QuestionI (as many others do) have one long crack in my top dash of my Ram 1500 2004 truck. I want to remove, repair and reinstall this top dash piece. This is the top dash part closest to the passengers compartment and not the more forward one near the windshield.
I easily removed the panel surrounding the radio but it appears that I must next remove the panel above the glove compartment to gain access to where I think there are a few screws that secure the top dash (that I'm repairing) in place. I tried to pry off, what I think might be called a passenger air bag cover panel, and it started to come off but I think I've broken off one of the plastic tabs and stopped at this point until I could find out the correct procedure for this and next what I'm guessing is to remove front panel around the gage cluster so as to access the screws securing that portion of the top dash piece I'm removing.
SO... what I would dearly appreciate is some step by step instructions for a person like me, that has never done any thing like this before!!! - That panel above the glove compartment that made me stop really seems to be stuck on and I hesitate to just forcibly "pry" it off knowing it best that I stop and get some advice!
And finally as a side bar can you tell me s source (for the home handyman wannabe) for exterior and interior body shop type procedures - maybe a reasonably priced book or better yet a free or low cost internet source. I'm sure you pros have access to step by steps on everything you do but is there some place someone like me could regularly access for my 2002-2005 Ram 1500 that would show me how replace my front bumper or the cracked glass in the passengers door OR even how to remove a top dash piece!!!!""" - which I'm in a bind to get done as can't very well drive with a missing dash :)
Thanks So Much in advance for any help you might give me,
Melvin
AnswerHi Melvin,
I have the '04 manual on CD and can copy pages from that and send to you as attachments to an email. But to do that I need to know your email address. Tell me that in a follow-up question but don't use the @ symbol but instead us "at", otherwise the address is erased.
I will send 4 pages that describe the instrument panel removal and installation from which I hope you would find what you need to know.
I would prefer to deal with one problem at a time.
Sorry for the delay but I just found your question in the 'pool' to which it had been referred by the other expert, Kevin.
Please 'rate' my answer (see the PS below).
Thanks,
Roland
