane flat finish covering. This material is amazing. I have attached a couple of photos.
Now I am working on the two small panels at the entrance door. The main dash panel is ok so I'm not touching it at this time. I believe this panel is somewhat thicker than the other panels.
I also believe that one reason these panels are cracking is overtightening the screws. I'm reinstalling my panels with the screws just snug.

[Thorp]

Willie300S,

Thanks for sharing the picture and how you repaired that panel. Looks great!

[Gorlininc]

Nice job.

[MSHappyCampers]

Willie, that looks great! When can you start on mine?

[Willie300s]

Joe, It's not as hard as you may think. Most MH folks are DIYers and could do this. Disconnecting the rocker switches from their plugs is the hardest part. (I would really like to get some advice on this. I used a small screwdriver to pri them apart but there has to be a better way.) Once you get the panels out you just need to be handy with fiberglass cloth,epoxy and an xacto knife.

[MSHappyCampers]

Originally Posted by Willie300s

Joe, It's not as hard as you may think. Most MH folks are DIYers and could do this. Disconnecting the rocker switches from their plugs is the hardest part. (I would really like to get some advice on this. I used a small screwdriver to pri them apart but there has to be a better way.) Once you get the panels out you just need to be handy with fiberglass cloth,epoxy and an xacto knife.

Bill, I'm a pretty good handyman but never messed with fiberglass. I think I will leave mine alone unless that really start cracking bad!

[Willie300s]

Joe, Working with fiberglass is not difficult. I bought a pack of light weight fiberglass cloth at a hobby shop as well as the slow cure epoxy. This is a very thin mesh cloth used to cover model airplane wings. You simply cut a square approximately 1" bigger on all sides (after all cracks and broken corners have been repaired and sanded). You then mix a small amount of epoxy which should be thinned with rubbing alcohol, paint the back of the panel and lay the cloth down smoothing out any wrinkles. After it cures a bit you can paint on a second coat of epoxy. When this has completely cured (overnight) you then trim the edges and holes with a #2 exacto blade.

The front is the easy part. Simply lightly sand smooth, clean with alcohol, apply the 3M Di-Noc and trim.

The process is a bit tedious but not difficult.

[sc3283]

Willie...2 thinks occur with the side panels....overtightening of screws as you stated and the panels are too thin and flex too much with the pushing/pulling of the parking brake control knob

[Willie300s]

Originally Posted by sc3283

Willie...2 thinks occur with the side panels....overtightening of screws as you stated and the panels are too thin and flex too much with the pushing/pulling of the parking brake control knob

I agree that the side panels are too thin. I also believe the plastic material is not totally suitable for this environment over a long period of time. Bottom line is we have to live with them or replace them and the BtDt method seems to be the best way to go. In my opinion the 3M Di-Noc material looks superior to the original finish. It is rated for 220 degrees F as I recall and according to the literature should last indefinitely indoors. Most of my corners showed stress cracks on the back side if not broken out which leads me to believe that the screws were overtight from the factory or later by a technician. I overdrilled my holes and only tightened the screws just snug to hopefully prevent future cracking.

I also added a second layer of fiberglass cloth on the back in the area of the air brake control to strengthen this area which I agree gets extra stress when operating the air brake.

[onechaddude]

Chances are when our coaches were built all the screws were installed with battery or air powered drills and its hard to judge how tight the screws are and the installer got them too tight. Hence the cracking with the thin material. Just my thoughts.
Chad

[MSHappyCampers]

I don't think it's so much the thickness of the panels as it is that aging makes them brittle. JMHO

BTW Bill, that process sounds pretty simple. I believe I could handle that!

[Willie300s]

Joe, I'm sure you could do it.
You can order samples of the 3M Di-Noc material to play with. You will find it sticks quite hard to the plastic panels and is easy to trim around the edges and holes with the #2 Exacto blade. As I said before, the only difficult part is unplugging the rocker switches from their plugs. I used a screwdriver blade but in retrospect I believe a 1" putty knife would have made getting them apart easier. Don't forger to turn off all power before starting the disassembly.

[MSHappyCampers]

Originally Posted by Willie300s

Joe, I'm sure you could do it.
You can order samples of the 3M Di-Noc material to play with. You will find it sticks quite hard to the plastic panels and is easy to trim around the edges and holes with the #2 Exacto blade. As I said before, the only difficult part is unplugging the rocker switches from their plugs. I used a screwdriver blade but in retrospect I believe a 1" putty knife would have made getting them apart easier. Don't forger to turn off all power before starting the disassembly.

Thanks Bill! You have more confidence in me than I do!

BTW, we go to Birmingham every now and then. Do you think I might could look at your panels sometime?

[Willie300s]

Sure, just let me know when you're coming and I will meet you.