Ok so I am taking all the plastic out of the truck to paint. So far very successful just taking my time and letting the screws show me how to progress. Now I have hit a wall on the final step where I cannot see any more screws.

On the right (passenger) side, does anyone know where some bolts are to get the main bit of the passenger side off? Do I need to remove the airbag plastic cover? Can I even remove it? Im a bit gunshy of trying to pry off the airbag cover but it looks like it lips over the rest of the main part of the dash.

I did find one on the drivers side behind the lip of the door that is impossible to remove without taking everything under teh dash out too, so I might just hack it off.

Side note the pile of screws so far is pretty impressive.

 

make sure you have disconnectd the air bag plug and disconnect battery . if your trying to remove the air bag u have to take the two bolts out of the top remove the plastic pannel on top of dash and there might b one under ait bag cant remember and there are screws on each side of the dash that are pain to get out you have to remove everything if your tryin to paint all the dash

 

Thanks for posting.

Yeah the two bolts on each side that would require taking EVERYTHING out. I was just gonna hacksaw those right where they meet the screw. There are 400 other screws holding that part on.

Yes I am just taking it out to paint it. Do I 'have' to take the airbag out either way? I thought I remembered people saying they could leave the airbag cover in the truck and take the rest out. I was planning to do that and just painting that part inside the truck.

If I have to take the airbag out that is okay though, I just cant figure out where to go next on this series of panels (the main upper dash, the lower part behind the glove box, and the airbag cover). I will root around some more and see if I cant see how to get the airbag out, maybe that will give me a clue how to get the rest of the plastic out.

The rest of the panels in the truck were pretty easy. You just start with the first screws you can see, start taking those off and as panels come off more screws appear.

 

Oh and searching I saw where a while back you had posted about it before, small world! You mentioned before other than those two screws it was easy to get out so I will just put my head in there again and see what I can find. There must be something I am not seeing. I pull to see where there is resistance (screws) and there are a couple but trick is finding them. Ill report back if I figure it out.

 

and i think some of the panels are screwed together from inside as well

 

hey if you can post some pics what you have out maybe i can remember how to get them out for ya.

 

I would personally pull the dash out of the truck then pull the front panel off. Just look up a thread on heater core replacement. Since you wouldn't be taking the heater box out. No need to pull heater hose or disconnect the a/c. It's been awile since I had a dash out of one of these trucks but it's not to difficult to pull the dash. Overlooked 7 mm head bolts behind the cluster/column and airbag. The bolts hold the dash to the steel structural cross tube! I would personally get creative with masking tape and paper and paint it in the truck. A friend of mine, painted his dash this way. He had it all masked and taped from carpet to seats to headliner. He set it up so his windshield guy (glass coverage broken) took out the windshield and went to lunch while my buddy got to painting. Came back and installed the new windshield. Painted the removable trims seperately. I though it was pretty damn smart. Saved a ton of time and came out awesome! The paint smell is inevitable! GL

 

Okay here are some photos of what I am working with.

Here is the part I am stuck with:


I noticed this part is separate, bhut cant find any bolts for either


Here is up under the dash


Can I take the airbag cover off without removing the airbag itself? Can I take the rest of the dash out even without taking out the airbag?

Thanks for any help!

 

you got both screws on left n right side by the door rubber

On top of your dash there is that piece it pops out and there are two or three screws there
You have to remove the airbag totally can not remove the cover it self last pic i think those bolts hold airbar in place
First pic remove the black plastic thing by fuse holder and look where the pannels meet on the inside think there is a bolt holding those together.

 

Thanks so much!

I found the two on top where the peices pop off. I also saw the two on each end that will be a pain to get to. Looks like I just need to remove the airbag and see where that leads me.

This thing isnt going to blow up on me if the battery and fuse are disconnected right? Feels like im handling a bomb

Ill try getting it out and post again soon.