LifetimeLandy · Jan 21, 2017

I'm in the middle of fitting a new set of Raptor dash, trim and speedo bezel parts to my 90. Just found a problem with the bezel panel... the holes to take the speedo, clock, temperature gauge and fuel gauge are too small to take them and it's more than just slightly too small. The hole for the speedo measures 95.47 mm and the speedo measures 99mm. The holes for the other gauges measure 48.09mm and the gauges are all 52mm. Has anyone else had this problem ? My bezel is the one that fits the original plastic binnacle, not the steel binnacle.

James_mac · Jan 21, 2017

Mine fitted fine mate

LifetimeLandy · Jan 21, 2017

James_mac said:
Mine fitted fine mate

And mine should have too. Can't understand it, the plate does not look as if it has been sent out half finished; the anodising appears to have been done after the holes were cut. I'm wondering if the laser cutting machine has been somehow knocked out of adjustment. If so, I hope they have not processed a huge batch of them at the same time. I'm going to ring them Monday and ask what's going on. Glad the holes were under-size and not too big or they may thing I have filed them out myself. As if I could do so neat a job.

Litch · Jan 22, 2017

No problems with mine.
Contact Raptor, they are very nice people and if there is a problem they will sort it ASAP.

Mr S1 · Jan 22, 2017

Mine is all good too. Doesn't help you though mate....! As you say ring them, I'm sure they'll sort out for you

LifetimeLandy · Jan 22, 2017

Mr S1 said:
Mine is all good too. Doesn't help you though mate....! As you say ring them, I'm sure they'll sort out for you

More bad news..... About an hour ago I decided to fit the five Carling type rocker switches to the dash top panel and they would not go in the holes that they should fit into. The holes are wide enough, but the space between the top and bottom of the holes won't allow the securing tabs of the switches through. They are going to need to be filed out probably about 2mm to fit. To say I'm not happy is an understatement, Raptor supplied the switches so you would expect them to slip in without any hassle.

Litch · Jan 22, 2017

REALLY surprised about this.
Are you sure the switches don't go through? As far as I can recall you have to press the tabs in to push the switch home but when in place they are a nice snug fit.

LifetimeLandy · Jan 22, 2017

Litch said:
REALLY surprised about this.
Are you sure the switches don't go through? As far as I can recall you have to press the tabs in to push the switch home but when in place they are a nice snug fit.

The first few millimeters of the switch body go in the hole then the tabs start to go in when squeezed but when I tried to push the switch in further it felt as if I would damage the front of the switch if I applied much more pressure. Then I thought if I did manage to get it all the way in, I would not be able to get it back out again. It really needs more clearance.

Kwakerman · Jan 22, 2017

LifetimeLandy said:
I'm in the middle of fitting a new set of Raptor dash, trim and speedo bezel parts to my 90. Just found a problem with the bezel panel... the holes to take the speedo, clock, temperature gauge and fuel gauge are too small to take them and it's more than just slightly too small. The hole for the speedo measures 95.47 mm and the speedo measures 99mm. The holes for the other gauges measure 48.09mm and the gauges are all 52mm. Has anyone else had this problem ? My bezel is the one that fits the original plastic binnacle, not the steel binnacle.

I don't know whether the holes are stamped out or milled out but it almost sounds like it is a milled hole and someone has got the tool diameter or tool offset wrong and is undercutting the holes

LifetimeLandy · Jan 23, 2017

Litch said:
REALLY surprised about this.
Are you sure the switches don't go through? As far as I can recall you have to press the tabs in to push the switch home but when in place they are a nice snug fit.

Had another try with the switches this morning. Brought them into the house and laid them on a hot radiator for 5 minutes.... success, I was able to wiggle them in by pushing with my finger on the main body of the switch behind the rocker part of the switch. So I was able to put a lot of pressure on that part with no risk of damage. And as you say it's a nice snug fit. I'm happy with it now, but yesterday when I was struggling; the switches had been lying in my unheated garage so there was little give in the plastic tabs and my fingers were cold as I had been out there most of the day. As you do.

LifetimeLandy · Jan 23, 2017

James_mac said:
Mine fitted fine mate

Mac.... You'll never guess what the solution was. When I rang Raptor this morning, the nice lady with the lovely Sheffield accent told me that I should not have stripped my instruments out of the dash to fit the Raptor panel. I should have just taken out the 2 screws that hold in the warning lights assembly, and then place the Raptor panel over the instruments and replaced the screws. There was no need to take my dash out of the vehicle at all, it could all have been done in 2 or 3 minutes. Pity they did not explain this in any of the paperwork I received, as I assumed the dials would all fit in the same way as the ones I fitted in my new Raptor centre console that I fitted last week. The lady then said that they would look at clarifying this in future instructions.

callisr · Jan 24, 2017

Lol!!
Alls well that ends well though!

LifetimeLandy · Jan 24, 2017

callisr said:
Lol!!
Alls well that ends well though!

Yes, but I did feel a little daft when she explained it to me. It's all fitted in my Defender now, just a couple of gauges to fit to complete the upgraid.

callisr · Jan 24, 2017

It reminds me of something equally daft that happened to me.
May years ago, I upgraded the stereo in a 1 yr old Citroen xantia.
During the installation, I managed to blow one of the fuses, lose a screwdriver in the windscreen vent and generally spend a lot of time contorted into the drivers footwell.
Once the job was done, the stereo worked great but none of the dash illuminated when the lights were turned on.
In a panic, I dashed off to the local Citroen dealer who luckily had a technician free to have a quick look.
After a couple of minutes, the technician came back and handed me my keys.
'All done, no charge' he said.
I was delighted and asked him what the problem was.
He chuckled and showed me the dimmer switch for the dash lights, that I had ignorantly caught while messing about in the footwell!
I felt like a right **** but laugh about it now!!
Reckon we have all done something equally daft!!! Yep, I stupidly bought a Citroen!!!!

Rich

Hard-Drive · Feb 25, 2017

I picked up a similar dash panel at the Great British LR Show, which was also supposed to fit in the same way, however I think that the panel just lying over the top of the clocks looks a bit naff so I went down the dash-stripping route. Finished it last night...pleased with the result.

LifetimeLandy · Feb 26, 2017

Yes, you are right yours does look better. Did you have to cut/file the holes bigger yourself ?

Hard-Drive · Feb 26, 2017

Well, hole for the SPA digital temp gauge needed a little bit of fettling even though it was supposed to be a standard 52mm diameter but we are talking a few thou here. All the other holes were spot on. It is not a Raptor product though.

If you do the same, you'll also need to shorten the mounting bracket things that hold the gauges in place but that is a 10 second job.

LifetimeLandy · Feb 26, 2017

Hard-Drive said:
Well, hole for the SPA digital temp gauge needed a little bit of fettling even though it was supposed to be a standard 52mm diameter but we are talking a few thou here. All the other holes were spot on. It is not a Raptor product though.

If you do the same, you'll also need to shorten the mounting bracket things that hold the gauges in place but that is a 10 second job.

The holes in the Raptor version need more metal removing than yours did to enable the gauges to fit and I seem to remember that the speedo was the worst amount to do. I avoided doing it at the time as I thought I might end up with the holes being on different levels or being over sized or I might distort the whole of the aluminium plate. I suppose I could have used the Raptor panel as a pattern and cut another one of of a sheet of aluminium or how about a sheet of che
quer plate. B & Q sell a thinner version of chequer plate which may be suitable.... I might well try this.

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