dash removal

[barnhart.isuzu]

I trying to take my dash off. It is in very bad shape and there is a company in my home town that makes dashes and assorted other body parts out of plastic. I've take the instrument cluster out and the glove box out, but the dash still seems tight in place. Has anybody taken a dash out? DOes it pop out or am I missing something else.

BTW if this company can make a dash out of plastic will anybody be interested? They have to make a mold so if I could defray the cost that would be nice. No gaurantees yet, but just wondering.

[JoeIsuzu]

Chad, that's one of the parts that impossible to get new any more. I don't need one (yet) but a lot of people have asked. The folks on the LUVTruck.com forum may also be interested, at least the ones with '81 and '82 LUV trucks.

Jack

[edwright]

If the price is not too bad, I would definitely be interested.

There are quite a few bolts to take out to remove the dash. Take out the glove box. There are bolts under the bottom by each door and there are a couple underneath in the ashtray area. There are big clips on the top of the dash that you can pry apart with a screwdriver from underneath with the glove box, radio, center vents and instrument cluster removed. Those bolts underneath on each end are probably philips screws that for some reason made of very soft metal. I have had to use vice grips to remove every one of them I've seen. You also have to remove the plastic housing around the steering column, 5 or 6 philips screws from underneath the column box. I think the parking brake has to come loose from the dash too if I remember right.

That should get you started good, the top lip you pretty much have to manhandle as it's clipped in there pretty solid. Might even make it more maneuverable if you were to remove the steering wheel...

[JoeIsuzu]

I tried to remove one from a P'up at the local Pull-A-Part yard and I couldn't find those clips. I had only a short time to work, and when I noticed a small crack in the dash, I gave up. But my point is, it's a little harder than I thought.

Jack

[barnhart.isuzu]

Yeah. I've noticed that its going to harder than I thought. I may just cover the dash and concentrate on other issues. Thanks for the input.

[JoeIsuzu]

Just yesterday, there was a vendor on eBay selling dash covers for the '81-'87 P'ups. I'll find it and post in the Parts section. The price looked reasonable, but I think he had less than a dozen available.

Jack

[edwright]

Oh there is no doubt that it's difficult work. plan on 2 hours minimum. But yes, JCWhitney sells a really nice looking carpet cover, I just bought one and installed it on my truck. I am very happy with its appearance, it hides every bit of the cracked dash except for a 1/3 of an inch strip between the instrument cluster and where the top of the dash is. The rest of it wraps around and covers every crack - and one of my pups is VERY cracked... 1 inch gaps.. I'm going to glue mine down with that headliner spray glue after ripping the big chunks off - and I am going to use some real thin plastic like one of those super thin teflon cutting sheets to cover where the large chunks were missing out of the top of it so that the carpet doesnt sink down in the holes. It looks good now, but it will look great after I get it glued down.

Part number 760437. They dont actually list them for the 1981, so I picked the 1986 isuzu pickup and it's the same thing exactly, fits really well.

[Mintys Parts]

Also I might add there is a Phillips screw that is attached to the silver subframe directly above the steering column it is the evil one that you can't figure out why the dash won't come out. You have to unbolt the bottom two bolts from the steering column sometimes I unbolt steering column plate from the firewall. All of the Phillips screws that are on the dashboard aren't normal Phillips screws. Some of them a good hefty Phillips screwdriver might do it but there's the Japanese screwdriver that works really good. The other two main screws that you might not notice are the ones inside the vents on the left and right in the top left corner and the top right corner there's one in each one. Then when you pull the dash away from the defroster steel towards the windshield never stick your hand behind the top part and pull forward one is there's very sharp tabs or back there and secondly you'll crack the dashboard even worse. I usually stick my hand inside the dashboard grab a hold of the section where the divider between the Pinnacle cubby and the center vents would go and give it a good straight in the middle of the seat pull. The tabs will come loose it'll slightly Rock upwards towards the windshield and then you pull it out if you tip it to the left or the right you will crack the section of the top part of the dashboard if it's not already cracked it is not very well supported there. when the dash goes to come out if you have it undone the two black tubes on the left and the right they will be connected to the defroster vent so they just pull off easily. I hope that helped.

[Duaneclark]

I just removed a complete dash, necessary to change the heater core. The tricky part are the hidden screws under the side vents that pop out. I can give more details if anyone wants them.

Once you've done this job it isn't that bad.

[Isuzu Faster]

I just removed a complete dash, necessary to change the heater core. The tricky part are the hidden screws under the side vents that pop out. I can give more details if anyone wants them. Once you've done this job it isn't that bad.

I'd love to hear more about this. Thanks!

[JoeIsuzu]

I just removed a complete dash, necessary to change the heater core. The tricky part are the hidden screws under the side vents that pop out. I can give more details if anyone wants them. Once you've done this job it isn't that bad.

If you ever have to replace it again, removing the dash is completely unnecessary. I've removed one dash (from a salvage yard truck) and would not do that on my truck unless I had to.

Long ago, Jerry (JLEMOND) posted instructions here on how to replace the heater core without removing the dash. I followed his instructions, and had no problems. Mine has A/C -- it would have been even easier with a non-A/C equipped truck.

Jack

[Mintys Parts]

No need to remove dash for heater core replacement. It's easy to do .