The dash pad on my 79 F-150 truck is completely cracked and I tried to take it off. So I removed the metal screws along the back edge of the dash pad and tried to lift it off, but it wouldn't budge. It was stuck on the two ends but the middle was loose. Not sure what to do.

There are 2 and each end.... up and underneath

I think there are 6 total. two in the middle and two on each end

I removed 5 screws. 3 in the middle and two on each end. They were all on the top back edge. Couldn't find any other screws. Also, should this dash pad separate from the instrument cluster cover?

They are horiziontal and screw into the side.

If I remember right, you gotta flex it a little to get it out

Dart81 said:

The dash pad on my 79 F-150 truck is completely cracked and I tried to take it off. So I removed the metal screws along the back edge of the dash pad and tried to lift it off, but it wouldn't budge. It was stuck on the two ends but the middle was loose. Not sure what to do.

Click to expand...

If it's never been off before.It has 8 nuts.Configured like below.U might want to pick up a thumb ratchet for the job.

--*---------------*------------------*

--- * ----*--------*-------* ----- *

Just so u realize.U gotta go in behind the gauge cluster and glove box to get to the dash pad nuts,If ur talking the screws on top of the dash those are for taking the WHOLE dash off

O.K. I'll give it a try again. Thanks for the pics and instructions.

If you have not already bought a replacement pad, be careful which one you buy. The more expensive dash pads are not as good as you think. As a matter of fact, no one makes a replacement dash pad that is as good as the original. Even the pads made off the original Ford tooling are cheap. Most have a felt type skeleton instead of a metal skeleton like the original. The studs usually do not line up with the holes in the dash and when you tighten down on the nuts, the studs will tear free from the felt. I have found that the best thing to do is to keep your old dash pad metal skeleton, then buy a new dash pad, take both to a vinyl repair specialist and have them remove the vinyl skin from the new pad and fit it to the old metal skeleton. This cost more but it will be like the original and last longer. This is what I had to do to mine.

I just took an old cracked pad and recovered it with some cheap automotive carpet. It will probably fade in time if exposed to the weather, but a cheap fix anyway.

I've always been a fan of dash covers myself...if this isn't a show rig of course. If you're careful and patient and have a few hours...you can put a dash cover in that 99% of people won't even recognize as a cover instead of a pad. I think JBG has them for under $100...alot cheaper than a new or NOS pad.

Yeah, what X36 said...
http://www.panix.com/~alvinj/file12/dash.jpg
...nuts in the "upper corner" of the dash, where the stainless steel carriage
bolt is, there, to the lower left. Was one behind where the watch is too.

You can have my share of all the NOS and -any other- padded dash...
http://www.panix.com/~alvinj/file12/dash1.jpg
Didn't want it, didn't need it, screw it.

I painted it with Wimbledon White lacquer and it's had a lot of junk rattling
around on it and bouncing up and down on it since then. LOL

I had a black rubber pad for a while, just about cooked everything under the
dash! So switched to black "automotive" carpet from PepBoys but it went
bad in the sun. :/

Just need to try it again. (saved that old stuff to use for patterns tho

I'll repaint it again just before getting a new windshield.

Alvin in AZ

hey alvin...why aren't you sending some of those newbies on the other site to here so i can answer those questions that go unanswered?

if it takes too much force STOP! there are 5-8 weak arse nuts under the dash, put on your yoga shorts and get a wrench and flash light and check. there may also be screws top of the dash near the end of the dash pad(no sure if they hold it in, but better safe than sorry) then it should lift off with no probs, if not double make sure with sight and feel that you got all the nuts from under neath. most of the time you can get a decently colored dash pad from the bone yard and im in Michigan

Mil1ion said:

hey alvin...why aren't you sending some of those newbies on the other site to here so i can answer those questions that go unanswered?

Click to expand...

i sent out messages to my friends list but so far no one new

Do have gumption enough to say in a post ,....." there used to be a guy on here that has a lot of the information you need but he isn't on this site anymore,Maybe look for him on other ford truck sites."?

you called me out, im doing it now, im spammin some threads

ha ha.. you boys gonna git kicked off the othr site.. good work

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