Daft question...I’ve left it in the van so you guys can try it.
You need to use cotton cloth not microfibre as that will scratch it more. I’ve got some of that in the van as well.
Where would one aquire cotton cloth?
My ol socks do
Scratched Cluster Plastic
- Thread starter carlg
- Start date
-
- Tags
- instrument cluster
Where would one aquire cotton cloth?
My ol socks do
I used an old cotton tea towel. Any old cotton shirt cut up into rags, old cotton sheets, the list goes on.
Really good stuff though and you only need a tiny bit. Try not to get it on the trim as it leaves a white stain that you then need to get off.
Really good stuff though and you only need a tiny bit. Try not to get it on the trim as it leaves a white stain that you then need to get off.
I’ve left it in the van so you guys can try it.
You need to use cotton cloth not microfibre as that will scratch it more. I’ve got some of that in the van as well.
That's interesting.
We work with plastics every day, and we'd normally advise the other way round, although clock faces is not something I've ever tried to restore, but I will bare that in mind if I ever do, thanks
Its what it says on the tin.That's interesting.
We work with plastics every day, and we'd normally advise the other way round, although clock faces is not something I've ever tried to restore, but I will bare that in mind if I ever do, thanks
That's what I thought @Tourershine! I always default to a microfibre.....every day's a school day! Thanks @Lord MfwicThat's interesting.
We work with plastics every day, and we'd normally advise the other way round, although clock faces is not something I've ever tried to restore, but I will bare that in mind if I ever do, thanks
allupstairs
Member
Hi,
Has anyone encountered the issue where the screen protecting the clocks, has become obscured by lots of what seems like fine cracks or flaws in the screen. The only thing I can think of causing it is...
I had a new wheel put on yesterday and the area was sanitised after job because of COVID. Within an hour of leaving my display was obscured.
if sanitizers / disinfectants are affecting things please all be careful...
I’ll post some pics later
Has anyone encountered the issue where the screen protecting the clocks, has become obscured by lots of what seems like fine cracks or flaws in the screen. The only thing I can think of causing it is...
I had a new wheel put on yesterday and the area was sanitised after job because of COVID. Within an hour of leaving my display was obscured.
if sanitizers / disinfectants are affecting things please all be careful...
I’ll post some pics later
This is really interesting.
My business is in the Caravan and Motorhome industry, and its a well known fact that you cannot use certain products on the acrylic windows we work on, mainly anything petroleum based. This will cause what we know as micro-fracturing. There is also something else that causes this problem, but I will wait to see you picture, to see if its the same issue we know of in my industry..
I was just flicking through my photos to find the issues I'm taking about.
This first picture is the result of prolonged use of a petroleum based polish on an acrylic roof light. Some people wax or polish their Caravan/Motorhome windows, but what they don't realise is the use of certain products will cause irreversible damage. This doesn't happen instantly, and can take over 12 months before the fractures can start appearing.
The second image is something we've been warning about for years, but is still ignored by dealerships as false. We see this all the time and it's the static style stickers that dealers, manufactures and the like, stick on the inside of the some windows. Over several years, these start to cause what you can see below, but by which time the windows are well out of any warranty. I always warn any of my own customers about this issue, but we don't bother telling the dealerships or manufactures anymore, because it falls on deaf ears.
There are also other products that will instantly damage acrylic, perspex and plastic, and that's things like tar/glue remover and some alcohol based wipes, which will leave the plastic looking more like the first picture, which is zoomed in, so not overly obvious until it's in certain lights or angles. I never considered this would effect the clocks of a vehicle, but it is exactly the same plastic as far as I'm aware.
This could be a huge widespread problem is this is the case, and it's only because it's not immediately obvious, that it's not spotted more commonly yet.
The only product i'd be using on these plastics, is Autoglym Fast Glass. This is the only product that we use within our own range, that is acrylic/perspex safe.
This first picture is the result of prolonged use of a petroleum based polish on an acrylic roof light. Some people wax or polish their Caravan/Motorhome windows, but what they don't realise is the use of certain products will cause irreversible damage. This doesn't happen instantly, and can take over 12 months before the fractures can start appearing.
The second image is something we've been warning about for years, but is still ignored by dealerships as false. We see this all the time and it's the static style stickers that dealers, manufactures and the like, stick on the inside of the some windows. Over several years, these start to cause what you can see below, but by which time the windows are well out of any warranty. I always warn any of my own customers about this issue, but we don't bother telling the dealerships or manufactures anymore, because it falls on deaf ears.
There are also other products that will instantly damage acrylic, perspex and plastic, and that's things like tar/glue remover and some alcohol based wipes, which will leave the plastic looking more like the first picture, which is zoomed in, so not overly obvious until it's in certain lights or angles. I never considered this would effect the clocks of a vehicle, but it is exactly the same plastic as far as I'm aware.
This could be a huge widespread problem is this is the case, and it's only because it's not immediately obvious, that it's not spotted more commonly yet.
The only product i'd be using on these plastics, is Autoglym Fast Glass. This is the only product that we use within our own range, that is acrylic/perspex safe.
I'm wondering if its worth getting some clear film (like the tinting windows film) and protecting the clocks with it.
Paint protection film has a glue on it - could result in the same issue as the sticker on the caravan window.
I too had this thought but also for the screen of your HU. Something like we use for screen phone protectors.
Sounds like it's a bit late for that.
I meant for the rest of us to stop the same happening
Personally I wouldn't put anything on my clocks. They don't really get knocked or banged, so they only really need wiping with either a damp cloth or Fast Glass. Anything else is just a risk, and replacing the plastics in a worst case, I suspect will either be impossible to actually buy, or you'd have to replace the whole unit, which would be eye watering.
To remove the micro scratches in the past I have used abrasive compounds. Anything, depending on how bad or superficial it is, toothpaste, T cut, some polishes and so on. There are probably property products that cost a lot more also. Auto Express may have something in its archives that may be suitable and tested. We occasional buy an old car just to go about the lanes and headlamps are nealy always frosted. There is a whole host of products that claim to improve them, some are a lot of hard work and still produce a disappointing finish others are excellent. Anyway Auto Express will most likely have old and new product tests, take your pick.
I would be going back and asking them to replace them.
Similar threads
