Hey, I just had my dash cluster out to replace some bulbs, and when I put it back in, the clear plastic front broke at the bottom. ARGH!

I looked at it some more and the problem is that there is an EXTREMELY tight fit to get the cluster in or out, and the clear plastic overhangs the rest of the (black) plastic maybe 1/16 inch. So on the way out, it manages to make it in one piece, because nothing behind the clear plastic catches, but on the way back in, the clear part catches on the surround.

I tried prying the plastic surround in the dash to give it more room to slide through, but I still can't get the assembled cluster to go through without a ton of resistance and feeling like I'm going to break something again.

I'm going to get a new clear plastic front from the junkyard, and I just wanted to see if there might be any specific technique I was overlooking. Anyone else had this kind of trouble?

 

Well, I got another one and it went in smoothly. The secret is to make sure all of the cables are out of the way and then angle it in so that the bottom is well over the "hump" before muscling the top through. I just wasn't as careful the first time and paid the price.

 

i was gonna tell you about the cables. but you got it