Radio Bezels- Wood Grain More Brittle?

[aontkos]

Hello all,

What’s your experience with cracked radio bezels?

I have a wood grain bezel that seems to crack every time I remove it, no matter how gentle I am. I ordered a spare years ago...and it cracked just from sitting in storage.

Are the black bezels more durable or is it a matter of location/thermal stress?Unfortunately the only replacements I can find are black, so it looks like I’ll be stuck with a mix-matched interior until I explore some more options. These pieces seem to be getting more rare.

 

[TonyB66]

Hello all,

What’s your experience with cracked radio bezels?

I have a wood grain bezel that seems to crack every time I remove it, no matter how gentle I am. I ordered a spare years ago...and it cracked just from sitting in storage.

Are the black bezels more durable or is it a matter of location/thermal stress?Unfortunately the only replacements I can find are black, so it looks like I’ll be stuck with a mix-matched interior until I explore some more options. These pieces seem to be getting more rare.

Wish I could say as I never removed a black one before. The only thing I busted on my 3rd gen was that wood grain bezel. I'm usually pretty good on removing items too, so the best I can do is empathize with you.

Maybe just go all black. The thought crossed my mind...

 

[T4R2014]

Florida sun probably isn't friendly to 20 year old plastic.

 

[G_Raw]

Wood grains are notoriously brittle. I pull them everytime I find em to keep a stock pile of back ups. My current one is cracked due to chasing my air bag light to the module behind the bezel... still haven't cured the airbag light so I'm running the cracked one until the airbag situation is corrected. Then I'll throw my back up in tact bezel on. But trust that next intact bezel I find at a pick n pull I'm taking it as the next back up. I've considered switch to black interior. Honestly haven't pulled the black trim. So no experience with regard to it's strength and durability.

Hint to storing the wood grain. Mine are in boxes packed as if I'm ready to ship then placed on a high shelf with not much on it so it isn't likely to get moved or banged.

 

[JRZEE2000TR4LTD]

Wish I could say as I never removed a black one before. The only thing I busted on my 3rd gen was that wood grain bezel. I'm usually pretty good on removing items too, so the best I can do is empathize with you.

Maybe just go all black. The thought crossed my mind...

I know from experience that the plastics become more brittle because of heat. If they are always in heat they will change color and literally shatter like glass. I'll get a control from AZ with the plastic almost orange and it's almost a guarantee that it was already damaged during removal. As opposed to a control from Minnesota which still looks almost factory in color and it is much more forgiving.

 

[JZiggy]

I’ve pulled my black bezel dozens of times with no issue. It’s just basic ABS which is pretty tough (same material as LEGOs).

I imagine the wood grain is an acrylic of some kind which would get brittle. I replaced the acrylic (PMMA) lens cover on my cluster and it had broken tabs from just sitting there before I even removed it.

 

[aontkos]

I’ve pulled my black bezel dozens of times with no issue. It’s just basic ABS which is pretty tough (same material as LEGOs).

This is what I wanted to hear! I ordered a black bezel from Washington on Ebay, so hopefully it will have a lot more life in it.

If the color difference bugs me too much then I'll just order one of the Sherwood dash kits. Maybe it will be a good excuse for a complete refresh of the interior trim.

 

[audiness]

I can confirm that (with age/ UV exposure) the woodgain ones are far more brittle than the black ones . I switched my limited interior to the black trim and haven't looked back.

 

[TonyB66]

I can confirm that (with age/ UV exposure) the woodgain ones are far more brittle than the black ones . I switched my limited interior to the black trim and haven't looked back.

Think I will add this to my list.

As I said early-on, I want de-limit my Limited. Like the e-locker that comes with these more so than other trims/versions... Moonroof deactivated and sealed. Power seats sold. Not a fan of the exterior cladding and the interior wood grain trim pieces being discussed here. If it wasn't such a pain to ditch and swap the climate control, that would top my list...

 

[UnderFire]

Personally I've never had a problem with either one, have pulled at least 30 bezels in all 3 colors, if not more with not a single crack or break.

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[aontkos]

Personally I've never had a problem with either one, have pulled at least 30 bezels in all 3 colors, if not more with not a single crack or break.

I'm glad I ordered one from your side of the world then. Hopefully the donor truck spent its whole life up there.

 

[Road Bull]

I seems to see far more cracked or crumbled wood grain bezels than black or silver.

I am surprised that someone hasn't figured out how to 3-D print one of these bad boys.

 

[Ghostrider]

Well I was looking to "upgrade" from black to wood but thinking twice now. Mine is 20 years and has been pulled off lots of times with no issues. I am going to find a spare however

 

[gamefreakgc]

UV/heat seems to be the deciding factor. In the valley here, every single wood grain bezel I've removed has cracked. On the flip side I have yet have a single black one crack. The plastic compound in the black trim is much more heat resistant than the brown. What's interesting though is it's just the center bezel that is so brittle. I've had no issues yet dismantling wood trim bezel around the instrument cluster or the shifter trim.

I am pretty careful when I remove them as if they are brittle.

 

[levee-11]

I live in Washington, and my 98 4Runner has a non-faded black dash bezel, but I really wanted a wood bezel, and found one in a local junkyard. The radio/dash bezel itself was good, but the wood stick on was separating from the plastic on all the other panels except for the upper radio-clock-climate control section. However pulling it out from the junked 4Runner was easy and no breaking or cracking. The plastic felt good. Pulling my black bezel out to replace it with the wood was fine too, no cracking or anything. My 4Runner was garage kept for 21 years but is now outside, but I use a sun shade for the windshield to protect the dash from the sun, so I'm imagining that my dash is perfect and not brittle due to the good climate here, and the garage.

 

[T4R2014]

I live in Washington, and my 98 4Runner has a non-faded black dash bezel, but I really wanted a wood bezel, and found one in a local junkyard. The radio/dash bezel itself was good, but the wood stick on was separating from the plastic on all the other panels except for the upper radio-clock-climate control section. However pulling it out from the junked 4Runner was easy and no breaking or cracking. The plastic felt good. Pulling my black bezel out to replace it with the wood was fine too, no cracking or anything. My 4Runner was garage kept for 21 years but is now outside, but I use a sun shade for the windshield to protect the dash from the sun, so I'm imagining that my dash is perfect and not brittle due to the good climate here, and the garage.

What you got is not really a factory woodgrain bezel.

 

[brillo_76]

In western PA we only get 70 or less sunny days a year. I have not seen a bad bezel yet


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