[Sticky?] How To - Remove Dashboard

9th September 2010, 17:30

Just written a guide for this in the Premium Members section, thought i'd be nice and copy it across for all you cheapo bums out there

Before doing any of the below disconnect for battery, if you've got ahead of yourself and done the first two steps and not disconnected it then wait at least 15 minutes before touching the airbag!

- Remove centre console (stereo out, push buttons out and disconnect, pull heater adjusters off, remove Torx screws 2 in line with the buttons, two under the stereo, one at the bottom, pull free and disconnect looms)

- Remove steering columns trims (two Torx screws underneath column)

- Remove airbag (two Torx screws on the back on the steering wheel, will need to turn 90 degress each way to access them)

- Remove steering wheel (big gold Torx screw under steering wheel, then give it a good tug)

- Remove dial surround (two Torx screws at the top, possibly two at the bottom?)

- Remove dials (three Torx screws, two at the bottom, one at the top, then disconnect loom from the back)

- Remove scuttle panel (two Torx nuts and a cross head screw, nuts are either corner of the windscreen, screw is in the centre of the bulkhead)

- Remove wiper motor cover (more Torx nuts? can't remember? and unclip off the front edge of the bulk head)

- Remove wipe motor (first remove wiper arms (nut on each) and pull off, then unbolt motor assembly (bolt either end and one on the front face of the bulkhead))

- Remove nuts in bulkhead (x3 tucked up under windscreen)

- Remove bolts (x2 one each side of the dash, found in the footweels bolted through the carpet iirc)

- Remove screw (below the lower centre console hole, will need to remove lower centre console for easier access, this is done by removing gearstick gaiter, and if you have them, popping out the electric window switches and disconnecting them, then wriggle the console free)

- Lift dash out (slide it firwards towards the seats until you feel it drop, then ease it forwards and disconnected any additional wiring that is still connected, once the wiring is all free your done! Lift the dash out....happy days!)

Refitting is the reversal of removing as Haynes like to say

If i've missed anything, or anyone has any nut/bolt sizes or pictures to add post them up and i'll amend the list!

James

9th September 2010, 17:32

Get that stickied.

9th September 2010, 17:33

Awesome! This is mine for sunday ftw!
Pics anychance? Would be rad!

Maybe note you might want to dissconnect the battry before playing with the air bag lol.

9th September 2010, 17:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by tonto_VTR

Awesome! This is mine for sunday ftw!
Pics anychance? Would be rad!

Could get pics but my car hasn't got its dash fitted at the moment...

Most if self explanatory once you start, only problem i had as finding the nuts in the scuttle as they are hidden until you peer inside!

James

9th September 2010, 17:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by tonto_VTR

Awesome! This is mine for sunday ftw!
Pics anychance? Would be rad!

Maybe note you might want to dissconnect the battry before playing with the air bag lol.

Forgot that...mines not had a battery on for month's lol update coming now

James

9th September 2010, 17:56

Do you have to take the steering wheel off to remove the dials surround?

9th September 2010, 17:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rudpud

Do you have to take the steering wheel off to remove the dials surround?

No just remove the steering column surrounds

James

9th September 2010, 17:57

This is great. Pics would make it though

9th September 2010, 18:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by Riiko7

This is great. Pics would make it though

Will add pics when i refit my dash...or possibly grab a few from the 1.1...will see if i get a few minutes spare over the weekend

James

9th September 2010, 18:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim-Bob

No just remove the steering column surrounds

James

Nice one, coz ive heard you can get the paper bits for the front. Like buy em? Thinking bout changing mine lol

9th September 2010, 18:07

tempted to do mine on the weekend now!

9th September 2010, 18:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by scholesyy

tempted to do mine on the weekend now!

Haha! Ill be updating sunday! I expect to see you there too!
If i get too frustrated ill take the angle grinder to it!

9th September 2010, 18:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rudpud

Nice one, coz ive heard you can get the paper bits for the front. Like buy em? Thinking bout changing mine lol

Yeh you can get new ones on ebay

Quote:

Originally Posted by scholesyy

tempted to do mine on the weekend now!

Sounds like a massive job but take about 45 minutes if your like me and continuously losing my tools

Quote:

Originally Posted by tonto_VTR

Haha! Ill be updating sunday! I expect to see you there too!
If i get too frustrated ill take the angle grinder to it!

Lots of pics would be great Tonto! (thought you sold your Sax?!)

It's an easy job just time consuming as so many other bits have to be removed for access

James

9th September 2010, 18:23

Was going to but i needex a cheap runner for xmaas! And now im doing an s conversion next year too! So trying to source the new lump!

Ill get as many pics as i can! But will be doing it at work!
If i cant finish it by the end of the day the blow torche will be comming out!

9th September 2010, 18:25

Nice one james, I assume the Fascias just pull off and you pop the other one on?.

I could get 140mph ones and make it so it looks like my 1.1 is going 120 instead of 80 or whatever LOLs.

9th September 2010, 18:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by tonto_VTR

Was going to but i needex a cheap runner for xmaas! And now im doing an s conversion next year too! So trying to source the new lump!

Ill get as many pics as i can! But will be doing it at work!
If i cant finish it by the end of the day the blow torche will be comming out!

Top man! Valver's are awesome!

You could get it done in your lunch break...easy peasy...and no blow torch required!

James

10th September 2010, 14:13

Well cant get the air bag out . . . Torques seen to be rounded, gash!...
Does the steering wheel need to come off to get the dash out! Cant i just work around it?

10th September 2010, 16:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by tonto_VTR

Well cant get the air bag out . . . Torques seen to be rounded, gash!...
Does the steering wheel need to come off to get the dash out! Cant i just work around it?

I think so...may be able to move the dash around the wheel?

If not the extreme thing to do is remove the steering column instead of the wheel before removing the dash...

James

17th November 2010, 21:38

im in the middle of doing my heater matrix- only just managed to get matrix clip of the hose, ive took off

centre console
wiper motor in scuttle
steering wheel is off
dials are out
ive undone 3 bolts in scuttle panel and 2 in car passenger side and drivers side 13mm bolt. also one in the middle of the dash bolted to there floor- i cant see any more bolts but my dash wont move still ?

is there any more hidden bolts you can think of ive missed out ? thanks
only thing i aint took out is indicator sticks or what they called as not to sure how to take them out- do they need to come out ?thanks

10th December 2010, 00:18

I cant find the big gold torx screw thats under the steering wheel?

10th December 2010, 00:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vtralex

I cant find the big gold torx screw thats under the steering wheel?

Have you removed the airbag?

It's impossible to miss, the bolt head is nearly an inch in diameter!

James

10th December 2010, 00:24

Pics is a deffo!!

and good one!

10th December 2010, 00:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dane1

Pics is a deffo!!

and good one!

Will get pics when i finally get round to refitting my dash

James

10th December 2010, 00:26

Excellent...I wanna change my speedo lights....I know how to do it, but would like to know how to do this also!!

would be helpful...

10th December 2010, 00:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dane1

Excellent...I wanna change my speedo lights....I know how to do it, but would like to know how to do this also!!

would be helpful...

Just follow the fifth and sixth steps in post 1, then once the dials are out, remove the clear cover (clips all the way round the outside), then mark on the dials the positions of the needles (where the marks can't be seen when reassembled), remove needles and dial face then change bulbs

I believe the Mk1's had conventional bulbs rather than suface mounted LED's like the Mk2's so should be a fairly easy job (not 100% as i've never had a Mk1)

James

10th December 2010, 00:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim-Bob

Just follow the fifth and sixth steps in post 1, then once the dials are out, remove the clear cover (clips all the way round the outside), then mark on the dials the positions of the needles (where the marks can't be seen when reassembled), remove needles and dial face then change bulbs

I believe the Mk1's had conventional bulbs rather than suface mounted LED's like the Mk2's so should be a fairly easy job (not 100% as i've never had a Mk1)

James

Your more than helpful!!

I shall press the thanks button!!

thanks.

10th December 2010, 00:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dane1

Your more than helpful!!

I shall press the thanks button!!

thanks.

No problem mate

If you have a search around there probably is a guide to changing the bulns in Mk1 dials (never checked but i know theres Mk2 ones about so i guess there the Mk1 equivalents somewhere?)

James

10th December 2010, 00:38

I will have a look mate...