Dash repair

[nev..]

Thanks for posting this. Made me comfortable enough to attempt fixing mine. I did the same thing you did, but the glue didn't last long. I took it apart again and came up with the fix shown in the attached photo. It's been wired together for about a month now and seems quite robust. I also glued in a piece of old sunglasses lenses ground to the right size with a dremel over the high beam LED. Makes a great improvement to that too bright LED.

View attachment 68032 View attachment 68033

That is a really nice fix. As per my post above, I just glued mine back on, and it held for a few rides, but then eventually gave way again. Second repair was to glue it as before, and then run a few strips of gaffers tape over the T joint so that if the glue gives way again, the piece will be held in place by the tape.

 

[MadDogTR]

I "glued" mine with LEGO and acetone. That works fine

How is it holding up?

 

[MotocycleWriter]

I'm about to pull my dash apart and fix my 'S' button. When I have it apart I'd like to fix a scratch on my instrument cluster. There is a scratch across one of the clear panels, on the outside of course. It isn't deep and you can't 'feel' it. Just see it. Anyone have any ideas as to a good plastic polish that might take the scratch out?

Thanks!

 

[glitch_oz]

I'm about to pull my dash apart and fix my 'S' button. When I have it apart I'd like to fix a scratch on my instrument cluster. There is a scratch across one of the clear panels, on the outside of course. It isn't deep and you can't 'feel' it. Just see it. Anyone have any ideas as to a good plastic polish that might take the scratch out?

Thanks!

http://bit.ly/2vR4ZHG
Also great for wind-screens, visors, tankbag map-pockets, kitchen ceramic cook-tops, S/S surfaces like any Stainless Steel kitchen-ovens/ microwaves/ S/S dishwasher and fridge fronts etc etc

 

[MotocycleWriter]

http://bit.ly/2vR4ZHG
Also great for wind-screens, visors, tankbag map-pockets, kitchen ceramic cook-tops, S/S surfaces like any Stainless Steel kitchen-ovens/ microwaves/ S/S dishwasher and fridge fronts etc etc

Ordered. Thanks.

I also have a different idea for fixing the dash switch... We'll see.

 

[MadDogTR]

Ordered. Thanks.

I also have a different idea for fixing the dash switch... We'll see.

So let's hear the idea.

Also, Novus comes in 3 flavors. Fine, medium and coarse. I would get the set of all 3.

 

[glitch_oz]

So let's hear the idea.

Also, Novus comes in 3 flavors. Fine, medium and coarse. I would get the set of all 3.

Got all 3 when I first found the stuff years ago....2 does 95% of all jobs.

 

[MadDogTR]

I've always finished off a #2 job with #1 just to get it as closer to perfect as possible.

Got all 3 when I first found the stuff years ago....2 does 95% of all jobs.

 

[MotocycleWriter]

So, got into my instrument cluster this weekend and discovered that my little white post had not broken but was leaning. Clearly on its way to fatigue if I didn't do something. I pressed it a few times and discovered why it was failing, because it would work a little, then not work, then work sort of... At any rate, when it got pushed down it would begin to slide off the contact plate after a few presses then, because the stiffness of the horizontal support arm had begin to fail, it would not return to position. What was needed was something to help hold it in place that would also prevent it from further fatigue. I camp up with using a piece of .026 spring steel wire carefully bent as shown. I made three or four to get it right and used hex keys as different size mandrels until I got the right radius of curvature.

Carefully slipped it over the posts as such -

Works perfectly and is not responsible for the post leaning in. That's due to the slightly fatigued horizontal beam. It was so easy to get into the cluster that it it doesn't work I'll try something else.

Total cost: about $10 for 200' of music wire. So now I've got plenty of safety wire.

Addressed the blindingly bright high beam light while I was in there. As you can see from the photo in the previous post, its just a tiny LED. So, it produces virtually no heat. Which means, I can use paper! After a few cut-and-try attempts, and I do mean cut it and try it, I came up with that shape that I then blacked out about 50% with a sharpie.

Bent the little tabs down into a box...

... and carefully pushed it down into the cavity. Interference fit keeps it in place.

Glows at just about the perfect brightness. If it is still too bright would be easy to open the instrument cluster and color in a little more with black sharpie.

 

[LED]

So, got into my instrument cluster this weekend ....I made three or four to get it right and used hex keys as different size mandrels until I got the right radius of curvature.

Carefully slipped it over the posts as such -

...

Images aren't loading for me.

 

[glitch_oz]

same here

 

[Next]

I've always finished off a #2 job with #1 just to get it as closer to perfect as possible.

I also recommend using a bit of 3M clear tape or something similar: https://www.ebay.com/i/262739808388?chn=ps&dispItem=1

I did this way back in 2013 and it's kept the dash looking great. Just apply the tape, use a razor blade/exacto around the edges and you're done.

 

[MotocycleWriter]

The images are working for me but I'll try a different workflow and see if that works.

So... did it help?

If not, a similar post is over on ADVRider, it is just split into two posts.

Oh, I used some of that Novus plastic polish. Really spruced up the instrument cluster!

 

[MadDogTR]

The images work for me. But I am using Chrome browser with the new Photobucket Hotlink Fix.

 

[Chuffa]

Images are fine now. Nice job

 

[etotore]

I have some micro cracks in the face plate of the instrument cluster..
The cluster works fine but I see some light condensation after heavy rain,,
Anyone Know where I can get the plastic ??

Did e-bay search, nothing.

 

[Martinehijo]

Dear Cafe Husky friends, as long I had the same problem I read this thread and found another solution to the problem that might be the answer to this issue. My native language is spanish so I´ll do my best to explain the way I repaired the so called "S" button, if you have any question feel free to write me and I´ll be glad to help.
Estimados amigos de Café Husky, en tanto yo tuve el mismo problema, he leído completo esta conversación y encontré otra solución al problema que podría ser la respuesta al asunto. Si tuvieran alguna duda de como realizar la reparación, escríbanme para ayudarlos.

First, I found that glueing the broke horizontal tip to the larger frame wouldn´t resist the preasure so it was necesary to reenforce the existing design with some flexible and strong material.
Primero pensé que la solución de pegar la barrita horizontal a la pieza mayor no podría resistir la presión por lo que era necesario reforzar el diseño existente con algún material flexible y fuerte.
View attachment 82839
Found this rare aerospace technology material that is mostly used to bind files in NASA offices and also found in every office with paper files. In Mexico its named "broche Baco".
Encontré este raro material de la tecnología aeroespacial que se utiliza para encuadernar archivos en oficinas de la nasa y en cualquier oficina con archivos en papel. En México se conoce como "Broche Baco"

I cut one side of the metal piece and with a pair of pliers folded the metal strip to the contour the angles of the plastic pieces.
Corté uno de los lados del broche baco y con unas pinzas le hice los dobleces para que la lamina se ajustara a los ángulos de las piezas.

In orther to achive the best bounding between metal and plastic, I used sand paper and a nail abrasive file on both contact surfeces. The file was usefull to flatten the surface on the plastic post.
Para obtener la mejor unión entre el metal y el plástico, utilicé lija y una lima para uñas en ambas superficies de contacto. La lima fue muy útil para aplanar la superficie del poste de plástico.

Acero inoxidable coreano, no sabemos de que extremo de la frontera.

Contact glue Kola Loca is one of the most used product in Mexico for this kind of repairs, it just takes a small drop for a strong bounding, but it´s indispensable that contact surfeces are flat and even. You may need a small drop in 4 sides: two in the plastic button piece and two in the larger frame plastic piece.
El pegamento de contacto Kola Loca es uno de los productos más utilizados en México para este tipo de reparaciones, sólo necesita una pequeña gota para una fuerte unión, pero es indispensable que las superficies de contacto estén planas y parejas. Se requiere una pequeña gota en 4 lados: dos en la pieza plástica del botón y dos en la pieza plástica mayor.

 

[Martinehijo]

Guys, I know my photos suck, but didn´t had the chance to do it better. I have to post again a photo of the so called "broche Baco" for those who are not sure what is it, in my other post there was no room for the upcoming photos.
Amitos, lo sé, mis fotos son una porquería, pero no podía tomar mejores en ese momento. Mando de nuevo la foto del "Broche Baco" para aquellos que no están seguros a qué me refiero ya que en el mensaje anterior ya no había cupo para las siguientes fotos.


Here you can see the finished repair, it might be a good idea to let a lend of metal to stay glued over the horizontal piece of the "M" button to prevent a future breaking. I may add another advise, when i finished, noticed that the metal piece should be bounded underneath the horizontal plastic bit instead of atop because the force when pressing the "S" button could break the bound between pieces.
Anothe usefull idea that I didn´t tried is to take out the rubber seal an place it on the clear plastic edge of the cover of the instrument, this would help to make the perfect seal preventing any damage on the rubber seal.
Hope this post has been usefull to you, I´m very much looking forward to read your comments on it.
Greetings from Mexico, your friend Martín.
Aquí pueden ver la pieza reparada, sería buena idea hacer la tira de metal más larga para adherirla a la pieza vertical del boton "M" para evitar problemas en caso de alguna ruptura futura. Quisiera darles una recomendación más. Al terminar me percaté que la pieza de metal debía haber sido colocada en la parte inferior de la barrita horizontal del botón y no en la superior porque la fuerza aplicada para manipular el botón"S" puede desprender las piezas.
Otra idea que puede serles útil y que ya no realicé es que para cerrar el tablero, retiren el empaque de hule del canal del tablero y lo coloquen (el empaque) en la orilla de plástico transparente de la tapa del tablero, de este modo podrán estar tranquilos de no dañar o incluso romper el empaque a la hora de colocarlo.
Espero que esta información les sea de utilidad, y quedo al pendiente de recibir sus comentarios para saber como les fue con estas recomendaciones. Reciban un cordial saludo desde México de su amigo,
Martín.

 

[nev..]

Martinehijo,

My "S" button repair is a similar repair, using glue and some tape, but the tape loses it's stickyness over time and the glue eventually weakens because the broken surface is only a few square mm. Your repair is very elegant, and glueing along the entire length of the "broche Baco" is a much stronger and more elegant solution which will probably last for much longer. Next time mine inevitably breaks, I will employ your solution. Thank you for sharing

 

[Martinehijo]

Martinehijo,

My "S" button repair is a similar repair, using glue and some tape, but the tape loses it's stickyness over time and the glue eventually weakens because the broken surface is only a few square mm. Your repair is very elegant, and glueing along the entire length of the "broche Baco" is a much stronger and more elegant solution which will probably last for much longer. Next time mine inevitably breaks, I will employ your solution. Thank you for sharing

Remember the best assambley is glueing the metal strip underneath the horizontal plástic arm of the button piece.