Dash removal

[General]

Here's how to remove the dash. Also some photos of the area behind the dash, since many of you modify this area without removing the dash, and you might appreciate a clear look at what's there.
1) 12 or so Torx screws. The passenger grab bar lower bolts require you to hold the nut on the rear, but the others are tapped into the metal.
2) The gauges are simple to remove once the dash is loose. The cigarette lighter 12V requires you to cut the thick shrink wrap on the back side prior to unscrewing the back nut.
3) The dash is steel, with a thick coating, with a foam/rubber border on the back side where it touches the red painted metal.
4) The 8 rocker switches are somewhat difficult to remove, as was discovered previously. I found the easiest way was to grab it with flat channel-lock pliers, then rock it carefully back and forth from the back.
5) Be careful not to break the plastic piece where the steering column goes through the dash. That plastic piece is glued to the metal, but it's very brittle, so don't pry it off. I used a thin metal putty knife (after I broke it), which worked well.
6) Two of the blank switches on the left have wires going into them, but I'm not going to test them. Someone else on the forum has preliminarily looked into that.

 

[Bister]

Those blanks on the left side of the steering with wires going to them are for Roxor (plug and play) accessories. The heater switch goes in the 2nd blank with the wires going to it and the pigtail harness that comes with the heater splices in (plugs in) to the harness up under the right hand side of the dash.

Edit: in your picture of the righthand side of the firewall, there is a dead end set of wires with a grey plug cap on it, that is where the heater plugs into, then the switch on the other side and it all should work.

 

[Bister]

It also suggests in the instructions for the heater install to remove the tabs from the blanks, it makes easier to remove. That line right there just saved me a bunch of cursing and bleeding probably.

 

[Eyellgeteven]

Good to know...I was thinking about moving the headlight switch to one of the blanks on the left side, because about half the time I reach down to flip the lights on/off/high/dim I hit the damned horn button instead. It makes it that much longer I'm blinding an opposing driver with my brights while I honk the horn, lol.

I'm thinking that horn, as Willys as it is, is going to have to go...I've had to honk at people a couple of times now and I just don't think it commands much attention, lol. Besides, my street legal kit I had the dealer install, has a horn button on the end of the signal lever, so I actually have two cute sounding little horns, lol. I can actually blow them both at the same time and it sounds like a European traffic jam, lol.