smtippin

Hey all, I'm kinda stuck here.
As I was getting ready to pull the dash trim to secure the stereo the PO just set in the slot with the wires coming out the front (), I noticed that the steering column on my 96 was in the way. I read a post or two about how it had to be pulled, so I thought nothing of it until I couldn't figure out how to remove it. There is one torx screw readily accessible and what looks to be two others deep in the column housing that are plugged. How in the world do I get this off to pull the dash trim? Argh. I wanted this dealt with today.

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crashzx6r

i jut yank mine out....it feels like it will break but you can tell where to pull from

76ANTHONY

in mine there are 2 screws above the cluster and the rest are just pull out fasteners.

crashzx6r

oh did you mean from start.....two above steering wheelthen one by headlight switch...and one by dummy lights then yank it out

95greenxj

take the torx screws out of the steering column covers... i believe they are t20's..... then itll come right out.

i had to do it too install a switch

smtippin

Thanks for the replies Crash & Anthony. I guess maybe I wasn't clear. I have the trim free from the dash, it is just that it is hung up on the steering wheel column and I can't free it without busting it, I think .

But, it seems like you're telling me that the trim will flex and not break on me. I'll give it a shot and be careful. Hopefully that is all I need. We'll see.

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smtippin

The 2 deep torx screws have a cover protecting them from being backed out. I have no way to pull them since I can't pop the cover out due to the depth the screws are set in at...at least how I'm looking at it.

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Southern96xj

I've had my dash trim out 3 times. Just be careful when pulling, you can tell where to pull from and it should pop right out. You might think it will break, but it won't.

95greenxj

theres a cover? do u see the access holes for them? or is that where they r covered? mine are wide open and i just stick my torx screw driver up there

smtippin

Yeah, it is pissin me off too. I can get the torx bit up the deep access holes, but the screw seems to have some cover over each. It is like a cap to cover the torx so a bit won't be able to back it out. It looks factory too. I was wondering whether it was some kind of anti-hotwire crap, but that makes no sense since the shroud is plastic anyways. Argh. Son of a...

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95greenxj

are u sure?? did u look up there with a flashlight? maybe u have the wrong size torx?

smtippin

Thank you, but I'm not the type of guy who calls tech support becaue my computer won't work only to be told to turn my computer on, if you know what I mean.

Yes I am sure and yes I did look up with a flashlight and there is no way to get a torx to back out the screws. I can tell by your post that this is odd and I definitely agree. I don't know if this is a safety issue (lame anti-theft for hotwiring, or maybe it is a method to ensure people don't just start banging away on their steering column without shutting off their airbag. I don't know. All I know is that I've got to rethink this.

okcjeeper

Well on my 91 there were 4 screws 2 at the top behind the steering wheel, 2 down on the bottom by the light switch and another switch to the right. THen I just slid it out and finessed it abit till it came out. There was also a small oval piece below I had to remove as well. Also had to till the steering wheel all the way down. Anyways that's what I did and had no issues.

95greenxj

lol.. yes i know what u mean!.. that is def odd. I guess you will just have pull it out like the other guys said. I would worry about it breaking, but they say it wont so i dunno.

okcjeeper

Yeah I thought I was going to break mine but it didn't break. What year model is your smtippin?