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Does anyone have problems getting things to stick to dash?

Brad

Well-Known Member
Messages
45
Location
New England
I tried to mount the control panel for my off road lights to the dash last night and despite wiping down the area first 5 times with rubbing alcohol, the 3m tape didn't even try to stick. Not even a little bit. Does everyone have this problem or do I just need to clean it better?
 

Brad

Well-Known Member
Messages
45
Location
New England
I already have the daystar panel and glued some superstrong magnets inside it and I swap between my backup camera and my phone in it. I just wired up an auxiliary fuse/relay box with a 6 button control panel to control my lights though and would like to fix the control panel just to the right of the steering wheel on the lower dash panel. (Good spot with easy reach.) It seems the double sided tape just wont stick at all. Was wondering if the tape just won't stick to the dash material or if the previous owner was overzealous with armor all or something. I really don't want to make holes in the dash if I don't have to.
 

Brad

Well-Known Member
Messages
45
Location
New England
If anyone else has this problem I got it to stick. Here's how. I first scrubbed it with the scotchbrite side of a kitchen sponge with some simple green on it (This didn't harm the finish at all). Then I wiped it down three times with denatured alcohol. Then I cranked the heat and hotboxed the truck until I was roasting. I then held the 3m tape right in front of the heat vent for a minute or two to get it nice and warm and extra sticky before applying. Anyway it seems stuck on there good now.
 
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TJB63

Member
Messages
8
Location
Virginia
Timely Question, I just purchased a Backup camera and was wondering about mounting it. I like Brad's idea of the magnets for mounting, I may give that a try once my camera arrives.
 

Brad

Well-Known Member
Messages
45
Location
New England
Timely Question, I just purchased a Backup camera and was wondering about mounting it. I like Brad's idea of the magnets for mounting, I may give that a try once my camera arrives.
I was originally going to buy some tiny rare earth magnets (what most magnetic phone mounts have in them) for this but the plastic on the daystar panel is fairly thick and those magnets just didn't seem strong enough. I instead ended up superglueing the two of these (https://www.harborfreight.com/hardware/magnets/pack-of-2-ceramic-block-magnets-97504.html), which seem much stronger, inside the back of the daystar panel instead and while still not a super strong hold through the thick plastic the bottom of the camera screen or my phone is supported by the daystar panel itself and the device doesn't move even while off roading. I had originally just tried setting the device in there without the magnets and even under normal driving the bottom of it would always slide foward tilting the screen up so I couldnt see it right. Now I just wish I could figure out a way to keep the camera itself on the back bumper from slowly angling itself down on its pivioting bracket.
 
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Brad

Well-Known Member
Messages
45
Location
New England
For anyone interested here are some pics of the control panel mounted and my backup camera screen. Ignore the one button that says "rear" I have to black the lettering out with a sharpie. That is the button for my right side light and was the only decal that had a light pointing to the right. Oh yeah and the screen looks like it would obstruct my vision but it doesnt. I'm tall and I keep the seat all the way up so all I would see beyond the screen is hood.
https://ibb.co/JQ5GmWx
https://ibb.co/b6GnKXT
 
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JPaul

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,400
Location
Way up north, UT
Been using 3M auto trim double sided foam tape for years in mine. Holds my CB radio and Ultragauge no problem. You definitely have to make sure it's clean and it does not like to be applied when it's cold out. Once it's applied it will hold really well, but if you want to get it off do it while it's cold out and with enough force it will pop off.

It's tricky with plastic trim since it has oils in it that come to the surface over time so even if you never used Armor All or anything it will still need to be cleaned well in order to get it to stick.
 

Jeepwalker

Well-Known Member
Messages
857
Location
WI
I built a metal frame for my back-up cam and it sits low on the dash, lower L. I didn't want anything up high in my line of sight. The inside LCD unit crapped out a while ago and I just got my replacement.
 

Brad

Well-Known Member
Messages
45
Location
New England
I built a metal frame for my back-up cam and it sits low on the dash, lower L. I didn't want anything up high in my line of sight. The inside LCD unit crapped out a while ago and I just got my replacement.
Any pics? Also as a side note, besides my transmission blowing again, the 3m tape I thought was finally holding the control panel for my lights on the dash securely let go already too.
 
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