I have searched the forum for this topic and found zero results. My understanding is that dodge had a real problem with the dashes cracking and falling apart. I am a 2 time victim of this problem. Luckily the first time it happened the truck was under warranty and I was able to get it replaced for free. However the technician that did the work skipped a couple steps by not bolting everything together properly. Which is obvious now that the second dash has fallen apart and I can see where the screws that were supposed to mount the defroster vents to the dash were not reinstalled. So in all actuality I have no idea how much more was left completely loose and not correctly reinstalled. This time around I plan to do the work myself. When I find something that was not done correctly like the missing bolts I will replace them. But due to this shoddy work not only has the top of the dash fallen apart but so has the bottom portion.

My question that I pose to you guys is simple. Does anybody know of an illustrated guide to pulling this dash apart?

I'm fully capable of doing it without one if it doesn't exist. However I know it'll go a lot quicker with one than it would without it. I can snap enough pics on the tear down to be able to put it back together but then again since there has already been another set of hands go thru my dash there might be something left undone that I might not realize. So to avoid that possibility I come to you guys!

So, how bout it, does anyone know of an illustrated guide to pulling these dashes apart?

I have the chiltons manual as well as the factory manual for the 01 rams but I don't see any pics in them either!

 

Unfortunately, that is one thing I've never found a good write up on. I've done it 3 times though. But that is not going to help you.

 

Best I could find.... I KNOW there has to be several DIY's out there in the world though...

http://www.********.com/f77/upper-da...replaced-3655/

erm, why is that link censored???? Am I missing something significant here?

 

Yea, a conflict with DF. Just add spaces between.

 

Ah, ok, the censored part there would be dodge talk, all one word.

 

Hey just did this same thing last winter. I did not find one single description of an instalation or removal of a dashboard. Heres what I had to do. Tore apart the dash my self by taking each step at a time. The hardest part is removing the screws that hold the dash to the heater vents. These must have been istalled without the windshield on during assembley. Had to take a dremel tool and cut them from underneath the dash by reaching in through the removed instrument cluster.
I hope you have better luck but I was unable to re attach the vents to the new dash. There has not been an issue, however I like things to be the same when replaced and you can tell the aftermarket dash is not exactly the same. I do not know if the factory replacement dash is any better but it sure is alot more expensive. I got my replacement for 299.00$ Dodge wanted 900.00$ for the factory replacement.
Good luck on the dash job. Its a shame dodge didn't put as much thought into the interior as they did into the powertrain.
If you need more info or help, send me a line.

 

Wait did you get an actual dash for 300?!?? All I got for that price was a stupid cap

 

http://www.genosgarage.com/prodinfo.asp?number=DRD8-1

 

Damn I should have bought that. I paid 300 for some thin cap and bevel (I think it's called)

 

The dash that you linked us Zman17 says that trimming is required to make it fit. This one says it fits is color matched as well as being less expensive plus they have optional Reinforcement brackets available.

http://www.lmctruck.com/icatalog/de/full.aspx?Page=93

My old dash fell completely apart and so the screws that hold the vents to the dash will not be an issue since I will be removing the hole thing from the cab so that I can also replace my evaporator. Unless there is an easier way to remove the air box that I'm unaware of. I suppose when I get ready to do the work I'll have to document it for posterity lol with the exception of actually removing the old dash. Since again mine has crumbled.

The bottom half of my dash is unfortunately falling apart as well. By bottom I'm referring to the part that all of the switches and vents as well as gauges and the glove box and and and.... You get the point lol the piece that everything else snaps on to, to make the dash look pretty. LMC Trucks has the black bezel that goes around the instrument cluster for a price I can live with. But I'm not finding anything on the bottom half of the dash (their web page just quit working as I was typing this up so it won't let me look for the bottom half lol). Anybody else out there found a good deal on the bottom piece?


As far as the dash removal illustrated guide goes I did just find this when researching the evaporator replacement:

https://dodgeforum.com/forum/2nd-gen...placement.html

It's a long thread but it is a good one for those in need of replacing the evaporator core or the heater core. And since removal of the dash allows access to those as well as to being able to access the bolts that hold the vents to the new dashboard I think it's a pretty good start for an illustrated guide to replacing the dashboard.