Anyone ever removed a YJ dash?

PierCed_3

I drive Frankenstein!!
Location
Brigham
I am tearing mine apart (wiring gremlin took over and Jeep is FUBAR) and I needed a few tips from some of you who have done this. I have taken the windshield off and removed all the Torx head bolts from around the speakers and along the tub where the windshield usually covers. I am trying to remove it all in one large piece but it keeps getting stuck on stuff... any tips? I am trying to make this as easy of a job as possible, am I screwed and have to take every single piece off or is there an easier way to do it?

Maybe I will take some pics and do a "technical howto" as I am putting it back together and just make it look like I am taking it apart :D .

Andrew
 

Fester

Active Member
I started trying to tear mine apart because of numerous dumba$$ previous owners running wires everywhere, but I stopped when I realized it would be more than a 1 or 2 hour project. Please do the tech how to.......you'll probably save me and others some headaches.
 

PierCed_3

I drive Frankenstein!!
Location
Brigham
Fester said:
I started trying to tear mine apart because of numerous dumba$$ previous owners running wires everywhere, but I stopped when I realized it would be more than a 1 or 2 hour project. Please do the tech how to.......you'll probably save me and others some headaches.


Yeah, my stereo is wired up all funky too. There is a connection under the dash were it looks like there is a burn wave going through the largest wire in the bunch. I don't know why there is a removable connection there but there is and I am SURE that is where the problem lies. The dash just won't light up.. like I have no ignition switch. I used to reach up under the dash and wiggle the wires and it would start working but this time it is TOAST. I can't get the **** thing to work :mad2: . I am just going to start redoing the wiring under the dash and in the motor bay. I am also installing my full cage in the process :D . If anyone wants to volunteer to weld up my cage for me I would be very thankful. I am going to spot weld it together but I doubt my welder will get very good penitration.

Oh yeah... back on topic... anyone else have any ideas?

I found this but it doesn't tell you how to take off the dash...
http://www.4x4wire.com/jeep/tech/interior/yjdash/
 

RockMonkey

Suddenly Enthusiastic
When I ripped mine apart I took it out piece by piece. In the end I think you'll save yourself time and frustration by taking it apart the way they put it together.
 

PierCed_3

I drive Frankenstein!!
Location
Brigham
Ok so I got it running again.. now to finish it up so I can drive it. Let me first say it was a HUGE PITA. On a scale of 1-10 on the difficulty scale I give this one a 7. It would have been worth my while to just replace the entire dash with a CJ style dash and call it done. Holy crap there are a ton of wires and at least a dozen connectors under there that have to be undone before you can pull the dash out. Here would be the first thing I would do if I were to do it again:

1. Take all the face plating off the guages. There are a dozen or so phillips head screws holding them on. Just go along your dash and start taking them off. There is a wierd ground behind the plastic below your speedo. When you take this plastic off around the Speedo you will see what I mean. Wala you see decade(s) of dirt stored up under here. Now take the black check light display out from between the speedo-tach. There are 5 phillips head screws holding it in. When you pull this out there are 2 wire clips attached behind the plastic. These are a PITA to take off, I used a standard screwdriver to pry them out (carefully).

2. Take out your heater controls. There are 4 phillips screws holding it on. Take off the 3 cables for your vent, heat, and defrost; these are a PITA to get unhooked also. There are 2 wires that work your blower so unhook them, then unhook the light display, YOU HAVE TO TWIST it to get it out. I broke mine off and found out later how to get it out. Then there is a wiring harness that hooks to your high, med, low, fan selector. Wala, it's out.

3. Take your radio out.

4. Take your steering wheel off.

5. Start taking your windshield down. I believe it is a T-45 bolt(s). Just get a full set of Torx head sockets and call it good. YOU WILL NEED THEM! (20 bucks at Wal-mart)

6. Take the Torx head bolts off from under the weather stripping off. They are a T-35.. I think. Take all them off around the speakers too. I took my doors off also just for ease of maint.

7. Take the phillips head screws out from under the weather stripping. They get stuck on the metal from the tub and make it a PITA to take the dash off. Do yourself a favor and take them out.

8. Start pulling your dash from your tub. There are a ton of connections under there and you just need to start taking them apart. They are keyed so I don't think there are any that will accidentaly fit together. After you remove your connections the dash just pulls right out. You have to angle it so you can get it around your turn signal. Make sure you put it back together as soon as you can cuz if you forget where all the connections go you are kinda screwed. I also found that there are a few connections under my dash that aren't even used. Probably for different models of Jeeps, they must have more to them for the dash or something. Mine was kinda basic.

I found my problem and replaced the wire that was burnt up and all the sudden it came to life. I put the dash back on and now I am trying to get my roll cage installed. I should have it done by this weekend (fingers crossed). I am also going to clean up the engine bay since it looks like crap, darn engine swaps!

Anyone have an extra horn cover for the stock YJ :D . I broke mine. I can add pics if anyone is interested.

Andrew
 
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PierCed_3

I drive Frankenstein!!
Location
Brigham
I should (fingers crossed) have it done this weekend. It's supposed to rain soon so I need to get it done, I won't put my top on until it is finished. That's my motivation :D . I'll just be tacking it into place and then taking it somewhere to get it welded together since I don't trust my little buzz box to make good welds. If I only knew someone who could weld.... ;) .
 

4x4phil

Registered User
Location
Salt Lake City
you know Ry's got a shop 4 min away from your house with a nice welder, and I know I'd er....he or Jason would be more than happy to hook a brotha up.
 

PierCed_3

I drive Frankenstein!!
Location
Brigham
4x4phil said:
you know Ry's got a shop 4 min away from your house with a nice welder, and I know I'd er....he or Jason would be more than happy to hook a brotha up.


BDUH..... I guess I should give him a call and hook it up. I was going to take it to this welding shop in Tremonton.. this would save me a ton of time and possibly some cash too! Good suggestion bro! :D
 

Bud

'98 ZJ
Location
Syracuse
PierCed_3 said:
I should (fingers crossed) have it done this weekend. It's supposed to rain soon so I need to get it done, I won't put my top on until it is finished. That's my motivation :D . I'll just be tacking it into place and then taking it somewhere to get it welded together since I don't trust my little buzz box to make good welds. If I only knew someone who could :D weld.... ;) .
I'd hook you up, but you know how behind I am on the Mando, plus Brian would cry about his axles getting passed over.......
 

Badcop

Who Dat? Who Der?
Location
Hyrum UT
Bud said:
I'd hook you up, but you know how behind I am on the Mando, plus Brian would cry about his axles getting passed over.......


Ohhhh It is so on, I sold those axles anyway......
 
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