2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Replacing Dash in an "02

[cali4niacoalroller]

I am in the market for a new dash for my 3500, and wanted a little feedback from any of you who have replaced yours. I am leaning towards the LMC Truck replacement because I don't want to paint the dash. But then the Musselman Distributing has a lifetime warranty on theirs, but it has to be painted.... Oh, and Musselman and Plastic Parts Inc are the same company because I called them both and the same woman answered the phone and I asked her..... There is just something I don't like about buying something like that and having to paint it, so I'm thinking the LMC is looking good about now.

Anyway, have any of you replaced your dash with either of the two companies above and if so.... How was the fitment, the color (mines Agate) and how much of a pain was it to attach the ducting from underneath the panel? I have everything all open and loose due to having to replace my heater core, so I just need to unscrew two screws that I put back in to hold the top in place and loosen the bottom two bolts and steering column to tilt the dash back to put a new on....

Any info would be helpful....

 

[CBari]

I can't offer any help but am wanting to do the same on my 03 so. I am going to follow along. If you happen to do it please post your results.

 

[cali4niacoalroller]

I can do that.... There doesn't seem to be a lot of info about it on any of the boards, I mean a couple but they were from a few years back.... I am sure with the issues that 1999-2006 trucks have with disintegrating dashes, a lot more people would have probably done this by now and am curious as to their results. Anything is better than the 25 pieces that mine has become in the last few years in the great California Sunshine, and thats with a dashmat and sunshades over it to help hide it from the intense rays of the sun....

 

[DavidC]

I did not use anyone you suggested, mine came from genosgarage and I had to paint it Agate a few years ago. It is no doubt a big job with the windshield still installed. The fitment was excellent and it is a little time consuming.I did mine a few years ago and geno's claimed UV resistent, they only came in black at that time but I took my time and it all turned out well.

Dave

 

[GAmes]

I replaced mine with an OEM several years ago. Because of the truck's age at the time the only color available was gray. I went to a local paint store, received some excellent info from the owner and bought the necessary materials and paints to make the dash brown. It has held up very well. I've bought LMC parts, specifically a grill and inserts. Although they looked good when new, they quickly lost their luster, paint & chrome alike. Fit was so-so. I'll never buy anything else from them.

 

[CharlieFoxtrot]

I got the Genos. I've painted it but haven't installed it yet. Had to do the paint outside on a breezy day and it definitely doesn't look as good as I wanted. I thought hard about buying the LMC but didn't want to risk quality issues with their stuff. I hope my paint job looks better when the dash is installed.

 

[BigPapa]

I replaced mine with one from LMC. Fit and finish were great. I also bought their reinforcement kit for the screws along the windshield. It's been a year now and no issues. My son and I did it in @ 4-5 hours. No issues. I had a set of instructions I found somewhere. I'll be glad to post them if you like.

 

[cali4niacoalroller]

What was the reinforcement kit, didn't see anything with regards to that? From what I have read the finish and fitting is great and the color as far as the agate (dark grey, almost black but not quite) was really close. I did notice the other day that because of the age of the truck and probably even different companies making the different parts that even stock parts that were put on the day it came off the assembly line are not quite the same. Seems to look like different parts are different shades of dark grey... LOL

But I think if it fits good, I don't have to paint it, I can live with a slight variation in color hue....

 

[BigPapa]

I agree, the factory parts are not even all the same color. Here's the Reinforcement Kit:

 

[JMcCoy]

Dodge offered two different shades of gray. I thimk they called the darker one charcoal, but don'the quote me on that. You have to close one eye to tell the difference. That's good to know about the reinforcement kit.

 

[cali4niacoalroller]

I went with the LMC for $259, and got the Agate or dark gray and it matched up pretty good. I think if I use some mothers detailing cleaner it would not really be noticeable at all. As far as the fitment went, it fix exactly and everything lined up perfectly, no complaints at all.... I just tilted the dash back into the seat and went to town.... The only parts that were an issue were the vent screws on the driver side, only because the dash doesn't come back as far as it does on the passenger side. I didn't want to disconnect everything but once I dropped the steering column down it came back enough to get my big ol' hands back there at the base of the windshield. A short stubby screw driver would have worked great but naturally I couldn't find mine, so I had to wrestle with a standard size one. Once all that was finished, reinstalling everything else was a cake walk.....

I would strongly recommend LMC dashes to anyone replacing theirs.... Its more work than those dash caps you glue on, but its well worth it....

 

[KKohagen]

Big, do you remember what size and type of screws went across the top of the dash (5 total)?

 

[BigPapa]

I do not remember thread size and pitch. They have an 8mm head and I would guess they're 5mm with a 0.80 thread pitch.

 

[KKohagen]

Thanks.
BTW - I replaced my dash with the Genos Garage full replacement part, not the hard plastic cover. It was very straight forward, however I forgot to disconnect the timer module at the base of the manual transmission shift tower (under dash near firewall). Spent an hour trying to pull the dash down and away from the firewall. Then removed the timer box and viola, the whole dash swung down and out and I could change the top. I changed out the heater core because that was leaking. The evaporator was in great shape so I did not have to mess with it.
I posted pictures a few years ago when I fixed it. I left the dash the regular black so now my dash is two-toned.

 

[KKohagen]

The module that kept the dash from coming out was the airbag module not the timer module.