98-02 Dodge dash replacement 

OK, so I did mine today. I will go further into this then the OP did, since he did a great job bringing it up and showing a good portion of whats involved. First, this is NOT as easy as it you would think, because there are quite a few things that go into this that he didnt show. Not his fault, just theres always more to it then you would think. First, take the "A" pillar covers off. The drivers side is only three clips and comes off easy, the passenger side is two Torx screws for the grab handle, and 2 clips. Takes 5 minutes and saves you a serious amount of cursing when you install the new Pad. Next, YOU WILL BREAK THE OLD DASH PAD TO PIECES WHEN TAKING IT OUT. Theres no way not to. It was designed to be installed, and taken out with the entire dash core OUT OF THE TRUCK. This is what we are trying to avoid. REMEBER: If your dash pad is disintegrating, chances are, your main dash core is too. The dash core is made up of plastic AND metal framing. The plastic part of the core is usually in just as bad shape as the dash pad is. If your core plastic parts are crumbling, you could be in far more then you think. They DONT make the core anymore, and finding one will mean, taking it out in a junk yard, AND it maybe in just as bad shape, AND, I haven't seen one for less then $700. Mine was NOT in bad shape, had one crack in it, in a place that didn't make a difference in the new install. Bitch one... there are two screws, one on each end of the dash pad, right at the door jam on each side..I used a micro sozed adjustable to break them loose, the pulled the dooe molding away to get a phillips csrew drive, crookedly, on them to get them out. Getting them back in sucked. Period. OK, so, you will break the old dash pad into pieces as you take it out. You have to. Many of the screws were installed FACING the fire wall. Unless you take the entire unit out, you CANNOT get these screws out. So you break the old dash pad away, leaving the screws in the remnants of the plastic from the old dash pad. ( two screws on either side of each defrost vent ) YOU MUST GET THESE OUT TO LET THE NEW DASH PAD FIT RIGHT. I just grabbed the old plastic, put my finger over the head of the screw, and unscrewed the plastic. It will usually just fall apart, or unscrew off the screw and take the screw out. There are 2 Vent tubes. One on the drivers side, the other on the passenger side. They are held onto the old dash pad by 1 screw each. Be careful. You need these tubes. When breaking away the dash pad, make sure you dont break the tubes. I used a pair of needle nose pliers, grabbed the back where the screw is in the dash pad, bent it back and forth, and made sure the tube broke free WITH the screw and scrap plastic attached. Unscrew the plastic scrap, and save the tubes. NOTE: The tubes fit to the vent tubing like a vacuum tubes do. Ever use a vacuum? The tubes slip over the end of the next tube. Same thing. The vent tubes just fit over the opening of the vent tube for the defrosters. This will be a bitch when its time to install, but is doable. Glove box: The glove box comes out easy. In a 2nd Gen ram, you have bumpers on both sides, stopping the glove box from coming all the way out. Just pull the bumpers, in toward the box, so they will pass past the side of the frame. The middle of the glove box is quite flimsy, and will bend outward, allowing the bumpers to come inside the sides of the frame. Once you have the bumpers free past the frame, the glove box will tilt towards the floor. Let it tilt until its way down, this will let the hinges just slip off the hinge rods. The glove box will just slip off. No breaking the hinges. Mine are in great shape, but if I had try to pry the hinges apart to let the hinge "pop" off the rod, I surely would have broke the rod, and created another problem to fix later. AIR BAG: MAKE SURE YOU HAVE TAKEN THE NEGATIVE BATTERY TERMINAL OFF!!!! The air bag ( and fixed dash cover ) is held in by 5, 10mm screws, three in front, two underneath. There are also several ( 6 I think? ) smaller screws for the dash pad and trim piece. Once you have the screws out, undo the connection to the airbag, its easy. Squeeze the tab, pull apart. There are 5 push in clips. 2 easy ones, 1 at the far left, and 1 far right edge, that will pop loose pretty easy. It will seem like the airbag will pull from the bottom, but the top will be stuck. There are 3 clips along the top. They are just push in clips. I took the unit by the sides, and just gave it a good pull straight out. The clips let go, and actually, stayed on the dash inside, not on the airbag unit. YOU WILL NEED TO PULL THESE OFF THE DASHBOARD, AND REINSTALL THEM ONTO THE AIRBAG UNIT. It will make installing the unit back MUCH easier. Screw the vent tubes to the new dash pad. Install the new pad on the drivers side first. Now, getting the vent tube OVER the defrost tube opening is a bitch. But it can be done. I reached up, under the new pad, and grabbed the tube end, and forced it to meet the defrost tube end. Once it meets up, it will slide on. Then the passenger side. After that, its all in reverse. Mine came out great. New pad, new bezel, and, since my hot rod doesnt have a column shifter anymore, I also had to relocate the O/D button to the shifter knob on the floor shifter. Total for the dash and bezel... 4 to 5 hours. In 96° heat, no garage, no car port. Yeah. Hope this helps.....

Your rebel man picture was the mascot from my high school the south greene rebels

Thanks for showing that it can be done w/o taking the entire dash out! Good job! Thanks

nice! got a new LMC dash for my 02 second gen that i need to install but was dreading taking the whole dash apart to fasten the vents from underneath... great alternative that way you did it... thanks for sharing!

Academy award goes to......Lee! 🏆🏆nice video automedic garage

Thank you so much sir for taking the time to make this great video. This is the second video I've watched where the dash was not completely pulled out. This has built up my confidence that I'm sure I can handle the job. ☺👍

Thank you. I ordered an LMC because of your video.

I was just now ordering these same dash parts and thought “let me watch a couple videos first”, and yours happened to be one of them. I was going to order the damn clips too! So the first video I watch of yours, you already saved me five bucks, and I am now subscribed! Excellent video, my friend now I’m going to binge watch! 😂🤣😂

amazing video

I have a 2001 2wd short bed, hotrod. Just bought the exact same parts from LMC. Getting ready to try to tackle this myself. This vid was helpful, in that I didnt think I had to take the airbag out. Glad I saw that. My reinforcement/frame plastic is like yours.. some of it is as fragile as thin glass and I too have a few spots where I was hoping the new dash pad would fix it, but wont. Good video.. thanks.. I'll post back and let ya know how mine goes.

😒not looking forward to doing mine but it has to be done.

Thanks for this video.

Thanks I just got a 1500 and the dash is torn all to crap and I didn’t know how to take it off

good job

Check out LBR Speed, custom aluminum second gen dodge all 3 versions pricey yes but unlike the pre-owned cores are just going to eventually bust open as well,if I end up having to replace mine I would consider that worth the high price tag and they look sweet!! For now I have a dash skinz dash cap, but I really don't want to have to track down a bunch of interior plastic and seats or door panels for this particular 2000 dodge ram laramie slt quad cab long bed. It's not only the rainbow thread seats and door panels, it is also ordered light and dark mist grey interior,and where the glovebox light goes is broken on my truck

Wow! I wonder what y'all could do with an '81 Malibu's dash!

Thanks man. exactly the info I needed. I have the exact same truck in your video. My dash is laying in the same pile of pieces yours was. Waiting dash now. Should I change heater core and condenser core now while I have it out. What else should I do before putting it back together???

Cool!!

Helps if you explain location and number of screws to remove in narration in tutorial.

I think 98.5 they switched interiors as my 98 is a little different, but good video covering it.

How did you get the screws in for the vents without taking out the dash? I am about to take on this project.

Good deal

98 dodge ram 1500 Laramie slt complete dash removal

Hey I have this mint condition 2nd gen dodge dash I'm trying to get out without breaking it. I'm fighting with one of the plastic aligning pins in the back center of the dash where it ties to the cab. Any advice on how to get those aligning pins out without breaking the dash?

Burross wants you to work on some jetskis

I did not put those in and it's fine

What size wheels and tires Who makes the wheels

I will never but another dodge truck

Does it rattle since the defrost isn’t screwed down?

Did you end up doing any repair to the glovebox hinges on the bottom? You said they were broken but didn’t see what the fix was. One of mine is broken and I’m trying to think of a repair for it

500?!? I got mine for 90, let’s hope the quality is good

How’s the defrost holding up after a year?

Why didn't you show how to remove the AC vent/passenger side air bag in more detail?

Good God I am not looking forward to doing this job. I have to take everything thing out. The sub structure on mine is pretty much all falling apart. The dash has been gone for 10 years.

I have a 97 and it's a completely different dash

Was that a racin dash?

$500???? Fuck that

Dispense with all the family crying nonsense. Ugh.