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Dash & Trim Removal

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The first step to your customizing your interior dash and trim parts is to remove them so that you can send them in to Craft Customs for adding woodgrain or other finishing.

Obviously, there are so many different vehicles, and each one has its own way of removing parts, that there is no way for us to provide instructions for each.  So, you will need to use some creativity in finding the instructions for removing your parts.  Following are two ways to find those instructions:

1.  Visit your local auto parts store and buy the Chilton's or Haynes manual for your vehicle.  Here you will find most of the instructions you will be looking for.  Even if they don't list the exact instruction for removing the part you want to remove, many times they will have the details of how to remove your parts within another instruction that requires your part to be removed in the process.  If you can't find that detail, then look for instructions for a similar part.  A particular vehicle will tend to use the same attachment methods for parts throughout the vehicle.

2.  You can search on Google or another search engine for directions.  For example, searching for how to remove a door panel for a 2005 suburban, simply enter something like "how to remove 05 suburban door panel" into the search box.  We have included a search box below that will search the entire web for your question.  Again each part in each vehicle is going to be a little bit different.  In the search results, however, if you can't find exact instructions for your year of vehicle, you can find similar instructions for another part in your vehicle, another year of your vehicle or another vehicle with similar parts, and use those instructions to have a general idea of how to remove your parts.


Search the Entire Web

 

Following are steps that we found when we searched for "how to remove 05 suburban door panel".  Our example was found at www.bodyshopzone.com.  These steps are provided as an example of generally what is involved in removing interior parts. 

 

Start:

I found two hidden seven millimeter screws and five accessories that held the door panel in place on this 2002 Chevrolet Suburban.

First I roll the window down.

 

The first accessory to remove was the interior door lock.

To get this part off, I pried on the plastic trim ring and gave it a slight forward push

 

Later, when I replace this part, I will align the bent rod end to go into the center hole of the door lock assembly.

 

I pried upward on the electrical control panel from the outer edge.

 

Once the wires were exposed, I pushed in the white tab (red arrow) with a small screwdriver and pulled out the wiring harness on the end.

 

I pressed on the tab (red arrow) and pulled the other two wires.

 

Then I removed the seven millimeter screw hidden behind the control panel.

 

I found the second screw was hidden under armrest pull handle.

 

Then I removed the cover around  the inside latch area by prying the end upward.

 

Now I maneuvered the cover around and off the handle.

 

Dealing With The Side-View Mirror:

By prying at the top end of the side view mirror cover, I unsnapped the clips and removed it in an upward direction.

 

If you only need to remove the mirror, then remove the sponge to expose the mirror area. 

 

The arrows point to three 10mm nuts holding the side view mirror the door. But first disconnect the wiring harness... just pull the tab outward and pull apart.

 

Reflector Lamp:

I removed the reflector lamp by prying with a prying tool or small screw driver. There are notches in the rim of the lamp for prying on.

 

Then I disconnected the wire by pulling on the release tab and pulling the wire out.

 

Ready To Remove:

Then I lifted the panel upward and pulled it away from the metal door shell.

 

The door was exposed with just the dust cover on, I carefully removed this plastic cover.

 

On this job I removed the mirror, glass, speaker and outside door handle in order to replace the outer door skin, which is a major job.

 

Back View:

The arrows show the hook clips on the back side of the plastic door panel,