bodumatau Posted February 4, 2015 Share Posted February 4, 2015 greetings all.. I feel a little silly asking this but can anyone give me some tips how best to remove a defender dash completely. I have a 1983 110 V8 which I am busy restoring and need to re-cover my dash top and bottom (some EEJET covered it with porno beige pseudo leather at some point..) I would like to reposition my steering wheel a little (I have the old V8 wheel and keep smacking my big mits on the window locking wheel) I need to have complete access to my wiring loom as my current one is........ "creative" any tips on where to start, what NOT to do, what I should try and fix when it is all open. any info would be apreciated thanks Heiko Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverik Posted February 4, 2015 Share Posted February 4, 2015 Hi heiko, to be honest the dash is quite easy and self explanatory to remove, there are a few fiddly out the way screws so if something doesn't want to come off, check again for those hiding screws. I'd also reccomend you have a piece of cardboard ready to stick all the screws through to keep safe, also allows you to write a reminder note as to where they all came from, you'll probably find if your truck has been tampered with is that some of the fixing screws have already been lost, but you'll get then hang of how it comes off quick enough. To start you off this is the order of removal of the big bits. Remove instrument console Remove right hand heater control cover Remove left hand grab handle Remove dash top Instrument console housing Black Lowe dash finishing strip Gray backing piece Wiper motor box end (lower dash) Lower lash main part can now be removed. Those are the main steps I think in rough order, but like I said, it will become apparent when you start taking apart. Mav Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frax Posted February 4, 2015 Share Posted February 4, 2015 Be ready to see the inside of your bulkhead it will be a good time to clean up and paint any bad bits. You will also be able to see your heater flaps - well some of them + heater ducting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulnb57 Posted February 4, 2015 Share Posted February 4, 2015 Label ALL the wiring connections (or photograph them) if you remove the clocks etc, DO NOT rely on memory, ask me how I know Its all pretty straightforward really..... Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave W Posted February 4, 2015 Share Posted February 4, 2015 If you're planning on removing the windscreen (you should do if you're restoring it) and haven't done so yet - remove the windscreen first, it'll make removing the top part of the dash a LOT easier as you can get to the screws that hold it on from above then. Other than that, as has been said, it's pretty straight forward. Remove the instrument cluster, remove the two end plates (Passenger side with the grab handle can be a pain to persuade to get out of the way, main screw on that side is the only "hidden" one, underneath the plastic Land Rover oval). Remove the top panel and then the bottom, not forgetting to release the heater control bowden cables from the heater unit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bodumatau Posted February 5, 2015 Author Share Posted February 5, 2015 thanks Guys, it is indeed the little tips that make it all easier. will post again when I get round to doing it.... at -10 in my garage it is not much fun at the moment..... :-( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 Is it just the bottom that you want out, or the top too? The bottom is only secured by the screws around the edge and two bolts into bulkhead captive nuts on the top edge of the parcel shelf, but to get at those you need to remove the mid facia trim that covers the vent flaps. That is made easier by removing the top. The bottom dash needs to be disconnected fromt he heater controls and the wiring to the three switches above the knee (and loudspeakers, if fitted). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anderzander Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 My tip is have a piece of cardboard that you can push the screws into as you remove them - I put them in the pattern they come out so I'm certain of where they go back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 might be a good move to have the parts book nearby, 1 to give you a picture of the dash parts, 2 just in case you loose or break anything, our own retroanaconda has 110 parts books on his website http://www.retroanaconda.com/landrover/2010/02/land-rover-defender-110-parts-book/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matfield Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 Also, be wary of the plastic connector on the end of the speedo drive cable, its almost impossible to see properly and there is a knack to getting it out. It won't twist off, there are two push tabs either side, squeeze these together towards the cable, and I'd found that pushing the cable in towards the speedo (the opposite way you want it to go) while squeezing these tabs, and then pulling it out makes it a lot easier. I tried to find a pic online but they're all rubbish. Hope that helps Mat 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bodumatau Posted February 8, 2015 Author Share Posted February 8, 2015 Thanks all, These tips will certainly make my life easier Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bodumatau Posted March 19, 2015 Author Share Posted March 19, 2015 the cardboard screw holder idea is the business!! thanks for the tip, took all the bits apart yesterday to find quite a scary and dangerous array of live, unfused uninsulated spare wires lurking about and taking welding lessons on any unsuspecting bare metal bits.... and this is in a '83 110 where the live comes from a fat wire directly off the starter motor feed. (shudder) but the real cause of my Elektrickery problems was my flasher, it shorts at the slightest pressure from one side, so when I hit a bump or went around a right bend with some pace it would move and cause a short, so have ordered a new flasher. lets see now if that is the only problem.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bodumatau Posted March 21, 2015 Author Share Posted March 21, 2015 Has anyone got some pics of how the wiring loom should run behind the dash/heater box thingy? My loom comes up behind the heater box and runs under the parcel tray to the instrument cluster resulting in a parcel tray that isn't flat. Is it supposed to go out into the engine bay and back in behind the instruments? Can't be? Confused.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anderzander Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 Only just seen your previous post - glad the cardboard tip helped As for the loom - I don't have your model but my early Td5 loom came in by the heater and then ran along in the plastic channel - branching down to the fuse panel and on to the dashboard. It was also a fiddle to get it to lie flat. It was doable though ... If yours has been fiddled with it may take some re-shaping and re-taping to get it to sit in the channel properly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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