Windshield Cowl Replacement

[Daw14]

The plastic was in good condition on my 14 last year when I changed it, however the rubber piece that seals against the windshield was in multiple parts.
I think painting it should help with the plastic, but I am going to treat the rubber with silicone once or twice a year.

Maybe when I retighten the intake manifold , I will lube the rubber. hahaha. Hopefully this will help to preserve the cowl.

 

[StateOfMind]

I would strongly recommend using a product called 303 Aerospace Protectant. It is extreme UV protection, restores the color and suppleness of plastics and rubbers, and actually repels dust. It is completely silicone free, which is what attracts dirt. I dress hoses and plastics under the hood, and it keeps it looking like new. No greasy feel.
On old brittle clips that I know are going to shatter as soon as I touch them, I'll give them a good spray and let it sit for an hour or so. Haven't broken a retainer since I started using this.

 

[Johnny Paycheck]

Sounds nice and I’ll look into that. I guess seven years parked under Houston sun wasn’t a bad run for those cowls, but I’ll take more if I can get that much.

 

[TucsonFalcon]

Just replaced the Front cowl windshield panel on my Ram 3500. Arizona sun ate my old one. I found a replacement on eBay. Parts_Port_auto had for 133.99 with free shipping. I received in less that a week and the fit was perfect. The wiper arms were frozen and would not come off. Shot some PB Blaster and tapped the wiper arms lightly with a hammer. Popped right off. You might want to have some extra button tabs on hand as they do not provide. I keep a variety set on hand as they frequently fall apart when removing.