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Instrument panel bezel u-clip question

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Old Jan 22, 2024 | 05:22 PM
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Instrument panel bezel u-clip question

Hi, I’m working on a 1977 F250. Disassembled the instrument panel and successfully replaced the speedometer cable. (Many thanks to the various guides and input that was available on this site)

I am now putting things back together and have run into a puzzling situation with the bezel uclips. The uclips are attached to the dash frame, and the bezel has holes that allow the screws to go into the uclips, seem to be too big. The screw goes all the way through thus not holding the bezel in place. (See pictures)

Upon closer inspection of the bezel, it would appear that the uclips might have originally been attached to it and not on the truck side. I went to LMC and their schematic is unclear.

Any help would be useful thank you

The bezel mounting hole

The uclip as currently attached



 

Last edited by thed3an; Jan 22, 2024 at 05:40 PM.
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Old Jan 22, 2024 | 05:49 PM
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What has happened is someone over tightened the screws and broke (pulled thru) the dash bezel holes. And or do you 100% for sure have the correct hdwr? It will be a screw that has a built in washer to make the head a little bigger. The uclips go on the dash, not the dash bezel.

Try not tightening the screw down as much, or find a washer that goes in the recessed hole on the dash bezel, but not thru it. And then again do not tighten it down to far when installing the screw.

With the lock in place tab on the bottom of the dash bezel, you should have slight tension on the dash bezel, and enough that you do not have to tighten the screws down all the way to bottom them out. Just enough to get the head flush in the hole, but not past the broke part. Make sense?
 
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Old Jan 22, 2024 | 05:50 PM
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It's easy to have the counter sunk head of those screws pull the center out of those holes in the plastic. I have a few longer screws, the clip nuts on the metal lip, and use an aluminum pop rivet washer with the screw. At most, if you look for it, you'll maybe see the edge of the washer, or paint it black with a Sharpie.
 
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Old Jan 22, 2024 | 07:10 PM
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You might be right, but closer inspection of the bezel there doesnt appear to be damage to the holes. There are 4 holes in all, 3 of them have the larger holes with the partial "shelf" above the hole (see pic), and 1 that is a simple hole that in fact is the right size for the screw and seats just fine, this hole does not look at all like the other 3.
I appreciate the suggestion on the larger washer, I tested that, and maybe if painted it would pass... but I prefer to get it right, even if I have to buy another bezel from LMC (hope to avoid)

It is possible that the hardware was wrong to begin with and therefore I am seeking out what the correct solution SHOULD look like. If the uclips are in fact supposed to be on the truck side then maybe the bezel is the wrong one?
 

Last edited by thed3an; Jan 22, 2024 at 07:13 PM.
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Old Jan 22, 2024 | 07:37 PM
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Add a pic or two of the screw holes from the face side of the bezel and of the others.

I am pretty sure the one you have above has broken. Sometimes they break in a perfect circle making it hard to tell what is going on.
Ours has a couple broken through. We just used some slightly longer trim screws with an over sized washer. They are chrome and unless your looking for them, you don't noticed.
 
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Old Jan 29, 2024 | 10:38 AM
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Alas, the suggestions were helpful... You guys told me to look closer at the holes in upper part of the bezel to see if the screws had over time had not only broken through, but took the plastic off completely from the bezel leaving the large unusable holes. What confused me was the design of the bezel and I got hung up on the unusual design that led me to think that the engineers had another way intended for the mounting. I was wrong and you all got me straight!
The holes were broken out as suggested and instead of using the helpful suggestions to work around it, I ordered a replacemned bezel from LMC which looks great!
 
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