Dash renovation - bolts & LEDs
Discussion
I'm about to move from the "wish I'd never started" stage into "oh s
t oh st oh st".
On the back of the dash there are four bolts (actually five, but one of them doesn't appear to do anything) and three LEDs that are attached using epoxy resin glue. High tech solution. I have to get these off so that London Carriage Craft can run the panel through their machine.
My question to those who have braved dashboard renovation is: how do you get these off without bending anything or slicing off a finger? I've started chipping away with a Stanley knife but without making much progress. Is there a better way? If I attack the heater panel in the same way I can't imagine many of the LEDs will survive intact.
t oh st oh st".On the back of the dash there are four bolts (actually five, but one of them doesn't appear to do anything) and three LEDs that are attached using epoxy resin glue. High tech solution. I have to get these off so that London Carriage Craft can run the panel through their machine.
My question to those who have braved dashboard renovation is: how do you get these off without bending anything or slicing off a finger? I've started chipping away with a Stanley knife but without making much progress. Is there a better way? If I attack the heater panel in the same way I can't imagine many of the LEDs will survive intact.
I managed to get the bolts off with a combination of a stanley knife and a flat screw driver. The LEDs (in the heater panel) are another kettle of fish all together. I managed to get some out ok but did break a couple. If you do break any, you can get most of them from Maplins (I think the Yellow triangles were the only ones they didn't do so I just used green).
Use the slower setting apoxy when you put them back on and leave it over night.
Good luck ! It will definitely be worth the effort !
Use the slower setting apoxy when you put them back on and leave it over night.
Good luck ! It will definitely be worth the effort !
Edited by daveb500 on Thursday 2nd April 12:33
Hi,
I applied heat (carefully) using a blo torch to soften the glue on the bolts on my heater panel without causing any problems to the veneer. The bolts pulled away without issue and the rest of the glue I scraped off. I have a feeling the LEDs (in the black plastic shroud) may push through the glued on mounting as I accidentily dislodge one of mine which I was able to push back.
Oz
I applied heat (carefully) using a blo torch to soften the glue on the bolts on my heater panel without causing any problems to the veneer. The bolts pulled away without issue and the rest of the glue I scraped off. I have a feeling the LEDs (in the black plastic shroud) may push through the glued on mounting as I accidentily dislodge one of mine which I was able to push back.
Oz
Green Meanie said:
Great,by the way the LEDs are available through RS Components as I replaced mine whilst I was doing the job.Is it a pre-cat dash,just noticed the extra LED mine only had two.
Did you manage to get the triangular ones from RS Components then? When I tried, they didn't have the yellow ones but said they could order them for me in batches of 1,000. When I said I wanted 2 they lost interest. So all of my triangles are now green.I changed the main dash LED's for some nice aluminium versions from here http://www.bulgin.co.uk/PDFs/CatNo82/CatNo82pages/...
(part DX1091). They need in-line resisters because they're not 12v. I would post a picture....but I don't know how to - Sorry !
The ones that I mean are the round black recessed ones in the dashboard RED for IGNITION and YELLOW for OIL PRESSURE WARNING indication.Do you mean the ones on the heater panel? My Griffs a Pre-Cat and does not have any LEDs in the heater panel.
Edited by Green Meanie on Thursday 2nd April 11:55
The stud that appears to be redundent is the one which should hold your panel in the dash with a wing-nut.
I've removed all the gubbins you mention on more than one occassion. The bonded studs can be removed by giving a sharp strike to an old (but sharp) wood chisel. Make sure the panel is laid flat on a solid flat surface; why not use the Mrs kitchen worktop as you've already trashed her best bathroom towels.
The same chisel can be used to PRY the LED assemblies away from the panel. The LED binacle is relatively soft and pliable.
If you knacker any of the green triangular LED's from the heater panel then I've a couple left that you can have.
I've removed all the gubbins you mention on more than one occassion. The bonded studs can be removed by giving a sharp strike to an old (but sharp) wood chisel. Make sure the panel is laid flat on a solid flat surface; why not use the Mrs kitchen worktop as you've already trashed her best bathroom towels.
The same chisel can be used to PRY the LED assemblies away from the panel. The LED binacle is relatively soft and pliable.
If you knacker any of the green triangular LED's from the heater panel then I've a couple left that you can have.
Mark: I like the idea of heating the glue first, a bit more subtle than the hammer & chisel method (especially coming from an antipodean!).
Dave: those look good, and presumably you don't need to glue them in afterwards since they just screw into place? It's been a while since I played with electronic components - what value resistor do I need?
Bruce: she hasn't noticed the towel yet, but digging holes in the worktop won't go down well. You should have seen her face when I walked through with the dash: "what the hell have you done to it now?!". I figured the extra bolt was for attaching the panel, but there's no bracket at that point on the surround. The whole thing is held in place by two counter-sunk bolts on the steering column and will-power.
Dave: those look good, and presumably you don't need to glue them in afterwards since they just screw into place? It's been a while since I played with electronic components - what value resistor do I need?
Bruce: she hasn't noticed the towel yet, but digging holes in the worktop won't go down well. You should have seen her face when I walked through with the dash: "what the hell have you done to it now?!". I figured the extra bolt was for attaching the panel, but there's no bracket at that point on the surround. The whole thing is held in place by two counter-sunk bolts on the steering column and will-power.
EzyGriff said:
I figured the extra bolt was for attaching the panel, but there's no bracket at that point on the surround. The whole thing is held in place by two counter-sunk bolts on the steering column and will-power.
When the dash is in place, a washer and nyloc or wingnut holds that edge of the dash in place.AntonyJ said:
EzyGriff said:
I figured the extra bolt was for attaching the panel, but there's no bracket at that point on the surround. The whole thing is held in place by two counter-sunk bolts on the steering column and will-power.
When the dash is in place, a washer and nyloc or wingnut holds that edge of the dash in place. use a small childs hand as used for getting in the door panels BB
Ballistic Banana said:
AntonyJ said:
EzyGriff said:
I figured the extra bolt was for attaching the panel, but there's no bracket at that point on the surround. The whole thing is held in place by two counter-sunk bolts on the steering column and will-power.
When the dash is in place, a washer and nyloc or wingnut holds that edge of the dash in place. use a small childs hand as used for getting in the door panels BB
You can reach it through the glove box aperture, as long as you have double jointed wrists.
Hi,
there is a person who sells a LED pack for the Chimaera dash on ebay. I contacted them and they supplied me with all the triangular and flat top round LEDs I needed to do my Griffith heater panel. I really struggled to track the triangular ones down from the usual suppliers.
If you remove the radio its a lot easier to get your hand in and do up the wing nut and large washer on the outer stud to clamp the dash to the surround.
Oz
there is a person who sells a LED pack for the Chimaera dash on ebay. I contacted them and they supplied me with all the triangular and flat top round LEDs I needed to do my Griffith heater panel. I really struggled to track the triangular ones down from the usual suppliers.
If you remove the radio its a lot easier to get your hand in and do up the wing nut and large washer on the outer stud to clamp the dash to the surround.
Oz
EzyGriff said:
Dave: those look good, and presumably you don't need to glue them in afterwards since they just screw into place? It's been a while since I played with electronic components - what value resistor do I need?
I glued a washer to the dash and then screwed it to that. The existing holes are too big and the existing (glued in) nuts are too recessed. I'll send you a few photos.I can't remember the resistor sizes but I used this website to work them out for me. http://led.linear1.org/1led.wiz The information you need is available with the LED's.
Ah, and regards the glove box, it's only held in with a couple of Allen-bolts. If you havn't already taken it out, it makes reinstallation of the panel a whole lot easier, especially for feeding the wiring into the corner for the courtesy light. It also allows you to jiggle about all the wiring gubbins and head-unit housing - which you'll be doing.
When it comes to refitting the panel, make sure you protect the leather and stitching within the dash with some masking tape because the sharp edges of the panel will abrade it. It's a good idea to deburr or slightly radius the edges at the front of the panel too.
Wasn't joking about the chisel; sounds OTT but isn't. Now that my motor-neuron issues have been addressed I find that I'm able to control the amount of force I apply . . . . it's brilliant! My arms are no longer set to 'Max Tw@t' and I'm able to modulate my strength.
Good luck with the job; post us a shot when it's back in.
When it comes to refitting the panel, make sure you protect the leather and stitching within the dash with some masking tape because the sharp edges of the panel will abrade it. It's a good idea to deburr or slightly radius the edges at the front of the panel too.
Wasn't joking about the chisel; sounds OTT but isn't. Now that my motor-neuron issues have been addressed I find that I'm able to control the amount of force I apply . . . . it's brilliant! My arms are no longer set to 'Max Tw@t' and I'm able to modulate my strength.
Good luck with the job; post us a shot when it's back in.
IainG said:
I still have some yellow triangular LEDs left from replacing the veneer on my Chimaera last year. Drop me an email if you need them. Difficult to find in the UK so I bought a few spare fron a German website.
Iain: thanks, I might just take you up on that. The question is, where did you get them?! Do you still have the link for the German website?It sounds like the bits are all out there, but I'd like to get a list of suppliers together before I start hacking at the glue (if I manage this I'll try to publish the list for future reference). The weather is improving and I don't want to end up Griffless.
Ozstyle said:
There is a person who sells a LED pack for the Chimaera dash on ebay. I contacted them and they supplied me with all the triangular and flat top round LEDs I needed to do my Griffith heater panel. I really struggled to track the triangular ones down from the usual suppliers.
Thanks Mark - found the ebay item (360123727453)Gassing Station | Griffith | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff