[shdybrady19]

I am tring to remove my dash to paint it and do some work behind it. I got all the bolts out but came across this pressed piece of metal and dont know how to get the dash off with it there. Here it is.

I couldnt get the camera to focus but here is an upclose pic of it

 

[yoomooman]

that comes off with the dash.....you got your top screws by the windsheild then your side bolts....then underneither youll see a peice that the e-brake is bolted to if you look at the top of that peice by the steering column theres a couple of bolts there too...ill go get pix later maybe even tomm so you can see how it comes out.....its easy you just got to look for all the little bolts....some things have to come off and some dont if you take the wrong thing off it messes up the whole procedure

 

[shdybrady19]

well pretty much what i did was move my way around the edge and gave it a wiggle just to see where the next attachment is. And not it seems like everything will shake freely except for right there. But ill be sure to look at that tomorrow and maybe I can get that out.

 

[yoomooman]

ok well i went out and took a look at the one i got layin by my shed, i took some pictures but my digicam is on the fritz so i couldnt retreve them, i do have some of before i tore mine out, i can tell you that the steering column must come out, the fuse box must be free of the dash, the top bolts must come out, then the bolts above the e-brake, the bolts on the sides, the e-brake has to come off and layed to the side, theres screws or bolts behind the steering column, the dash side of the a/c ducting will have to come off with the dash, you have to take the abs module off behind the glove compartment, all wiring must be detacheted from dash, stereo must come out, ash tray must come out, instrament cluster must be removed to free wiring behind it, headlight switch must come out, this dash has to be completely stripped till only the ducting is left on the dash in order to paint it

in thise pic the bolt on the bottom has to come out, pluss theres a bolt behind the plasitic in the center top of the pic

tops come out

above e-brake

bottoms

 

[Steve83]

The correct way to take the '87-91 dash out is:
1) drop the column
2) pull the wiring connectors from the firewall into the cab
3) disconnect the HVAC cables & vacuum lines above the R footwell
4) remove the 2 braces above the hump
5) remove the bolts above each kick panel & the bolt from the top of the e-brake frame
6) remove the screws in front of the defrost register
7) pull the dash assembly off the firewall & out the passenger door
That rusty steel frame will stay with the colored dash skin.

yooman
Your '92-96 is very similar, but significantly different.

 

[yoomooman]

ok good steve did chime in he`s got plenty of experience with this and can explain it better

thanks steve

 

[Steve83]

Well i removed my dash to paint it and add insulation. I finally got it out after a few hours of fighting it. It was a learning experience. But i saw how much room that opened up. So I thought about maybe building my own dash. I can cut holes for my guages and make my own guage cluster. Also I can cut in for my ac and radio. It really doesnt seem like a hard project. Only part i am worried about is securing it to the body. The sheetmetal where the stock dash is connected to just doesnt seem sturdy enough. I was thinking about doing the dash after the roll cage. And i can use that to secure it and build from there. Is there any other suggestions?

There's a reason the attachment looks light - the dash should be, too. It shouldn't NEED 1/2" bolts to hold it up.

But you'll never build one that's as small, complete, cheap, & SAFE as the stock one. Remember that it has been designed not only to fit, to hold everything you need where you need it, but also NOT to kill you if you slam into it during a wreck. And since they made eleventy billion of them, you can pick them up in junkyards anywhere for a few bucks.

 

[shdybrady19]

well my dash is perfectly fine Not cracks or anything. This is just my learning truck. I am learning how to do everything on this. I just wanted to fabricate a dash. I understand its not practical but something I want to do. So do you have any suggestions how to do it?

 

[Steve83]

So do you have any suggestions how to do it?

Yes: don't do anything that will prevent you from putting the stock one back in.

Have you ever built a flying model airplane, or a large-scale model boat? Have you ever upholstered anything? Have you ever worked with sheet metal? Do you weld?

If you answered NO to more than 2 of those, you're not ready for this project IMO. :shrug I've done a lot of serious interior mods to several vehicles, and I have yet to build a dash.

 

[shdybrady19]

I weld with a tig, i have done some upholstery on my brothers boat. I have worked with sheetmetal on various projects on my buddies cars. I'm not going into this as a complete noob. I honestly think it wouldnt be too terribly tricky. But why do you seem to oppose so much? I'm sure you see something i dont. I'm just tring to make up my mind

 

[Steve83]

I think it's a waste of time & effort. :shrug And I think you'll create more problems than you solve. There's nothing wrong with the stock dash, so there's no reason to build something else.

 

[shdybrady19]

Well the main reason i want to do it is because. I can give it my own touch. Its another thing that I can put my hands on and put my own style into it. I can have more options for ac vents. I have more options for storage spaces. I have more options for my guage cluster. I dont mean to keep shutting your advice down. I understand its going to be much more simple to put the old one back in there. Also behind the dash was a completely mess. Someone did a hack job with the wiring. But in order to build a dash. How would you support it steve?

 

[shdybrady19]

bump

 

[Steve83]

I've already told you how I'd do it - with the original parts.

 

[liltimmy08]

well my dash is perfectly fine Not cracks or anything. This is just my learning truck. I am learning how to do everything on this. I just wanted to fabricate a dash. I understand its not practical but something I want to do. So do you have any suggestions how to do it?

First lesson: Don't fawk with something as important as a dash. But hey, if you wanna smash your head/face into some sheet metal and steel then be our guest.

 

[gocx]

First lesson: Don't fawk with something as important as a dash. But hey, if you wanna smash your head/face into some sheet metal and steel then be our guest.

The plastic dash was a great invention for one reason, it keeps your face looking pretty.opc1:

 

[LYVFD8142]

Umm, behind the plastic dash is metal bracing that don't give. I have smashed my knee into a plastic dash causing the plastic to break but that metal brace behind it really hurt the knee. Hopefully he will be wearing his seat belt so he would never hit the dash.

 

[shdybrady19]

ok guys. Instead of opinions of what you think about the idea. Can we throw up some ideas about how to secure it. Thats all. Let me worry about if i am going to hit a metal dash. I just want to hear some ideas about securing it to the body or frame.

 

[Steve83]

Screws? Bolts? :shrug What do you mean? Use the factory attachments to the body; they're plenty strong. Design your own if you attach it to your cage.

 

[LYVFD8142]

Securing it would be simple. When you are laying out the new dash you should start with a frame that would bolt in the original spots and then if you are going to add a center console that ties into the dash you would secure it to the transmission tunnel.

I would start with some 1/2" to 1" wide flat bar to build a base that would connect to the firewall in the original mounts. Then use round stock to give you your curves and depth in the dash (weld to flat bar). Then it's pretty much using foam, wood, card board to design the layout of the dash you want. Once you get the look you want you can use fiberglass to mold the dash and secure it the the metal cage you built with the flat bar/round stock.

It's up to you in which order you do the dash layout or the metal cage. If you start with the layout make sure to remember it might get hard to add the metal later. Or you could just do it all it fiberglass without a metal cage as long as you glass enough structure support in the design.

If you do it take all lot of pictures and post them here so we all can see the progress. Also you can look in the Fab section to get some hints/ideals on how to make consoles, which could be applied to dash making.

Good Luck