My buddy has a leak in his AC and after having it checked, Firestone narrowed it down to the condenser/coil. They quoted $2K to pull the dash and replace a $200 part. Ford quoted $1600. Is this something that we'd be able to tackle in a day if we were to do it on our own?

Thanks

 

Subsribing...I would think so. Question is knowing where to remove pieces so you can get the dash apart.

Center stack is so easy it takes more time to round up the 8mm socket and wrench..but the rest I do not know.

 

Found this write up:


I cannot remember all of the mounting points, but for starters.

1. Pull both the far right and far left vent covers off (the big whole piece). They are simply push clips, pull firmly towards you and they will pop off.

2. Then pull the two outer plastic pieces off, they again are simply pushed straight in, so pull straight back out. (These are the pieces facing the door and are triangle shaped.

3. You should see 3 bolts up and down either side, I believe they are 10mm or 13mm... Remove those three on both sides.

4. In the door jam, there is a rubber covering that hides another bolt to the dash frame, remove that bolt. You have to have the door half open to get at this bolt with a socket and extensions.

5. There is another identicle bolt to the 8 you have already pulled in the drivers side footwell, underneath the center of the dash. Remove that.

6. At the back of your dash there are two more bolts down by the windsheild. There should be two plastic pieces approx 4"x4", you need to remove those plastic pieces, and remove the bolts down back behind there. For this one its easier to hang out the side of your truck and look down from the outside through the windsheild.

That should be all of the anchor bolts for the actual console frame. From there... its all about disconnecting wires as you find them etc.

I think you can leave the steering wheel assembly on, but you have to remove the bolt holding the steering shaft to the steering column under neath the dash, and you also have to remove the bolt holding the gear shift linkage to the steering column.


All plastics are removable on the front of the dash if you would prefer to try to just look in and see if you can fix it.

For instance start with the glove box, there are 4 7mm screws on the bottom, and just pull the top right side of the glove box in to get past the rubber stopper.

Look up in that hole, thats the airbag. There are 4 I think 10mm bolts holding the airbag in. Just remove those four bolts and pull the whole airbag assembly out and disconnect the electrical connection.


It's not too bad, just remember...you don't have to be smart to be an assembly line worker, all the parts go together easy...and come apart easy.

 

Interesting. Wonder how accurate that is..you willl have to report back

 

RM, you are now in deep dodo with the UAW.