Propickup Digital Magazine
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/93724
Run a scuff pad or light sandpaper over the entire dashtop, making sure to hit all the edges and high spots around the vents. The more time you spend on this, the better the Dashtop overlay will stick. After the Dashtop is ready for installation, lay down a ¼-inch bead of silicone around the entire perimeter, stay- ing about a ½-inch away from the edges so it doesn't ooze out when the overlay is set in place. Don't put adhesive in the center of the overlay as it will not allow the top to expand/contract. We used Gorilla Tape to hold down separated pieces and sanded down the high spots of the factory dash so the new overlay would fi t properly. Clean and lightly sand the underside of the new Dashtop overlay the same as you did with the stock dashtop. Get- ting rid of the release compound on the overlay ensures a good bond. Dry fi t the new Dashtop to make sure it 1) is the correct color, and 2) that it fi ts the contours of the existing dash. Trim and sand edges as necessary to make the fi t precise. We siliconed fi ne screen door mesh to the back of each Dashtop vent opening to keep any items on the dash from falling through the Ram's broken/missing vent screens. Once the top is in place, use whatever you have handy to apply down-pressure on the top, sides and edges until the silicone sets up. We used Gorilla Tape, some hand weights and rolled-up towels. Cure time is about 12 hours. Just like new. Dashtop overlay makes the old Ram's dash look like it did when it came off the dealer's lot a decade earlier. propickupmag.com PROPICKUP 9