LOST JEEPS
http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/

Who has ripped out their dashboard before?
http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=88&t=88870		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  lfhoward [ Mon Jun 11, 2018 2:45 pm ]
Post subject:  Who has ripped out their dashboard before?
Wondering how difficult of a job this is. I know it has to be done for a heater core or an evaporator core replacement. In my case, it looks like the gears on the flap of the air distribution box are toast, and the distribution box is the part that the heater core lives in. It’s #8 in this diagram:

Image

https://www.factorymoparparts.com/auto-parts/2008/jeep/liberty/sport-trim/3-7l-v6-gas-engine/hvac-cat/evaporator-and-heater-components-scat

Broken mode door gears:
Image

It looks like a bear of a job, and it would require draining the refrigerant from the AC system as well as disconnecting the heater core. Here is the best YouTube video I’ve found that documents the process.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-6qfLs1ge5Q

Hoping to hear from anyone who has been through it.
Author:  tjkj2002 [ Thu Jun 14, 2018 12:01 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Who has ripped out their dashboard before?
I've done a few at work,not bad but yeah 1st time doing expect a whole day job at least without power tools.
Author:  ajohns1288 [ Thu Jun 21, 2018 7:53 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Who has ripped out their dashboard before?
I fixed the exact same issue without evac'ing the AC. There's enough room to get the air distribution box (part 8) out without removing the whole box. Still need to disconnect heater hoses though.

You can remove all the trim and center console and still be able to drive, that way there's less work to do on the weekend.
Author:  lfhoward [ Thu Jun 21, 2018 10:47 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Who has ripped out their dashboard before?
ajohns1288 wrote:
I fixed the exact same issue without evac'ing the AC. There's enough room to get the air distribution box (part 8) out without removing the whole box. Still need to disconnect heater hoses though.

You can remove all the trim and center console and still be able to drive, that way there's less work to do on the weekend.

So you replaced the mode door flap & gears without having to remove and replace the whole distribution box? Do you have a part number for the gears/flap? Or maybe I am misunderstanding the part in bold above.

Another question I have is did you need to remove the steering wheel and clockspring? Just had that fixed and would love not to mess it up in the process. Good to know you didn’t have to evacuate the ac to do this job.

Any other tips/things I should know? Are you glad you did it or would you have a shop do it in retrospect?

Thanks!
Lauren
Author:  lfhoward [ Thu Jun 21, 2018 11:03 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Who has ripped out their dashboard before?
ajohns1288, I just found your awesome how-to writeup. Thanks for making this and keeping the links to the photos working!

http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=104&t=84546
Author:  lfhoward [ Sat Jul 07, 2018 3:14 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Who has ripped out their dashboard before?
I’m about to order parts to do this repair.

68004022AA air distribution box $179
68003995AA seal kit $27

If it were you, would you replace the heater core when you have it all apart? My heater core is the original 2008 unit, but it has had zero problems so far. That would add another $96. Its 68003993AA for future reference.
Author:  12Liberty [ Mon Oct 08, 2018 4:09 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Who has ripped out their dashboard before?
Took me 10 hours for heater core replacement. I was physically done after this job lol

Does your heat blow hot and is the hot temp the same on both sides?


IF you do decide to take the dash out, I took the whole column out with the steering wheel/air bag attached. It was way easier than trying to re-align everything and mess with the clock spring.
Author:  lfhoward [ Mon Oct 08, 2018 5:10 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Who has ripped out their dashboard before?
12Liberty wrote:
Took me 10 hours for heater core replacement. I was physically done after this job lol
NICE JOB!!


Does your heat blow hot and is the hot temp the same on both sides?
It does and it is nice and even.

IF you do decide to take the dash out, I took the whole column out with the steering wheel/air bag attached. It was way easier than trying to re-align everything and mess with the clock spring.


Good deal. I ended up removing the steeeing wheel but not the column. It was hard because there was loctite on the steering wheel splines and it didn’t want to come off. Photos from my dash surgery are on here: http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=104&t=82363
Author:  JoeysDad [ Mon Sep 09, 2019 7:58 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Who has ripped out their dashboard before?
I realize that this thread is now old, but I really want to express my appreciation to the people that contributed.
Especially lfhoward and ajohns1288 (previous thread viewtopic.php?f=104&t=84546).

I'm just finishing up replacing my Distribution Box on my wife's 2012 KK. It got stuck on defrost-only last Spring.
At the time, I diagnosed the problem and found stripped gears on the mode-door mechanism.
I forced the mode doors to the "Upper-Vent"-only position, and removed the gears that move the doors.
The blend door still worked fine. The actuators appeared to be OK.

As cooler weather approaches, I decided to go for it since she'll probably want to have a defroster when ice and snow arrive.

If not for this thread, and the other one I mentioned, I would have had a much more difficult time doing the job.
I have the "Service DVD" but it's very sketchy, and has a few errors, and lots of omissions.

Also, I would like to add a few things that I learned from doing this ugly job that may help the next victim that tackles it.
Not sure if this is the best place to post them vs the other thread.

I guess I'll post them to the other thread, viewtopic.php?f=104&t=84546
since it seems to be a little more comprehensive. So anyone seeing this, check out my additional posts there.

Thanks again.
Author:  lfhoward [ Mon Sep 09, 2019 11:23 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Who has ripped out their dashboard before?
Nice work, JoeysDad! It takes some serious guts to tear into the dashboard of a vehicle! I’ll be interested to read about additional pointers/tips to make this job go easier for the next person. Thanks for saying thanks! It’s nice to know the work of taking photos and making the write up was worth it.
Page 1 of 1 All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]
Powered by phpBB © 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007 phpBB Group
http://www.phpbb.com/