Look at the LMC replacement dash. It has a lot of good reviews and if you search you should be able to find some threads on how to go about installing it. Doesn't sound like too hard of an install and the fitment is said to be excellent. :thumbsup:

 

Sweet, I will look into one. Thanks for the help!

 

How about this pop on cover.

There are some pretty bad dashes in the example photos.

DODGE RAM DASH

 

The 2002 I bought a few months ago has an LMC replacement dash.

I'm not the one who installed it, so I can't speak as to the difficulty of the install, but it's very nice looking.

 

I'm not the one who installed it, so I can't speak as to the difficulty of the install, but it's very nice looking.

My 2001 had a replaced dash as well. From what I've read it's a
royal hemorrhoid to take the dash off (removing the A/C evaporator).

 

Just installed my dash cover from Gino's and it's awesome. Took about a hour and it looks much better than it did before. I recommend it to anyone with a cracked dash.

 

You can change dash by removing air bag and cluster cover in a hour if you break old dash out and not put srews in by wind shield ,did 5 trucks this way with no problems I did not like the idea when my frend showed me but it works great

 

Yeah, it sounds like a fast way or more likely a half fast way to do it.

What holds it without the screws? How do you line up the new top with the bottom if you do all while the original is installed?

 

The A/C evaporator does not have to be removed unless you are messing with the heater box as well. The dash is completely separate. Remove airbag, unplug everything, undo the screws on the windshield, the bracket down in the center, drop the steering column, loosen bolts on sides and its out! Easy enough job, I did my LMC dash relatively quickly and it turned out great.

 

^^^ what he said....

 

Sean is correct.

 

Cool thanks everyone for the tips, sounds like it's worth doing.

 

I just did a heater core replacement. I have an LMC dash to swap for my busted one in my 01. My dash was in such bad shape with big pieces missing and all the areas around the screws where busted out, so I didn't think just a cover would work for me.

I ran out of daylight today and didn't get time to do the dash swap. I had a lot of difficulty and failed to get the airbag out so if anyone has any instruction on that part it would be great.

The LMC dash is really nice. It is spot on identical to the factory dash as far as I can see. The color is identical to my factory dash. It supposed to be UV resistant, which I hope is better that the stock. I plan to used a sunshade when I have to park outside from now one in hopes to prolong the life.

When you remove your dash there are not only the screws that go in to anchor the dash but there are many more that have to be accessed from the back side that attach to the dash sub structure and the vents for the defrost and AC. So there will be some challenges getting all that screwed back in.




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I put one in last year by myself, it took a couple of hours, well worth it


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I took the airbag out but not sure that I needed to. You may be missing a vertical bolt, maybe in the top of the or somewhere.

 

just an FYI, the LMC dashes are nice, but they will still crack.... I have two that we replaced 2 and 3 years ago and they are cracked. Not bad, just hair line cracks, and only one in each dash. The 98 is cracked at the screw at the windshield on the far drivers side, and the 02 is the same but on the far passenger side.

The Grey Goat needs a dash at some point, it isn't bad right now, just one crack, but it will get replaced sometime. When it does, I will use the LMC reinforcement kit. Its expensive, and im not sure it is worth it but im gonna try.

 

I took a dash from a junk truck. My top is badly cracked and has pieces I took out to stop the rattling. My plan is to use the junk trucks dash in my truck but I also plan on gluing some vinyl on top. That would give me the look of a padded dash and would also protect my (new to me) dash from sun cracking.

If you were to glue or rivet some thin metal under your broken dash parts (or on top of your original dash) you might be able to save money and save a barely cracked dash. The vinyl on top should cover any minor damage especially if you use foam under the vinyl.

 

The reinforcement kit is just washers in a bag. Find the right flat washers for the screws and that's the kit from lmc. Not the kit pictured in the lmc ad is not what u get. I ended up using bigger washer that fit in the dash better. I also did a dash swap, didn't put in screws on the back side of the vents in the middle. Less stress on the dash and the vent ducting is very secure. Less likely to crack. Just be careful with the dash frame, don't bend/stress it to much or it will crumble on you as well. It's a do it yourself project for sure.


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The reinforcement kit is just washers in a bag. Not the kit pictured in the lmc ad...

Well that's a bunch of horse hockey....5 generic washers are certainly not worth thirty couple dollars...

 

My dash frame and top are both cracked. I bought a frame from an used truck and plan on using the lmc top. How hard do you think it will be to replace the frame? I also plan on replacing the heater core while I'm at it and I think I'll pull the seats and the carpet and put in some insulation all the way up the fire wall.

What do you think?
I'm hoping to do all of this in two days.

 

There is already something on the firewall, not sure if it is for heat or noise. You may not accomplish what you want by adding more. I've read some posts that it didn't do as much as they thought it would. Meaning it may not be worth the effort.

 

Checked this Epoxy out. Fixed mine a year ago and has held great. Doesn't look great but works great & I have a dash cover anyway. Did not get first crack until death wobble did it. Just got second one away from original when I got T-boned. Plus, whenever fixing plastic cracks always take a hot nail or wire melt a small hole at the end of the crack to terminate the crack before gluing. I also believe some strips of Kevlar or fiberglass with the Epoxy on the underside would re-enforce it well.

Loctite Epoxy Plastic Bonder from Loctite Adhesives

Going to do the new crack this week. It eats into the plastic like a weld.

Have not tried yet but ABS glue might work too for patches.

 

You can likely do everything in 2 days if you have someone to help line things up.

I would install a new LMC dash onto the new frame before removing one in the truck.

You need a couple of torx screwdrivers to drop the wiring on the steering column. I forgot the size but the magnetic bits won't work because the screwdriver is too big for the hole.

There are instructions for removing the heater core without opening the AC. I tried the short cut of cutting the heater core lines and have a leak. It may be possible to flare the heater core lines and avoid the leak even if you cut them. Others haven't had that problem. Perhaps I got lucky and the leak is elsewhere.

Use a pressure tester to check for leaks before you close the dash back.

 

This is going to be my winter project. Let the fun begin. Doesn't seem to hard

 

Yes, way to much money for the couple of washers that go along the windshield. No lie, it's just a bag of washers from the hardware store. 😕


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I was not impressed with my LMC dash. I would think for the price they would be reinforced and stronger than stock

 

If you do it right just like I did the only things you need to pull out is the passenger side air bag and your dash bezel. And unbolt the top of the dash. Mine was basically non existent so I just broke it into peices and took it out, you don't need all the little under dash bolts just put the dash back on and bolt it down. Takes about 2-3hrs and I got my dash from LMC arty018: