Advice on Removing Dash Facia on non-tilt column shift MJ?

[phenryiv1]

I have removed the black plastic dash facia on XJs and MJs at least 100 times, but I am used to the tilt column and a manual transmission.

 

About 10 years ago, I installed a CD player in the no-tilt column-shift MJ that I just bought (my father owned it at the time). I had no trouble with the removal of the facia. I took out the screws, turned on the truck, dropped the column shift into 1-2, shut off the truck, and gently worked the facia out of the truck. I installed the stereo and re-intalled everything. Then about 2 years ago, the CD player died and I repeated the process, using a cheap tape deck that I had sitting around. Again- no problems.

 

Fast forward to yesterday. I have a new CD player to install, a factory fog light switch, new (smooth) 94 XJ facia, and a 3/4 gauge cluster that I want to install, so I started by removing the old textured dash facia- and CRACKED it!

 

I went through the same process as in the past, but this time it broke. Since I have the 94 facia that I wanted to install, this is not a huge deal, but I really don't want to damage the 94 facia when I install it.

 

Is there a trick to pulling and reinstalling the dash facia on the non-tilt column-shift MJs? Is it possible to easily lower the steering column to make the whole process more simple?

 

Thanks!

[mfpdm]

Only trick I know is take your time and not force it. However, you can loosen the two 15MM bolts on the bottom side of the column to give you about a 1/2 to 1 inch more room. Just be carefull not to pull down on the column too much as it will bend the flange where it mounts to the firewall.

 

:cheers:

[comanche5L]

when i remove it, i always pull the bottom out first, let it slide up the collum a few inches, then i pull the top out. never had any breakage doing it like this before. It is tight, and to put it in i do the exact opposite.

[phenryiv1]

Thanks for the tips.

 

Like I said, I have removed it before without issue, but this time I must have pried too hard. Maybe it was overconfidence.