Defender dash

t0m1980 · Dec 19, 2022

Good afternoon all,

Slowly getting back into it, just finished putting on my new suspension kit from Gwyn Lewis, and all was fine so in quite a good mood.

However that was short lived when I went back to the dash, I’ve bought the Binnacle/ binnacle mount and the end panel along with the console dash from Raptor Engineering, however where I had to cut the dash, it looks shoddy, which I’m not happy with to be honest! It looks better than the first dash I ruined, don’t get me wrong….. but I can’t live with it so I’m looking at getting this,

https://gforcebuggies.com/dash-boards/

I’m wondering if anyone else here has got one and if so was it a positive experience or not? Bit pricey to be fair, made soo much worse with the price of postage (from South Africa)… but it could work out cheaper than keep going through dashes

mpd2378 · Dec 19, 2022

Just how shoddy looking is it?
No way to disguise it?

Colthebrummie · Dec 19, 2022

Yes, post a pic so we can advise/riddicule.

Col

marjon · Dec 19, 2022

Black duct tape or/and expanding foam will fix it

.

Come on dont be shy show us

J

t0m1980 · Dec 19, 2022

Sorry all, it was feeding time at the zoo but my kids are finished now and one is in bed!

I’d love to show you but I keep getting an error say I don’t have permission to upload photos…..

marjon · Dec 19, 2022

sloppy paste works still (till the big boys are finished the IT magic

)

J

miktdish · Dec 19, 2022

t0m1980 said:
I’d love to show you but I keep getting an error say I don’t have permission to upload photos…..

Drag and drop photo's - you are correct, 'Upload' no longer works

t0m1980 · Dec 19, 2022

ahh great, there you go……. One sorry looking dash

t0m1980 · Dec 19, 2022

that’s the console loosely fitted, but look at that gap it’s horrendous!!

Colthebrummie · Dec 19, 2022

t0m1980 said:
View attachment 280119
that’s the console loosely fitted, but look at that gap it’s horrendous!!

Are we talking about the gap between the nice looking bit on the left and that angled bit with the hole in it? Im not familiar with defender dash's

Col

t0m1980 · Dec 19, 2022

Colthebrummie said:
Are we talking about the gap between the nice looking bit on the left and that angled bit with the hole in it? Im not familiar with defender dash's

Col

Yeah that bit, I know it may not look much and there is quite possibly a bodge solution…. But it would play on my mind every time I drive it. Weirdly don’t really care too much if I have a dent or scratch here or there but that would really irritate me‍

dag019 · Dec 19, 2022

This might not all be relevant as looking at your dash you have a TD5 dash (not sure the raptor dash actually fits these as I thought it was designed for pre TD5 redesign) rather than the older style I have but I Possible am about to have the same issue. I had a raptor dash fitted prior to my engine fire rebuild and am refitting it but the dash bottom I am using already has the cut out for the center console and as I did not do it i do not know how neat or not it is going to be. When I did mine I was very careful to get a very tight fit to the raptor frame. I did this by deliberately under sizing my first cut and then removing very little at a time (too late for you know I realize).
From memory of fitting mine first time around you also do not need to cut out the gray plastic panel along the back as the raptor dash fits over the top of this.

If I have a similar issue on mine I am planning on getting some rubber edging trim to close up the gap and get is snug to the edge of the centre console..

mpd2378 · Dec 19, 2022

Id try a bodge if it was mine but if its going to play on your mind then look at fitting something else before its all back together, better than having to take it all apart at a later date?

Colthebrummie · Dec 19, 2022

Could'nt you fit a small panel in there, maybe a 1inch wide panel with 3 usb sockets in them.

Col

t0m1980 · Dec 19, 2022

dag019 said:
This might not all be relevant as looking at your dash you have a TD5 dash (not sure the raptor dash actually fits these as I thought it was designed for pre TD5 redesign) rather than the older style I have but I Possible am about to have the same issue. I had a raptor dash fitted prior to my engine fire rebuild and am refitting it but the dash bottom I am using already has the cut out for the center console and as I did not do it i do not know how neat or not it is going to be. When I did mine I was very careful to get a very tight fit to the raptor frame. I did this by deliberately under sizing my first cut and then removing very little at a time (too late for you know I realize).
From memory of fitting mine first time around you also do not need to cut out the gray plastic panel along the back as the raptor dash fits over the top of this.

If I have a similar issue on mine I am planning on getting some rubber edging trim to close up the gap and get is snug to the edge of the centre console..

Your right it’s not designed for the TD5, although they said it would be fine you just have to trim it a bit, which they have done many times with good results to be fair to them (they sent me pictures, this all me and my poor craftsmanship)…

You’re also right about the grey plastic bit not needing to be cut, but I’m now starting to collect these from going through dashes.

The cut on the lower dash is fine, it’s just the surround… I do love the simplicity of Kevin’s dash though (GForcebuggies), almost plug and play! However he doesn’t take credit cards, and he’s based in South Africa which makes me feel a tad vulnerable, unfortunately it wouldn’t be the first time I have lost cash to someone outside of the UK, at least with credit cards you have a bit of come back

dag019 · Dec 20, 2022

t0m1980 said:
The cut on the lower dash is fine, it’s just the surround…

If you have been collecting dash parts and the lower dash cut is correct could you not have another go at trimming the surround to get a better finish?

Also I do not know if this is possible but could you retro fit the older dash trim parts? The lower insert tray on the older dash does not need cutting, could you fit this instead of the td5 one and then find or make some sort of trim piece for the front edge of the lower dash?

t0m1980 · Dec 20, 2022

I would need to get another top dash now to try cutting again, and I’m losing the will to live with it…..

wreckrunner · Dec 28, 2022

Ministry of Defenders do a great Puma style dash, I love mine and very straightforward to install!

t0m1980 · Dec 29, 2022

wreckrunner said:
Ministry of Defenders do a great Puma style dash, I love mine and very straightforward to install!

I have looked at these as an option in the past tbh, purely as a cosmetic upgrade but dismissed the idea as I thought it was too expensive….. How I laugh at that thought now!! Yeah thanks for that, I may have to revisit that idea and compare the two and weigh up the pros and cons

t0m1980 · Jan 5, 2023

After much consideration I decided to go with the dashboard from GForcebuggies, mainly because it’s not plastic and I think I prefer that style dash (both look great to be honest), the installation video for ministry of defender also put me off a bit, where he states if you over tighten it you will crack it.

I’ll post again when it turns up

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