Defrost Vent Mesh Repair

[98TxTJ]

Age and Texas sun has not been kind to the defroster vent mesh on my dash. More and more pieces of the grid mysteriously disappear and almost all are disconnected along one side.

Work had a roll of 1/2 inch plastic mesh that was going to be discarded. That'll work.

The original grid is molded into the dash piece. On the underneath side there is a bezel pinned in place with heat-welded studs. These were so brittle that all but one snapped off as I was figuring out how to get the bezel off.

I snapped off the remaining grid from the dash piece and cut a piece of the new mesh to fit, notching it around positions where the bezel had to be glued back in place.

I used hot melt glue to pin the new mesh down and then fix the bezel in place.

Done.

 

[Sancho]

Great idea.

Been searching for that replacement piece to no avail.

Your idea is perfect.

 

[Chris]

Great idea. Mopar no longer makes this part and most of the ones off used vehicles have been damaged as this vent mesh is pretty weak to begin with. Even mine is like this as well.

I will have to follow your lead.

 

[voodooridr]

The grid on mine is completely gone, I'll have to give that a try

 

[mrblaine]

Great idea. Mopar no longer makes this part and most of the ones off used vehicles have been damaged as this vent mesh is pretty weak to begin with. Even mine is like this as well.

I will have to follow your lead.

Don't, let me do it. I use stainless steel wire mesh in a 4x4 with .030 wire.

 

[Chris]

Don't, let me do it. I use stainless steel wire mesh in a 4x4 with .030 wire.

I’ll let you do it then. I don’t think I’ve owned a TJ yet where that mesh isn’t cracked.

 

[mrblaine]

I’ll let you do it then. I don’t think I’ve owned a TJ yet where that mesh isn’t cracked.

Yours doesn't have that black reinforcement piece on the bottom.

 

[Chris]

Yours doesn't have that black reinforcement piece on the bottom.

Is that a 97-02 thing?

 

[98TxTJ]

Don't, let me do it. I use stainless steel wire mesh in a 4x4 with .030 wire.

I thought about using wire cloth. Then you could heat-weld it in place.

We'll see how this holds up.

 

[mrblaine]

I thought about using wire cloth. Then you could heat-weld it in place.

We'll see how this holds up.

I use JB Weld for plastic.

 

[Tomcat]

It's funny this thread popped up, I was just given a khaki defroster cover that is in near perfect condition. Screen is perfect, even has the little metal clips on the back. If somebody wants it, we'll play ' pay it forward ' PM me and we'll figure it out.

 

[Bigfoot-NM]

PM sent

 

[DaveC]

PM sent next in line

 

[mrblaine]

It's funny this thread popped up, I was just given a khaki defroster cover that is in near perfect condition. Screen is perfect, even has the little metal clips on the back. If somebody wants it, we'll play ' pay it forward ' PM me and we'll figure it out.

View attachment 222204

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99.9% sure that is not khaki for two reasons. They don't put the black reinforcement on the later ones and khaki is a later color. The second reason is the color is wrong for it to be khaki.

 

[Tomcat]

99.9% sure that is not khaki for two reasons. They don't put the black reinforcement on the later ones and khaki is a later color. The second reason is the color is wrong for it to be khaki.

What color would you say that is?

 

[mrblaine]

What color would you say that is?

Tan from the later tan interior. The early "tan" has a very orangish cast to it.

 

[ncsusan08]

Age and Texas sun has not been kind to the defroster vent mesh on my dash. More and more pieces of the grid mysteriously disappear and almost all are disconnected along one side.

View attachment 222156

Work had a roll of 1/2 inch plastic mesh that was going to be discarded. That'll work.

View attachment 222157


The original grid is molded into the dash piece. On the underneath side there is a bezel pinned in place with heat-welded studs. These were so brittle that all but one snapped off as I was figuring out how to get the bezel off.

View attachment 222158

I snapped off the remaining grid from the dash piece and cut a piece of the new mesh to fit, notching it around positions where the bezel had to be glued back in place.

View attachment 222159


I used hot melt glue to pin the new mesh down and then fix the bezel in place.

View attachment 222161


Done.

View attachment 222164

Exactly what I needed!!! Thank you ~ great idea! I can't find that part anywhere!