Fixed my cracked center console

[02 Graphite GTS]

The center console in the Viper has a tendency to crack.
I searched through the forums and read about different methods to fix / cure the problem.

Mine had a very small crack right where my elbow rested on the console. It was barely visible, but I wanted to get it fixed before it got worse. I heard that the center console cost upwards of $700.00 to replace.


In order to get the center console out, you must first remove the ash tray and the shift knob.
Once these are out of the way, you can CAREFULLY remove the plastic face plate. It has 6 tabs which snap into slots in the dash along with two velcro tabs.

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I started down at the bottom where the Velcro tabs were and carefully popped it up.
Knowing in advance where the tabs are will aid in where to apply pressure to get the tabs to pop out of the slots in the dash.

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Shown in the picture above are the locations of the slots in the dash.
Disconnect the window switch wiring harnesses and the 2 wires to the lighter and set the panel aside.

Once this panel is out of the way, you will see 2 screws which secure the front end of the center console to the dash.

There are also 2 screws which are at the rear end of the center console right next to the seat back bolsters which need to be removed as well.

Raise the emergency brake up and lift the center console out.

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You can barely even see the crack from the top side but I wanted to get it fixed before it got worse.

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You can clearly see the crack in this picture.

I read a bunch of posts regarding this problem and was planning on using fiberglass to reinforce the panel.

Once I had it out, I realized that getting any type of glue or resin to stick to the underside of this panel would be difficult, even after surface preparation.

It appeared that there was a lot of mold release still impregnated in the panel which would make it difficult for most glues and resins to properly stick to the surface.

I ended up using two types of Cyanoacrylate (super glue) to glue up the crack. I first squirted the thin (water like consistency) in the crack first to gain deep ***********. Then immediately filled it with a second thicker super glue to give it strength. Once both glues were in, I sprayed the accelerator on it and let it cure for a couple of minutes.

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As you can see in the picture above, there are 4 little rubber pads screwed to the underside of the center console. These are the only 4 points which support the panel. Any pressure on the console in between these 4 points will result in a cracked panel. I decided to reinforce the entire panel with a piece of MDF board.

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I started out with a piece of 3/4" thick MDF cut to a size of 9" x 11".
Unfortunately the support ribs were not flat or the same depth, so I had to shape the underside of the MDF to properly fit the contour of the bracing.
I thinned and shaped the panel till it had 100% contact with the bracing and was an even thickness with the 4 screw pads.
I also added a piece of pine to support the corner part of the console as well.

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I put a thin bead of silicon on the ribbing and set the MDF panel on the console.

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The center console is now well supported and will hopefully resist any further cracking.

 

[98viperGTS]

Awesome write up. Thanks for documenting the process so well. This should be saved in the DIY thread or some where.

 

[Dave's Big Brakes]

Awesome write up. Thanks for documenting the process so well. This should be saved in the DIY thread or some where.

Really cool dude I wish I could do that See Ya Sat
This needs to be a Illustrated upgrade

Big Brake Dave

 

[Nader]

Nice work...

 

[TAXIMAN1]

WOW!, that seems like a lot of work... Mine is cracked the slightest bit. I dont think I can bring myself to spent that kind of time fixing it.. Nice write up though... I think 99% of all Vipers, have a crack in that same spot.. Even if you cant see it from the outside, its probably cracked. nice job..

 

[ViperDad58]

Excellent job with pictures! Easy to see why this happens with such a lack of structural reinforcement in the molding. Your improvement gives you a nice platform for the second ******'s girl to sit on!!

 

[Dave's Big Brakes]

Excellent job with pictures! Easy to see why this happens with such a lack of structural reinforcement in the molding. Your improvement gives you a nice platform for the second ******'s girl to sit on!!

Hmmmmmmmmmm great idea ******'s Hey Lance now I know I need one

Big Brake Dave

 

[wastntim]

Think you can mass produce that support piece?

 

[Kevin ACR]

You should get someone to do a fiberglass piece off of the original and sell them. I'm all for projects, however, that one has too many variables to look like fun.

The contours and chamfers look like a pita to get right.

I thought there was a fix that was "good enough" that utilized stock size pieces strategically placed lumbar to support the console. Any one just used some cut pieces of wood to support theirs and been satisfied?

 

[02 Graphite GTS]

Thanks for all the comments.
It really wasn't too much work.....but not something I'd want to mass produce.

I spoke with a friend of mine tonight and will take a look at having a mold made to produce a "wedge" to support the center console. If there is enough interest in one, I'll have them made up.

Give me a few days to see if it can be done and what kind of costs.

Lance

 

[Big E]

If there is enough interest in one, I'll have them made up.

Count me in!

 

[HLN A55]

Damn, that's awesome! Excellent job.

 

[Dave's Big Brakes]

Thanks for all the comments.
It really wasn't too much work.....but not something I'd want to mass produce.

I spoke with a friend of mine tonight and will take a look at having a mold made to produce a "wedge" to support the center console. If there is enough interest in one, I'll have them made up.

Give me a few days to see if it can be done and what kind of costs.

Lance

Me 3 Everyone that has a 92-02 Viper needs one ( or will ) Them ****** Girls can't resist sitting on your console

 

[VIPER GTSR 91]

Nice work. I replaced mine a few years ago for about $275.00 from a Viper parts supplier. The key to help keep it from cracking I found is to NOT lean on the console while getting in the car.

 

[EllowViper]

I just did my 01 GTS which had cracked as well, but the underneath of my 01 console looks completely different than your '02. It looks like the factory had already addressed the cracking with the addition of the reinforcing lattice that you have on the underneath...yet it still cracked!! I was able to prep mine and do a fiberglass mat/resin repair. Not as involved as your's, but it turned out fine. I also added the usual block of wood across/behind the "E" brake area to add some additional stregnth.

 

[DAMN YANKEE]

Wow....such a great job! Now THATs the way to write one up...
I'm in, if they will fit a 2000 GTS.
Hello, Illustrateds???

thanks!!

 

[DrDJ]

Looks too complicated to shape the MDF for most of us hacks. Did you use a router? I would purchase a preformed molded piece if it was available.

DrDJ

 

[NK BREKR]

Wow! Lance great illustration! Where do you find the time to do these projects and still manage to make all of the breakfasts and cruises . You're da MAN!

 

[AJT]

Count me in on one.

Andy

 

[Dave's Big Brakes]

Hey Lance,

I'll bring you my 02 console original to use if I can remember CRS *****

Big Brake Dave

 

[DAMN YANKEE]

Ok, so here it is.....

I'm concerned that there is nobody at VCA charged with the responsibility to read these threads closely enough so that when one is written as well as this...that a more formal, structured process comes into play.

Leading to....

1. Recognizing that this might be "Illustrated Guide" material
2. Having a formal process for its review for potential "Illustrated Guide" inclusion
3. Moving it to.....you got it....The Illustrated Guides, if accepted.

We are loosing some other great pieces like this one. Most of the time, I'm the one bringing these to the attention of the board boys. I figured I would just wait to see if this one would "naturally" be picked up....nope..

Others feel this way?

 

[pugads651]

heres a nice rite up on how to make molds http://www.gtproducts.com/PDF_files/Howto1.PDF just an idea maybe you can make a better piece using stirofoam block to get a better shape and then just make a mold out of the stirofoam piece.

 

[Andrew/USPWR]

Ok, so here it is.....

I'm concerned that there is nobody at VCA charged with the responsibility to read these threads closely enough so that when one is written as well as this...that a more formal, structured process comes into play.

Leading to....

1. Recognizing that this might be "Illustrated Guide" material
2. Having a formal process for its review for potential "Illustrated Guide" inclusion
3. Moving it to.....you got it....The Illustrated Guides, if accepted.

We are loosing some other great pieces like this one. Most of the time, I'm the one bringing these to the attention of the board boys. I figured I would just wait to see if this one would "naturally" be picked up....nope..

Others feel this way?

I feel the same way. This should be under How-To

Great Job Lance. Those shots of the interior were making me miss the GTS

 

[DAMN YANKEE]

I offered about three months ago to ride herd on the Illustrateds...
Haven't heard a word....I'd have this one and a fist full of others in by now.
I've asked a bunch of guys to write up at least 1/2 a dozen new Illustrateds with everything from how to properly jack up a Viper to adding IAT input to a VEC to installing roller rockers. Man, I hope they get in after all their work.

 

[ViperVon]

offered about three months ago to ride herd on the Illustrateds...
Haven't heard a word....I'd have this one and a fist full of others in by now.
I've asked a bunch of guys to write up at least 1/2 a dozen new Illustrateds with everything from how to properly jack up a Viper to adding IAT input to a VEC to installing roller rockers. Man, I hope they get in after all their work.

Ditto!!! Great write up, shouldn't go to waste...

 

[Y2K5SRT]

Ok, so here it is.....

I'm concerned that there is nobody at VCA charged with the responsibility to read these threads closely enough so that when one is written as well as this...that a more formal, structured process comes into play.

Leading to....

1. Recognizing that this might be "Illustrated Guide" material
2. Having a formal process for its review for potential "Illustrated Guide" inclusion
3. Moving it to.....you got it....The Illustrated Guides, if accepted.

We are loosing some other great pieces like this one. Most of the time, I'm the one bringing these to the attention of the board boys. I figured I would just wait to see if this one would "naturally" be picked up....nope..

Others feel this way?

Sorry you feel this way. More importantly, sorry you feel that you have to troll for VCA personnel to discover these threads rather than taking maybe, what, 20 seconds? to drop a PM to one of the moderators - or Lee or myself. While there are now almost SIX THOUSAND registered users and thousands of posts per day, there are only two moderators and two admins. If you honestly expect us to groom through every post looking for things to move, guess again. ANYBODY (and I mean A-N-Y-B-O-D-Y) can drop any one of us a simple PM. Heck, just cut and paste the thread URL in the PM - you don't even need to type words if you don't want to. Something like this:

http://forums.viperclub.org/showthread.php?t=602926

Guys (and gals), sorry to come off stuffy but I am insulted by this. Your VCA works tirelessly to make this site the best it can be. We still have the remainder of the site to get fixed up and are spending numerous hours to do it. We have to review and approve countless Classified ads, moderate cantankerous posters, review and approve new users, and work the VCA politics constantly. All of which is unpaid, as all of us have real jobs to help us pay for our own Vipers - or at least the gas that goes in 'em. And now somebody is purposefully baiting us to see if we can do MORE work?? Sorry Daniel, but that is lame.

You asked for a tuning forum - you got it. You then asked for it to be separate forums for each generation - we gave you that too. Mind you, this is from a club that hadn't added or changed a forum in years. But we did it for you. And now you are baiting us to see if we can find appropriate threads to move to the Illustrated upgrades?

Again, my sincere apologies to all. Both for not seeing this sooner (and failing the hidden test) and for my sour attitude towards this particular post. If any of you would like to volunteer to simply send one of us a PM when you see a great thread like this, we would be grateful for your help.

Chris

 

[Y2K5SRT]

Oh yeah, and it is now permanently in the Illustrated Upgrades section - sans all the replies except the original author's.

 

[ViperVon]

Chris,

I think you guys are doing an incredible job and this site totally rules!!! I think most would agree. I'll gladly send you PM when I see a good thread. Thanks for all that you two do.

 

[DAMN YANKEE]

Y2K5SRT, you have got to be kidding....I really don't know how to even begin to respond to your post.

I don't bait anybody here at VCA, nobody. Just the opposite.

VCA has gotten alot of emails from me asking you to post into the illustrateds all the time. I do it to help us all. Im not baiting you, I offer up Illustrateds that I do myself all the time, amd I ask others to write up their good works all the time as well. Not for me, not for you, but for the good use of everybody here at VCA. If your stretched thin, try to figure out who might just be able to help out and ask them too.

I work damn hard (as does everybody that takes the time to read and write on this forum) to help get the new tuning section off the ground. You didn't give me anything that you didnt give the whole VCA community. Never intended to make more work for you folks.

I get it now, thanks for putting it in focus..

 

[02 Graphite GTS]

heres a nice rite up on how to make molds http://www.gtproducts.com/PDF_files/Howto1.PDF just an idea maybe you can make a better piece using stirofoam block to get a better shape and then just make a mold out of the stirofoam piece.

Thanks for the link! I am actually working with a guy to do something like this.... I should have a pretty good idea as to the feasibility for the "support wedge" in a week or so.


Secondly, Thanks for everyone's comments and efforts to put this in the illustrated upgrades, although that was not my intent. If I had know that was going to happen, I would have refined my "support wedge" and written a bit more detailed post.

My post was aimed at those who never had the center console apart. Knowing what the backside of the stereo front plastic panel looked like and how it was attached would hopefully be useful and prevent cracking it. Same with the center console.

To all the Admin's ...
Thanks for making this site a great place to "Hang Out".

Lance