Comanche Dash Bezel???

[kawaboy13]

My truck got broken into and they tore up my truck for my stereo and iPod. Well this dash piece I can find, but the little squares with the little rectangular punch-outs for switches are never in them, which is what the red arrows are pointing to. I want to know if I can remove these and put them in a new one or if anybody has this black and chrome trim piece with the squares in. I don't want big holes in my dash where those covers are. The little things seem to come off, but seem brittle? Will i break these? Is there a trick? And will they install on a new one snug? It looks to have never been taken apart. Appreciate all help! Thanks, John

 

[beepbeepmyredjeep]

It's been many years since I saw the dash removed (about 15 or so when my dad installed a cassette player), but if I remember correctly once you punch these out, you can't put them back in, because they actually "snap" free.

 

You could possibly super glue them back in place.

[whowey]

They are glued in. But if you are careful about removing them, you can put them back over the little posts that are there and secure them with a bit of adhesive.

[dave92cherokee]

On xj's that's where switches for things like the power switch and rear window defogger. The black pieces for them attach separate of the trim piece so you could get some of them to fill it in.

[1987Comanche]

They're actually plastic welded in the bezel. If you use a soldering iron and a razor blade you can melt/break them out and reuse them in a new bezel. If you find a higher end bezel (wood grain for example) the block off plugs were never installed. you'll see a plastic dowel on the top & bottom of each hole. Clean out the appropriate holes in your block off plate (may need to drill and open them up since it was installed once) and make sure it slides over the dowels freely. Hold the block off plug snugly against the bezel and use the soldering iron to melt the dowels. Now you've successfully plastic welded the block off plugs into your new bezel :clapping:

I installed a wood grain bezel in my MJ about a year ago and the above worked great.

[kawaboy13]

Would a brand new dash bezel have the dowels for me to slide those pieces on and melt them?

[1987Comanche]

I would think that a new bezel would have dowels, as long as its faithful to the OE mold. Really all you need is a donor XJ with an AW4 and a rear defroster or fog lights (power/comfort switch is on the right, fog lights/defroster on the left). If the factory installed switches they screwed them into the dash and never installed block off plates on the bezel. Thus the dowels are in perfect, untouched condition.

What's your source for a new bezel? Do you have a pic of the rear of the bezel?

[kawaboy13]

Chrysler parts website. An I don't at the moment. Does anyone have the black and chrome bezel just like that one with all the covers installed? Thanks

[terrawombat]

Chrysler parts website. An I don't at the moment. Does anyone have the black and chrome bezel just like that one with all the covers installed? Thanks

 

You will want to be looking for a Pioneer MJ with a manual trans and little to no options. That combination should net you the "chrome" (grey) trim and none of the rectangle covers removed.