dash removal

[09autotech]

ok i removed the dash out from my 98 silverado 1500. it had cracked from the sun so i took it out not knowing wut i was doing took about hour and a half to do...i fiberglassed it and in the process of getting it smooth and finding a color i wanna paint it, then i gotta re-install it..anyway i looked on this website and on google for a how-to but couldnt find one for dash removal and re-installing..any help or suggtions would be nice...i can do it on my own but it'll take longer..lol thanks

[jimmy_dong]

usually reinstalling something is the reverse of how you took it out.

[Hodges87]

Take pics when you reinstall it please! I have to change my evaporator sooner or later and any pic's will be appreciated.

[09autotech]

ya i understand that it's reverse of taking it out but just wanted to see if there were any trick's to it cause it's a pain to takle something like this when it's your first time doing it...i also need to glass ans smooth my door panel and paint, and i just picked up a 5/7 drop kit im going to install...

[09autotech]

Take pics when you reinstall it please! I have to change my evaporator sooner or later and any pic's will be appreciated.

i'll take pic's why do you need to change it out??

[Hodges87]

The previous owner stripped the nut that goes to the drier. In the future when I service my a/c I plan on replacing it.

[chevy_man81]

could you take some pics of your fiberglass work? I've been thinking of doing this on my 88 dash.

[Sittinlow89]

pics...

[09autotech]

will post pic's asap iv had no time to work on it since i took it out

[Sinister C3]

Did you notice how it hinged on the 2 studs on the side? Just set the dash on those studs and let it hang while you hook up all the electrical and then swing it up into place. Easy..

[09autotech]

eaiser said than done..lol

[09autotech]

ok im going to get back to my project and wondering if i should glass the dash cause it is cracked or if i should just buy a whole different dash...id rather buy a different dash but cant find one at the junk yard or anywhere online...and glassin it is going to be a biT#$

[Hodges87]

I would try another yard in a different town, you will save a bunch of money getting it at a yard compared to glassin it

[09autotech]

i already have all the stuff to do the glass work cause i work on boat's but it's just the time issue

[Hodges87]

Why don't you get a dash from a yard and glass it when time allows. After its complete just swap it out, so your truck isn't down for to long.

A glassed dash would be worth it! IMO

[09autotech]

i already removed the dash and truck has been sitting i drive my s-10 while im s l o w l y working on this one, just need to get the dash done and back in before i forget where all the bolt's and screws go..it's a pain in da azz

[heavrolet9894]

Did you ever finish the dash? I'm pulling mine in the morning to do some crack repairs, smooth it out, and paint it. Just curious.

[09autotech]

i just bought a used dash from my buddy...if i had to do this again i would not remove the dash, if you can just glass,smooth, and paint it while it's installed...i had a small hole and some small cracks on my dash and i thought it would be fine, i'll just take it out and glass it right....nope not right, after i finally got all the screws,nut's and wires unplugged and out i was ready to remove the dash, so that's wut i did...i had my buddy help and as soon as it came out it fell apart, cracked and just commited suicide..beyound fixable..sucks' man, not fun..

[heavrolet9894]

I have already started pulling my dash and I have it all loose and just hanging there on the column and I can't seem to figure out how to get it out. I remove the one screw that I saw holding the duct work and popped the ducts off of the back side of the dash so I could get all of the wires out but I can't get the ducts out from behind the dash to expose the wires. I removed the bar from under the column but there is a black plates on each side of the column that seem like they are going to be in the way. None of the post I've read have said anything about having to remove them. Did you? I'm pulling it out to repair some cracks and paint it and every little movement makes the whole dash pop and creak and I'm scared that its going to break apart. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[09autotech]

lol same way i did it i feel like we gonna know wut were doing after we complete this task...same way i did it just, and the cracks and pops too...ok there are screws on the duct and yes take them off.. ok when you pulled the gauges out there are little tabs that you have to cut and push out of the hole's, those are holding the main wiring harness to the back of dash, the main thing is to unplugg all the wire's cause that is what keep it from coming out...and yes remove the black plate..i removed everything i thought need to be removed except the steering wheel..it's actually easy to remove after you get all the wiring loose..i cant wait to install it..yaaaaa, how you gonna go bout smooth'in it and what color you gonna paint it??? p.s just take you time be patient or you will crack the dash in half... post pic's if yu can and ima tkae some tomorrow and show everyone what happens when a dash rot's...if you have anymore question i'll go out to my truck and look around tell you what's where