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jwendorf Samba Member
Joined: July 14, 2009 Posts: 64 Location: Seattle
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Posted: Wed May 01, 2013 8:42 am Post subject: fix for broken tabs on instrument cluster housing? |
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The left rear tab on my instrument cluster is missing (probably broken off by the PO), the one that screws to the dashboard and has a piece that the cluster cover latches. Because of this missing tab both the cluster and cluster cover move around and rattle a bit when driving.
I'm guessing it is common for one or both of the tabs to be broken. Outside of replacing the instrument cluster housing has anyone fashioned a fix for this problem?
I've search around but did not find any threads addressing this specific problem.
Thanks.
'89 Carat |
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syncromike Samba Member
Joined: November 14, 2011 Posts: 660 Location: Boise, ID
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Posted: Wed May 01, 2013 8:51 am Post subject: Re: fix for broken tabs on instrument cluster housing? |
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jwendorf wrote: |
The left rear tab on my instrument cluster is missing (probably broken off by the PO), the one that screws to the dashboard and has a piece that the cluster cover latches. Because of this missing tab both the cluster and cluster cover move around and rattle a bit when driving.
I'm guessing it is common for one or both of the tabs to be broken. Outside of replacing the instrument cluster housing has anyone fashioned a fix for this problem?
I've search around but did not find any threads addressing this specific problem.
Thanks.
'89 Carat |
I didn't have the tab break where the cover attaches, but 3 of the 4 points where screws secure the cluster to the dashboard were brittle and crumbled away. I hand-formed new tabs out of JB weld Qwik-Plastic and let them cure for a day and then drilled holes for the screws.
I've been happy with the fix, it's held up for almost a year now. There's a little elasticity in the JB Weld so it seems to handle vibrations well, which I was worried road vibrations would crack the tabs right off again. It would be a little more difficult to mold a new tab that the cover would latch to, but probably worth a shot. _________________ _____________________
'91 Syncro w/ Country Homes PopTop |
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seabright_sc Samba Member
Joined: October 29, 2004 Posts: 279
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Posted: Wed May 01, 2013 9:06 am Post subject: |
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This happened to me a few years back and I just used a couple of self tapping screws adjacent to the originals. Seems to be fine. |
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rlamb Samba Member
Joined: March 26, 2012 Posts: 211 Location: Sweet Home, OR
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Posted: Wed May 01, 2013 9:59 am Post subject: |
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Happened here. I just got some washers that fit the securing screw, and I dremeled out some of each washer so it fit flush over the remaining plastic. Works fine now. _________________ 1984 Westfalia - Ford Cologne 2.8L conversion
2003 Passat GLX Wagon (4Motion) |
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tclark Samba Member
Joined: November 21, 2005 Posts: 926
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Posted: Wed May 01, 2013 11:47 am Post subject: |
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I formed new tabs with fiberglass patch, then jb weld _________________ 89 Westy with TDI AHU 1.9 manual lots of mods
85 GL 1.9, auto (for sold) |
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Wildthings Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2005 Posts: 50261
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Posted: Wed May 01, 2013 12:48 pm Post subject: |
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Sometimes a big washer will do the job. These things started breaking as they were rolling the bodies down the assembly line so don't blame the PO. |
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jwendorf Samba Member
Joined: July 14, 2009 Posts: 64 Location: Seattle
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Posted: Mon May 06, 2013 8:40 am Post subject: |
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The instrument cluster stays in place just fine with the three remaining stock screws holding it. The cluster cover on the other hand is loose and rattling because the left hand vertical tab that should be holding it in place is missing.
i think i will look for someone who might have the broken tab sitting around, or an otherwise destroyed instrument cluster. i could then mount that broken tab with the screw or double side tape. I could then remove the cover and still remove the cluster, just the top left tab would always remain mounted.
Anyone have an extra tab or buster instrument cluster housing floating that they don't need |
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Ahwahnee Samba Member
Joined: June 05, 2010 Posts: 9776 Location: Mt Lemmon, AZ
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Posted: Mon May 06, 2013 8:49 am Post subject: |
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Most hobby shops sell styrene plastic in small sheets of varying thicknesses. That is what I used to fashion new tabs. Two layers, one (larger) that went under the remaining stub and the other (smaller) on top of that to replace the missing bit.
Those same shops also sell a glue (clear liquid in a brush-in-cap bottle) that works very well on the plastics VW used. It is a solvent so it actually welds the repair rather trying to adhere to it. Sometimes JBWeld has a hard time staying stuck to smooth plastic. |
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0to60in6min Samba Member
Joined: November 27, 2006 Posts: 3414 Location: OR & CA (Oregon/California)
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Posted: Mon May 06, 2013 10:24 am Post subject: |
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I use JB Weld, the paste kind, not the liquid one in tube
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randywebb Samba Member
Joined: February 15, 2005 Posts: 3815 Location: Greater Metropolitan Nimrod, Orygun
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Posted: Mon May 06, 2013 1:24 pm Post subject: |
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Ahwahnee wrote: |
the plastics VW used... |
the dash console is styrene, then? or not? _________________ 1986 2.1L Westy 2wd Auto Trans. |
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randiego Samba Member
Joined: October 13, 2008 Posts: 75 Location: San Diego
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Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2015 11:22 pm Post subject: |
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My housing has missing attachment points for the speedometer (3 out of 4 screw holes are broken/gone).
Having the speedo firmly anchored to the housing is important to the operation of the trip odometer. (The button is on the housing, the odometer on the speedo).
I'm so tired of pulling the speedo out to get it attached right and get the trip odometer working again.
Are the housing frames themselves totally unavailable? _________________ '85 GL, 1.9, 4spd (Sold, we'll miss it)
'89 Carat, Bordeaux Red, 4spd 2.1 |
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teej Samba Member
Joined: November 26, 2010 Posts: 897 Location: Seattle
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Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2015 4:31 am Post subject: |
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This GW fix belongs here, to the OP:
http://www.gowesty.com/ec_search_results.php?search_phrase=instrument+cluster+mounting+tab
I used glue when I discovered this condition on our new-to-us van. Been working for 6 years now.
To the most recent poster, the JB weld fix looks like it might work to rebuild the corners to hold the speedo screws. On ours I used some industrial quality duct tape to reinforce the speedo attachment. Still working. _________________ 1986+ Wolfsburg Weekender Pop-Top 2.3 WBX Manual Trans |
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randiego Samba Member
Joined: October 13, 2008 Posts: 75 Location: San Diego
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Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2015 12:13 pm Post subject: |
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Yeah, mine is put together with the one screw and some duct tape as well.
It's maddening. I guess this thing is a junkyard holy grail? _________________ '85 GL, 1.9, 4spd (Sold, we'll miss it)
'89 Carat, Bordeaux Red, 4spd 2.1 |
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Dampcamper Samba Member
Joined: October 07, 2013 Posts: 788 Location: Rainy Portland, Oregon
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Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2015 10:14 pm Post subject: |
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randywebb wrote: |
Ahwahnee wrote: |
the plastics VW used... |
the dash console is styrene, then? or not? |
As I recall it was ABS. I used some scrap ABS plastic (it is cheap, got some from the scrap bin at TAP Plastics) and ABS sewer pipe cement to fill mine, then drilled new holes. Plastics stores also sell a water-clear ABS cement but it runs all over the place, the sewer pipe cement is thicker and tends to stay in place. |
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Ahwahnee Samba Member
Joined: June 05, 2010 Posts: 9776 Location: Mt Lemmon, AZ
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Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2015 7:51 am Post subject: |
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I don't know what plastic VW used - but whatever it is, the solvent/glue made for styrene worked on it as well -- thus using styrene to effect a repair set up just fine. |
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Corwyn Samba Member
Joined: December 29, 2009 Posts: 2230 Location: Olympia, Washington
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