What causes dashboards to crack?

[S14sx2nr]

in addition to the expanding/contracting/and UV rays, Armor All also replaces the plasticides (polymers) in the dash with silicone (to give it that Armor All shine) ... the polymers are what holds the dash together, products like Lexol/Vinylex put more polymers back in to the dash. Ideally, for people who have religiously used Armor All, you should clean your car with a safe cleaning agent like an orange citrus cleaner to pull as much of the silicone off the surface as possible, wipe it down with a damp clean cloth, then do a few coats of a product like Vinylex, you'll see the dash soak it up since the silicone mainly stayed on the surface b4, and as said above, use a sun shade.

-Dan

[damionphillips]

My dash cracked, should I say SPLIT the day after I installed front & rear strut tie bars. Stiffened the brick up so much my Pioneer stereo tends to pop forward with time!!

[Jand3rson]

Chuck Norris is the #1 cause of dashboards cracking in cars. When something stops working in the dashboard of a car, Chuck Norris roundhouse kicks it.

(Sorry, I couldn't help it. I'm on a roll tonight. I think I have a problem...)

[Digitalwave]

My dash cracked, should I say SPLIT the day after I installed front & rear strut tie bars. Stiffened the brick up so much my Pioneer stereo tends to pop forward with time!!

How would stiffening the chassis (i.e. less flex) cause a dashboard to crack?

[permit]

How would stiffening the chassis (i.e. less flex) cause a dashboard to crack?

This is why I'm going with Josh's story to explain the cracking.

[Tvan]

the small split on my dash preceded my ownership of the car.

[Beej '86 325es]

Chuck Norris is the #1 cause of dashboards cracking in cars. When something stops working in the dashboard of a car, Chuck Norris roundhouse kicks it.

(Sorry, I couldn't help it. I'm on a roll tonight. I think I have a problem...)

HAHAHA


My answer: The Cold

My dash was fine when I left it one night. Got down to 10 degrees below zero, and it was cracked in the morning.

[Hatchman]

mine cracked in the winter

[browntown]

UV rays, dry out the vinyl and cuase it to shrink, and eventualy crack. Extreme tempature changes realy quick can cuase cracks, say you had the head on full blast driving threw a snowstorm and then opened the door and subzero tempatures came rushing in.

Did this in my old ford escort in upstate newyork. Drove out to a guys house in sub zero temps. He wasnt home yet so I sat in my car with the heat on waiting for him to show up. 10 minutes later decided I needed a cigarette and rolled down the window, loud noise ensues, and a crack running the whole depth of the dash appears right above the guage cluster. Expletives galore, *thought* about quitting smoking, then had another.

[damionphillips]

How would stiffening the chassis (i.e. less flex) cause a dashboard to crack?

Because my car has been hit several times, and the frame is tweaked...

[Digitalwave]

Because my car has been hit several times, and the frame is tweaked...

That still makes no sense. When you add a strut bar and make the chassis STIFFER why would that make the dash crack? I doubt even without the strut bar that a chassis would flex enough to crack a dash.

[boom-monkey]

Your right TJ, he has no idea what he's talking about.

[s0urce]

Armor All is your friend :)

WRONG. That shit makes your dash LOOK great, but it really does more damage in the long run. JUST SAY NO to armor-all.

[Digitalwave]

I've been using Armor All for 5 years on my dash, no cracks.