Remove and replace your scratched up instrument cluster plexiglass

You’ll be happy. I’m back to my first gen cluster cleaning regimen: quick dry wipe with a fast food napkin

 

I’ll admit it’s a pain in the ass, Toyota should have just used higher quality plastic. Never had this issue in my first gen tundra. ScreenProtech was a waste of money in my experience, could never get all the bubbles out which would cause me to have to lift the film to try and correct it, then more dust gets underneath it and makes it look like shit. Kinda disappointed. Bought two cluster films, then reached out to ScreenProtech and got new ones, still couldn’t get them in right. Maybe I was just trying to be perfect, oh well, I don’t know. At this point I’ll probably just live with it or try and find a roll of some sticky vinyl film cheaper than I can get the screen protech stuff…

 

I agree that the ScreenProtech is challenging to put on but it's possible. It takes time to squeegee it all out. I liked it so much I ordered one for my wife's Grand Cherokee. Now that one is a pia! Unlike the Tacoma it's not very flat but concave dish shaped.

 

Yikes! That sounds fun. Yeah I definitely like the idea of screen protech but it seems that for the price they’re charging, it’s honestly robbery if you’re asking me, especially after I paid money for for these films and couldn’t get it installed properly at all… I want to like the product but doesn’t have my vote as of now… I’ll probably just find alternative methods or get used to it…

 

So whats the final verdict. Will XPEL or 3M work just as well and whats the diff between the protech and the ppf?

 

it is easily possible to install without any bubbles or dust. did you use soapy water when installing? this is a common method when installing vinyl and allows you to easily move the vinyl around while you get the placement right. then, once you are satisfied with the placement just squeegee out the soapy water/bubbles and it will be perfect. any tiny remaining bubbles will evaporate out over time.

 

^^^^^ Exactly. I stressed a bit about the final results just after application. Within a day or 2 all the small amount of bubbles were gone. Looked amazing on all 3 areas. Gage cluster, shift indicator and Multimedia Screen.

 

Does anyone have their protech sheet still that could scan for a template? I have a vinyl cutter and some screen protector sheets that I'd like to try and DIY one.

 

How bad are these scrathes?Try this with a very soft cloth,worked for me.

 

So, just got my truck back from getting fixed at the auto body after someone hit me. Their tech must have wiped my plastic with a dirty rag or something cause now its scratched to hell!

 

This will work every time. Or headlight polish. Clean it as normal every once in awhile. When you get tired of the scratches, buff it out with something like this. Worked for me

 

Works good until the sun hits it. That’s the only thing that pisses me off, because then it appears hazy and I can see all the scratches. Annoying as hell. We need someone like @MESO to make a lens with higher quality plastic. I’m sure lots would buy them including me.

 

I’d be in for that!

 

Screen Protech is a ripoff. 50 bucks for three sheets of plastic film. Can't believe I fell for that one. Just use a feather duster on your instrument panel. Wish I had.

 

Can’t believe I fell for that one too.

That being said, the gauge cluster still pisses me off tremendously, I mean I already replaced the lens once, with the intention of putting ScreenProtech on it to prevent it from scratching in the first place, but then I ended up just putting it on after ScreenProtech didn’t work out. I put the lens on and all was fine until I caught myself wiping the lens to get rid of dust, because, that’s what you would normally do right? Should’ve learned how soft it was the first time.

Tried PlastX, scratch remover, liquid wax, and rubbing compound which made it look fine without light on it, but as soon as light hit it, you could see each and every one of them, and better yet, when there is a slight glare, it all turns hazy as can be. So stupid.

This time around, I think I will get one more new lens and try making my own version or ScreenProtech, vinyl sheets by themselves are cheaper than that, so maybe it’ll be worth a try. Definitely the last time I’m going to buy another stupid lens for it, luckily they’re not very very expensive, but if I can get it right this time, it’d be great. Anyone have luck with using vinyl to make their own? Or think I would have any issues?

It seems that it’s basically what ScreenProtech is, besides the fact that it’s precision cut for the lens. But hey, if I make my own then I can cover the whole entire lens, whereas ScreenProtech didn’t cover everything, especially the edges. Then I just cut anything extra. Plus, I could poke a hole in it for the trip odo reset, and the vinyl would hopefully squeeze itself around the button, to hopefully seal it off from dust getting in. Ah, hopefully at least.

I hope it’s not just me who’s pissed off at this, I hope I’m at least mad within reason, and am hopefully still somewhat normal. Maybe some people just set lower expectations for shit like this and just don’t care. I don’t know, whatever.

Brooks

 

I am going to try with screen protector sheets. Something like

RED SHIELD Universal Screen Protector 13" for Tablet, Set of 3, Smartphone Smartwatch Gaming Device & GPS, High Definition Crystal Clear Anti-Scratch Anti-Fingerprint Film, Easy Cut with Guidelines

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0758MVCPX . It's basically a clear vinyl. I have a 8.5x11 sheet already so was going to try with that but it looks like the dash screen is a little wider than a standard sheet of paper so I'm not sure if it'll cover it completely with one sheet.

If someone doesn't have a screenprotech that they could scan the shape of the template, I'll just try to make one by tracing the actual panel.

 

I feel like every car/truck I owned prior to this Tacoma had what seemed to be something like tempered glass over the instrument panel, not some shitty plastic. Granted they were all from ‘01 and before and none were Toyotas, so maybe things have changed.

 

Sounds like a pretty good plan. Let me know how it works out. I’m trying some 6” x 25” 3M paint protection film sheets, and I bought like 3 from Amazon in case I need them. Can always return them if I don’t end up using them. About 12 bucks a pop. Might be able to get two sheets for the gauge cluster out of one 6” x 25” sheet, will find out.

You would be right, the gauge cluster seems to be like 5” high and maybe 12.5” wide?

i plan to just cut the sheet roughly to size, and then trim off any excess once applied. Not to worried about the excess on the sides because it will be covered by the dash panel. Once applied on the brand new lens, without me installing it first of course, I’ll poke a hole for the trip button/brightness dial, then push it through. If the hole is just a tad bit smaller than the dial’s diameter, I think I can push it through and then the vinyl should stay tight around it so hopefully no dust gets through, not a huge deal if it does, just an added bonus I guess.

$12 3M Clear Paint Protection Bulk Film Roll 6-by-25"es

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00B3IXSMA?ref=ppx_pt2_mob_b_prod_image

Sure hope this one works.

 

I wouldn’t doubt it at all. My first gen tundra didn’t have any scratching issues like this truck does, it might’ve had some sort of hardened plastic resistant to scratches. Could’ve been some sort of tempered glass too but I don’t think it was.

It’s a damn shame manufacturers are cheaping out on things like this. I can probably speak for the majority of us by saying that we would be willing to pay a little more for higher quality (mostly chintzy, cheap plastic interior pieces) parts from the get go then pay just a little bit less. But sometimes things are solely in the name of cutting costs, is what it is.

 

I was having trouble like you same thing until i removed it from the truck put on the screen protector which it had a lot of bubbles. Then left it to beat in direct sunlight for a day took out 99% actually looks great