AC vent rebuild

[jusatad 10]

Looking for 3/8" self adhesive felt tape similar to what Ford used on the lower dash AC vents.  The vents are loose because the felt is worn out or missing. 

Does anyone know where I can find a similar replacement product? 

Here's what the old one looks like.

[aslanefe 333]

Can you use the loop part of velcro? I think the advesive backed type is available. 

[mustangstofear 608]

Go with the Velcro, it should work fine.

[barnett468 418]

or you can buy 7/32", 1/16", or 1/8" thick adhesive backed felt and use that.

http://www.durofelt.com/image_22.html

https://www.amazon.com/ROLL-THICK-SELF-ADHESIVE-PROTECTIVE/dp/B007O0NO4I

 

[jusatad 10]

Thanks for all the great ideas.  I've ordered a roll of 1/4" W x 1/16" T adhesive backed felt.  I'll let you know how it turns out.

[Vicfreg 771]

I did a adhesive backed felt that I got at a local craft store.  Worked great

[Vicfreg 771]

.

 

[Mountaineerfan 44]

How do you remove the vents from the dash?

[jusatad 10]

There are 3 screws on the back side of the lower dash vents that need to be removed.   This picture shows the screws after the back housing (top) has been removed.

 

[JayEstes 172]

I use sticky back Velcro (loop side), and the vents are nice and snug now.   It’s a good solution.

I have a word of warning for you after you remove the back ring from the pot metal housing.  The rivets that hold the back ring to the pot metal housing are steel.  The pot metal is significantly softer than steel (see if you can guess where this is going).  So, if you drill the heads or grind them off, there is a steel stud stuck in the pot metal exactly where you want to put a screw after you’ve done the refurb.  This became a real issue for me.  The pot metal louvers don’t have a straight edge on them, so I couldn’t get it properly aligned with a drill press to drill this stud out.  All the hand drilling I did wandered off the stud and into the pot metal - this became a real issue for me.  I would up getting small holes kind of off to one side although there is *very* little metal around the studs, and kind of rotated the ring to mount.  It was less than perfect and not very satisfying to me - not lined up like I would like (but won’t leak air).

Nobody will really see this, so it’s ok, but I still hate the way it worked out.  Possible solutions?  I would try much harder to PULL the studs out someway.  I drilled mine, and as I said, eventually, because nothing is straight anywhere, your drill gets off to the side, and you have a non centered hole.  If you can pull the rivets out somehow, it would leave a centered hole which you could tap.  Otherwise, just be aware of the situation, and start with as small a drill as you can, and do what you can to stay in the center of the steel stud to drill it out. It’s a PITA.