Swapping Dash Pads - Help Please

News:

  • Home
  • Help
  • Chat
  • Login
  • Register

    • « previous next »
    Pages: [1] 2

    Author Topic: Swapping Dash Pads - Help Please  (Read 1661 times)

    Offline longgone

    • Jr. Member
    • **
    • Posts: 184
    Swapping Dash Pads - Help Please
    « on: September 06, 2008 - 08:54:08 AM »
    So I just got my new Dashpad from Nicks Classic Parts group buy (Ultimate Rides Pad) and finally have found a weekend with some time.  BTW, the pad looks great.  Sunday, I'd like to set on a journey to swap out my dashpad.  I'd appreciate any help you guys/gals could share...

    Few questions:
    Do i have to pull out the metal dash frame to swap out the dash pad?
    What am I in for?  A 2 hour job or 20 hour?
    Any special tools involved?
    Any recommended steps or process I should go through?
    Will I loose fingers and knuckles in the proces?  hehe...

    I'm looking at the studs on the bottom of the new one and all of them look pretty easy to get to other than the ones up at the windshield and right in front of the vents.  I did some searching before posting this and found some articles but I was confused on if they were talking about a whole dash swap or just the pad.  They mentioned bolts inside the vent slots, which from the looks of the pad would have to do with the whole dash and not just the pad.  That is what led me to the question about the whole dash or just the pad.  Any help you all can provide prior to me starting will be worth it's weight in gold, i'm sure.  I'm trying to get this thing ready so I can cruise to the Grand Rod Run in Pigeon Forge TN next weekend.

    Thanks,
    Blueglow
    Logged


    sleepychallenger

    • Guest
    Re: Swapping Dash Pads - Help Please
    « Reply #1 on: September 06, 2008 - 09:33:05 AM »
    good questions. i will need this later on.  :popcorn:
    Logged

    Offline troutstreamnm

    • Sr. Member
    • ****
    • Posts: 1190
    Re: Swapping Dash Pads - Help Please
    « Reply #2 on: September 06, 2008 - 09:42:12 AM »
    Blueglo,  probably the best way, is to install the dash pad on the frame is outside the car and then reinstall.  Trying to remove and install one with all the dash components (wiring, gauges, vents, steering colunm, and even the windshield) in place may be very difficult if not impossible.  Not sure you could get the nuts off the studs along the windsheild.  I replaced mine when the dash frame was in the car, but stripped clean and I still could not reach the stud in the center of the pad with the frame in place.  This is no two hour job...at least for a weekend warrior like me!  :eek4:
    Logged
    08 SRT-8 Challenger
    71 GA4 Challenger
    70 FK5 Charger 500

    Offline thedodgeboys

    • Resident
    • *****
    • Posts: 3633
    • ''Normal’s Overrated''
      • THE DODGE BOYS
    Re: Swapping Dash Pads - Help Please
    « Reply #3 on: September 06, 2008 - 09:55:04 AM »
     :iagree:
    Start first thing in the morning pull the dash it will be less complicated and you may finish before night falls.   INHO...
    Working around the heater box is near imposable and do you have an AC car?
    Logged
    Go Fast & Have Fun...
    70 6.1 HEMI 6-speed Drop Top...

    Offline 73Chally

    • Resident
    • *****
    • Posts: 2381
    Re: Swapping Dash Pads - Help Please
    « Reply #4 on: September 06, 2008 - 10:05:06 AM »
     :iagree: with what has been said above, and you can figure on at least 8 - 10 hours if all goes smoothly.  You might just want to figure on a full weekend.  Use Saturday to pull the one out of the car and swap the components, then Sunday to put it back together.
    Logged

    Offline MoparCar

    • Full Member
    • ***
    • Posts: 611
    Re: Swapping Dash Pads - Help Please
    « Reply #5 on: September 06, 2008 - 10:24:26 AM »
    While you have it out and swapping the parts, check the fit of the pad and the lower corner hard trim pieces. The ultimate rides dashes many times need some shaping and work in these areas. It would be a lot easier out of the car. My UR pad is quite a bit thick in those areas and will need some work when it comes to the install.

    Wes

    Logged

    Offline IMNCARN82

    • Resident
    • *****
    • Posts: 3547
    • LeDZeP
    Re: Swapping Dash Pads - Help Please
    « Reply #6 on: September 06, 2008 - 10:29:45 AM »
    My dash was squeaking really bad. The bolts in the defroster vents were loose. I tightened them up no problem,Squeak is gone.   I thought they would have been harder to get at. A knuckle with a few extension options helped get in there. I didn't have  the 1/4" stuff needed,Might have made it easier. I've been looking around under there.Seeing if I could do it in the car.   I got no heater or vents in. Lots more room that way.   Let us know how it goes Al. :popcorn:   Can't believe I forgot about that group buy! :banghead:    
    Logged
    '73 340 5 speed,RMS,BAER,... "Supercuda" (O[   ]||||[   ]O)  
    '69 Dodge Charger 383,Auto                  (OiiiiiiiiiiIiiiiiiiiiiO)
    13' Challenger R/T BlacktoP  6spd. (OO________OO)
    71' Demon
    75' Duster
    87' Conquest TSI
    56' Plaza
    Boulder CO
    Robert    "cuda bob"

    Offline RaptorF229

    • Full Member
    • ***
    • Posts: 599
    • A work in Progress
    Re: Swapping Dash Pads - Help Please
    « Reply #7 on: September 06, 2008 - 11:11:06 AM »
    take lots of pictures and let us know how you do it. My UR pad has been sitting and waiting to go in for a few months.
    Logged

    Offline longgone

    • Jr. Member
    • **
    • Posts: 184
    Re: Swapping Dash Pads - Help Please
    « Reply #8 on: September 06, 2008 - 11:18:19 AM »
    Ok, so this probably isn't going to happen this weekend then.  Maybe when Winter rolls around...

    Unless there is someone in NC who would like to take it on sometime for $$$.  That seems easier to come by for me than whole weekends for project like this, unfortunatley... 
    Blueglow
    Logged

    Offline MEK-Dangerfield

    • C-C.com Expert
    • ********
    • Posts: 20946
    • I don't get NO respect! Member since 1/25/2002
    Re: Swapping Dash Pads - Help Please
    « Reply #9 on: September 06, 2008 - 01:04:14 PM »
    I swapped dashpads while leaving the dashframe attached. I'll guess it was at least an 8 hour job, probably more. I had to take out the gauges, ashtray assembly, and glove box liner to get at the speed nuts. It was no day at the beach.   :pullinghair:  Maybe taking out the whole dashframe is easier?   :dunno:


       Mike
    Logged

    Mike

    1970 Challenger - SOLD
    2016 SXT+.  1 of 524 SXT+'s in Plumb-crazy for 2016.

    Offline wally426ci

    • Sr. Resident
    • ******
    • Posts: 5095
      • maryland mopars
    Re: Swapping Dash Pads - Help Please
    « Reply #10 on: September 06, 2008 - 04:34:21 PM »
     :popcorn:
    Logged
    {OOI====I====IOO}
          '71 Challenger
          [O[]=====[]O]
          '68 D100

    Alaskan_TA

    • Guest
    Re: Swapping Dash Pads - Help Please
    « Reply #11 on: September 07, 2008 - 10:25:23 PM »
    .
    Logged

    Offline longgone

    • Jr. Member
    • **
    • Posts: 184
    Re: Swapping Dash Pads - Help Please
    « Reply #12 on: September 07, 2008 - 11:13:25 PM »
    Have you tried it just the way that paper says?
    Just curious as to the results?
    Blueglow
    Logged

    Alaskan_TA

    • Guest
    Re: Swapping Dash Pads - Help Please
    « Reply #13 on: September 07, 2008 - 11:36:58 PM »
    I have never had any reason to try it.

    Those are the factory instructions from the 1970 passenger car highlights book for training the service personnel though if that helps.
    Logged

    Offline Chryco Psycho

    • Administrator
    • C-C.com Guru
    • *****
    • Posts: 36620
    • 70 Challenger R/T SE 70 tube Chassis Cuda now sold
    Re: Swapping Dash Pads - Help Please
    « Reply #14 on: September 07, 2008 - 11:51:56 PM »
    I`ll do it for you  :2thumbs:
    Logged

    Challenger - You`ll wish You Hadn`t
    Pages: [1] 2
    « previous next »