DIY : Repair Air-Bubbles in Leather Dash and Airbag Cover | FerrariChat

DIY : Repair Air-Bubbles in Leather Dash and Airbag Cover

Discussion in '360/430' started by Trent, Oct 4, 2013.

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  1. Trent

    Trent Formula 3

    Dec 10, 2003
    2,013
    Indialantic, FL
    Full Name:
    Trent
    #1 Trent, Oct 4, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    This is a DIY on how to fix any bubbles in your dash leather in the airbag cover or adjacent to the airbag seams using only cat organs.

    For cat lovers, you can also use 3M 08088 spray adhesive. They make a slightly stronger one as well.

    TIME: 2 hours. I could have done it in 1 hr if it was not for documenting it for you guys and letting the 3M adhesive dry.

    DIFFICULTY: 5 (1=wiping yourself and 10=re-soldering components on the hubble satellite in zero gravity while having an annoying gentlemanly itch)

    SUPPLIES: 3M Spray Adhesive 08088 (why is there a leading Zero? Can someone phone 3M and let them know it is an insignificant digit)

    Prep:
    p1. Lubricate your dash leather a day or two in advance with letherique rejuvenator, Lexol, or your preferred stuff. This will ensure the leather will be as soft and stretchy as possible the day of gluing.

    Steps:
    0. Disconnect battery (have radio codes), or at least turn off passenger airbag from the passenger door jam key switch.
    1. Remove glove box. 6x phillips screws
    2. Unplug dash auto-open solenoid. The connector is on the hard to reach side and requires a small flat head and a bit of luck.
    3. Remove emergency red string from passenger air vent. Nice to know where it is I suppose.
    4. Remove 4x allen screws holding airbag in place
    5. NEED AT LEAST TWO PEOPLE (just like during sex): Lift out airbag straight up. A little wiggle is in order, but easy. Then the yellow airbag wire is not long enough to set it down, so hand the airbag assembly to your helper.
    6. Pull airbag connector off of dash mount. Then unplug it.
    7. Remove staples if any block your progress. (in the leather)
    8. Pull back leather. Note that the leather is glued to the foam, and the foam is glued to the dash.
    9. Go outside and practice your marksmanship with the 3M spray. Make sure you are a good aim and understand the spray pattern
    10. USE HELPER TO HOLD LIGHT AND LEATHER BACK: Spray ample amounts of 3M inside the area. I sprayed it on top of and below the foam were applicable. In some parts the foam was glued to the leather, and others the foam was glued to the dash. I basically used the 3M liberally everywhere under the leather.
    11. Rub the 3M adhesive around from above the leather in all directions to get it evenly distributed.
    12. Pull leather tight and seat at the edges.
    13. Put weight on leather with hands constantly and slowly working the leather toward the edges.
    14. Do this for 10-20min. Until the 3M is set up enough to hold the parts together by itself.
    15. If it fails here, just pull it back open and spray some more.
    16. Assembly is the opposite of assembly, apart from the passenger air vent must be removed to fish red thread through to be able to use it in case of emergency. Just pull the vent straight out while wiggling. Its hard. The rubber gasket that connects the vent to the dash vent system is a PIA. But you will get it back together.

    Side Jobs:
    1. I de-stickeyed my little top black air vent above the passenger air vent while I had easy access. I used a purple degreaser, just let it soak while I completed task A.
    2. I adjusted the glove box to where it was sealed much better. Mine had like a 1/4 inch gap.
    .a. There are two 4mm or so allen head screws that you access from the inside of the glove box, that allow the door mating hook to move in and out a few millimeters. It was not a perfect fit, but good enough. Test this with the glove box out of the car. Its easier. See pic.

    RISK: Driving around with a goofy dash vs a repaired dash. Whats the worst that can happen; Heck, if you really screw it up, its an excuse to hire a professional.

    I might post a video if I am feeling the love....

    Video:
    [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxzE6BINbnc[/ame]
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  2. blkdiablo33

    blkdiablo33 F1 Rookie

    Jul 12, 2004
    4,351
    great write up.looks much better,great job
     
  3. Moopz

    Moopz F1 Veteran
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Jun 29, 2004
    5,348
    Orlando, FL
    Holy **** that is awesome. Great job! It looks 1M x better and I am very anal about dash leather.
     
  4. Trent

    Trent Formula 3

    Dec 10, 2003
    2,013
    Indialantic, FL
    Full Name:
    Trent
    Thanks! You did get to see it pre-fix first hand during our attempt to break the neighborhood land speed record. I have to keep my F430 looking as good as yours. So its either make my car look better or scratch your car :(
     
  5. English Rebel

    English Rebel Formula 3

    Aug 13, 2013
    2,158
    Piedmont Area of NC
    Full Name:
    Alan
    Great write up. I have used the 3M adhesive to glue some leather cloth to a lexan, aluminum, and masonite backings. I did not have good results. In most cases the glue dried but later the leather cloth pulled away. In some instances the glue never set -- it stayed sticky for ever. This was with three cans of their super adhesive.
    Alan
     
  6. mikeyr

    mikeyr Formula 3

    Jun 17, 2004
    2,154
    Santa Barbara, CA.
    Full Name:
    Mike Rambour
    great write up and good timing for me...but one favor, could you go buy a 360 and do it on a 360 so that I can see what work it takes on the 360 :)

    I assume its all about the same on the 360 to remove the airbag, etc. my dash has shrunk around the airbad opening (not the airbag itself) and by how fast it happened, i assume the glue let go and it shrunk a little, not bad but its visible. Over winter plan is to take out the airbag and try to fix it and if not remove the dash and have it redone.
     
  7. Trent

    Trent Formula 3

    Dec 10, 2003
    2,013
    Indialantic, FL
    Full Name:
    Trent
    Find me a good deal and sure, will pick one up. But wouldn't it need to have a shrunk dash, and if so, it won't be a "nice car".

    Don't fear this DIY, jump in.
     
  8. Quadcammer

    Quadcammer Formula Junior

    Jun 29, 2005
    500
    Clifton, NJ
    Full Name:
    Oliver
    ok, what the hell?

    My 2005 mercedes has a leather dash that looks perfect and the car sits outside all day, every day, 365 days a year for the past 6 years.

    Why can't ferrari formulate a way to get dash leather not to pull up, bubble, or shrink? I'm guessing you garage this car?

    what is the deal here?
     
  9. Trent

    Trent Formula 3

    Dec 10, 2003
    2,013
    Indialantic, FL
    Full Name:
    Trent
    My 430 dash delamination, along with my rubberized buttons and such going STICKY, and my speakers delaminating (cone from metal surround), all happened in one 6 week stretch last year.

    My headers failed and Ferrari of Palm Beach left my 06 F430 Spider outside while waiting for replacement OEM headers from italy for 6 weeks in the July-Aug time frame. I am sure my interior was between 180-200deg F for weeks. More damage was done in those six weeks than the entire time I have owned the vehicle. Their service dept failed. Period.

    Now NJ and FL are different regions with different average temps and humidity. But I do agree that my Porsche leather dash looks as new with no de-lamination and its been a FL car most of its life, albeit garaged.
     
  10. Joegnsx

    Joegnsx Formula Junior
    Owner

    Dec 1, 2012
    955
    Valrico, FL & Franklin, NC
    Full Name:
    Joe Gliksman
    Thank you Trent for this write-up. It helped me do mine!
     
  11. martiy1971

    martiy1971 Formula Junior

    Jun 2, 2015
    647
    Alberta
    Full Name:
    Robert Martineau
    Great write up - Mods, this should be in the DIY section
     
  12. Buster 1

    Buster 1 Rookie

    May 7, 2016
    24
    Joplin, Mo
    Full Name:
    Greg Neely
    Thank you such an informative post. Your UTube video made it seem simple enough for even me to attempt .

    As you said . " if I fail I'll let an expert repair my mess up"

    I also have dash shrinkage in the same general area. It's pulling away from windscreen.

    Hopefully I'll follow your procedure and make the necessary repairs there as well !

    Great helpful post !
     
  13. gsworld2014

    gsworld2014 Formula 3

    Dec 23, 2014
    1,061
    South Florida
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    Greg S
    Great job! I will need to do mine soon
     
  14. gsworld2014

    gsworld2014 Formula 3

    Dec 23, 2014
    1,061
    South Florida
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    Greg S
    Is your car Rosso scuderia?
     
  15. Eric C

    Eric C F1 Veteran
    Rossa Subscribed

    Mar 20, 2009
    8,960
    St. Louis, MO
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    Eric
    I did this yesterday, but now the airbag light is on. I made sure to disable the passenger airbag first, but that didn't keep the airbag light from popping on. Crap.
     
  16. Dave rocks

    Dave rocks F1 World Champ
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    Nov 23, 2012
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    Did you turn off battery first?
     
  17. Eric C

    Eric C F1 Veteran
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    Mar 20, 2009
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    Nope. I thought that you could either disco battery or turn the bag off. I guess not.
     
  18. ph12

    ph12 Karting

    Jun 28, 2015
    178
    Los Angeles
    your shop with the proper tools should be able to reset the airbag light. just get it done at the next oil change
     
  19. Dave rocks

    Dave rocks F1 World Champ
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    Always turn off battery when un plugging airbag. With the 355, you need an SD or equivalent to reset the airbag - I'm speculating the same with the 430.
     
  20. bellwilliam

    bellwilliam Formula Junior

    Oct 25, 2014
    398
    Anyone done this mod without setting off airbag light ?
     
  21. Eric C

    Eric C F1 Veteran
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    Mar 20, 2009
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    I went through all that trouble and I couldn't even get my leather to stretch enough to wrap it around the edge. I leatheriqued it the day before to soften it up and even heated it up with a hairdryer, but that didn't do anything to help stretch it.

    I'll need to get it recovered, but will someone be able to match the grain of the leather to make it match?
     
  22. Dave rocks

    Dave rocks F1 World Champ
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    Nov 23, 2012
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    Dave Lelonek
    Eric, Johann at Coachtrim in CT is your guy. He has absolutely the best matching leather to Ferrari I could find. Give him a call and let him know I sent you - he will take good care of you.
     
  23. Eric C

    Eric C F1 Veteran
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    Mar 20, 2009
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    Do you know if airbags are safe to ship?
     
  24. yangstein

    yangstein Formula Junior

    Mar 23, 2015
    571
    Orange County, CA
    Full Name:
    Brian
    I see so many talented owners of Ferraris here and always get amazed what you can do to your cars... Excellent.. Wish I had the same level of craftmanship... Washing, clean wheels, plug the battery tender and put seat covers, covers for the car are my limited talent... Of course driving, YES... Wow... Great job...
     
  25. Dave rocks

    Dave rocks F1 World Champ
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    Nov 23, 2012
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    I've ship 2 of mine with no issues and others have shipped theirs to Coachtrim upon my recommendation.
     

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