flak monkey
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| posted on 16/5/07 at 08:17 AM |
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Amount of dashboard padding
Cue lots of SVA questions from me.
I have used 2 layers of this foam:
http://www.woolies-trim.co.uk/c-220-6mm-foam.aspx
To pad my dash with for SVA (its getting changed to a carbon effect one after hopefully)
Its very soft stuff. I have also put a bit of a rad on the bottom of my dashboard so there is no sharp edge to feel through the foam at all.
I know it says in the manual that the covering must provide 'some protection' under thumb pressure. I find 'some' to be a rather
subjective word...
 
The padding is pretty soft, so what counts as too soft and 'some' protection?
David
[Edited on 16/5/07 by flak monkey]
Sera
http://www.motosera.com
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 16/5/07 at 08:23 AM |
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The very subjective test seems to be "push hard with your thumb". If all you can feel is padding, even when pushing hard, then
you're probably OK. If you can feel the corner of whatever's underneath then it's too thin, or not firm enough (or both).
Looking at your picture, I would suspect that your dash is OK apart from the lower edge - the radius looks small there, which means that you'll
have a job to pad it properly.
...but without prodding it myself, I cannot be sure! 
HTH
David
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flak monkey
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| posted on 16/5/07 at 08:38 AM |
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If you push hard you can feel the rounded edge (>5mm rad as spec'd in the manual) under the foam. There's no sharp edge/corner
there.
The dash is only made from 6mm ply, so its difficult to get a very big rad on it.
I could pad it with some more resilient foam I guess. At least the covering is only stapled on so I can whip it off, not that I really want to have to
do that... 
Theres this in woolies:
http://www.woolies-trim.co.uk/c-326-13mm-thick.aspx
What have other people used to pad dashes with?
[Edited on 16/5/07 by flak monkey]
Sera
http://www.motosera.com
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02GF74
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| posted on 16/5/07 at 09:30 AM |
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I wold need to refer to the SVA manual but recall thatthe dash can be hard if the bottom radius is 19 mm or more; it needs to be padded if the radius
is 9 mm?
Padding the dash also helps to recess the guage bezels if you have non sva compliant ones.
anywasy, to answer your question. my dasy is plywood and with padding failed SVA 1.
I took a dremel and thinned the middle section of the edge and fitted a fairly firm piece of U shap section over it. The front padding and vinyl
cover glued on top of that.
the radius was now in the > 9 mm and < 19 mm with the firm feel range so passed.
it's kinda hard to explian but pretty sure I've posted a drawing of what I did.
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Hammerhead
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| posted on 16/5/07 at 09:48 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by flak monkey
The dash is only made from 6mm ply, so its difficult to get a very big rad on it.
I can send you some 25mm flexible tadpole trim for the bottom of the dash if you like. You just staple it on and wrap the vinyl over it, it would pass
the test no probs IMHO
Let me know and i'll pop you some in the post (to repay the favour of the lotus elise service disc you sent me 18 months ago)
Cheers.
Steve.
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flak monkey
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| posted on 17/5/07 at 05:21 PM |
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So what foam have people used to pad their dashes with?
Is this stuff hard enough? Perhaps with some neoprene camping mat underneath too?
http://www.woolies-trim.co.uk/c-311-high-resilient-foam.aspx
This dashboards going to be the bain of my life, I can just see it.
Cheers,
David
[Edited on 17/5/07 by flak monkey]
Sera
http://www.motosera.com
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