Cloudy Gauges

[AllDodge]

Anyone try anything that works for clearing up gauges other then replacing them?

 

[nicky 68a]

sometimes they clear up themselves after they have been warmed up after a few shifts.Leave it until the machine is mobile and working all day.it may work

 

[AllDodge]

sometimes they clear up themselves after they have been warmed up after a few shifts.Leave it until the machine is mobile and working all day.it may work

Appreciate the reply, but not sure it will work here. The ones that look good are new, the others are pretty much 25 sum year old gauges

 

[Dickjr.]

Wonder if that stuff you use on dull head lights would work, just a thought.

 

[AllDodge]

My thought also just didn't want to spend the money if it just smoke and mirrors

 

[wilko]

Guessing they're fogged on the inside, so unless you can take them apart Lens Magick wouldn't do much.

 

[mitch504]

I once took an expensive 6" gauge that was made like those and started out with a pocket knife tip, then bigger and bigger tiny flat screwdrivers. I worked around and around the perimeter between the chrome bezel and the glass, prying it up a tiny bit at a time around and around until I could lift out the lens. If you try to take a big bite, the chrome will tear.

Once I had the lens out, I cleaned it good, left the gauge face up in the sunshine most of the day, then took a fine pair of needle-nose pliers and worked around and around the edge folding the bezel back down. again, tiny bites is most important. It left it with a scalloped appearance, but it beat hundreds of dollars for a guage for a fertilizer processor.It lasted the 7 or 8 yrs the machine did. I practiced on a scrap gauge first.

 

[Old Magnet]

If the lenses are plastic, forget it and just replace them. Try to get units with glass lenses.

 

[Garrie Denny]

If the ones that are fogged are 25 years old they definitely wont be plastic, there glass,next find out the distortion,in or out of the glass. Outside easy fix-outside if they cannot be taken apart, Newbies.

 

[Delmer]

\ if they cannot be taken apart

I never expected to hear that on here? I thought anything could be taken apart with enough patience or a big enough hammer

You can take them apart like Mitch described, or pry the crimp off from the back side, or sand through the edge on a belt or disc sander then glue it back together.

Agreed, those are probably glass and the cloud is on the inside surface, it will wipe right off if you can get to it.

 

[AllDodge]

If the ones that are fogged are 25 years old they definitely wont be plastic, there glass,next find out the distortion,in or out of the glass. Outside easy fix-outside if they cannot be taken apart, Newbies.

Must have been replaced, these are plastic lenses. Guess it's back to buying, thanks for the responses to all

 

[OldandWorn]

Must have been replaced, these are plastic lenses. Guess it's back to buying, thanks for the responses to all

Have you tried to clean them with anything? There are all sorts of products that will make them like new again if on the outside which most of it probably is. Try the 2 different grades of plastic cleaner/polish from an auto store first. Even car paint products will work and are essentially the same as plastic cleaners. Rubbing and polishing compounds, scratch removers...etc. Start out with something not too coarse but coarse enough to get most of the haze off and then finish up with polish.

 

[pp13bnos]

While it won't bring it back original condition, using plain old car wax on them will clear them up a bit. I did this to my foggy gauges and it does make them better....but not by any means perfect. Worth a try.

 

[AllDodge]

Worth a try, thanks