famous grouse

I went yardin' the other day & picked up an am/fm/cd/ca w/eq to replace my am/fm/ca unit in my 98 12v CTD. How do I get the stinking instrument bezel off w/o cracking it any worse? I found the screw by the power outlet, but I cannot figure out why it's binding near my steering column.

Anyone have a suggestion?

kreynolds

I changed out my radio last year and cracked my bezel in the process. There are about a dozen clips that hold the bezel on the dash. No screws. My advice, be very careful and very patient. If I remember correctly the bezel is an expense piece to have to replace.

sheriffav8r

Tilt the steering wheel all the way down and put the shift lever in D or 1 to get the panel off. It is just held on with snap clips and pulls straight off.

dodgeguy71

ditto on what sheriff said. If you don't have a tilt wheel you may have to take off the plastic cover that is around the steering wheel. It has screws or torx head type in the holes underneath the column just below the steering wheel itself. I know my has the clips for the trim and it'll pull off, not sure if 98 is the same as a 2002 though as far as that goes. If you don't see any screws on/around it then it most likely will just pull off. Good luck.

SIXSLUG

All these guys and myself included have the newer second gen dash. If your 98 is the older version you might check a little more before you break something. Just my .02

Kurt

Hercules

As SIXLUG pointed out, if your 98 is the older version, it may be different. I don't know if they switched the dash for all model year '98 rams or did it only for '98.5 rams when they introduced the 24v. If it's the same as my '97, then you'll know by verifying the cup holder is located above the radio...for some reason that defies logic btw. So, if it is the same as my '97, then removing the dash bezel is easy. Just slide the cup holder tray open and look for, and remove, the two screws that hold it to the dash. Next, slide the ash tray open and look for, and remove, the two screws that hold it in. Remove the cup holder and ash tray (ash tray has a clip too, so just wiggle the whole assembly out and make sure the clip slides back in when reassembling). All the screws are philips head. On the radio side of the dash bezel, the cup holder and the ash tray sandwich the bezel between themselves and the dash, which is why you have to remove them. After they are out, lower the tilt wheel so the bezel will clear it more easily. The rest of the bezel is just held in place by push clips on the bezel that detach from the dash with a quick pull of the bezel. Once the bezel is free of the dash, look for the cigarette lighter or power outlet and pop off the wire connecter that's pushed onto the back of them. You'll see the connector just clips to them. You should now be able to completely walk off with the bezel if you like.

famous grouse

FWIW I have the newer style dash with some stubborn clips. I got the bezel out w/o destroying it, but a nice big piece of cracked dash came completely loose. I fiddled with it for a while & got it back in place. I guess I need to come back w/some glue & finally order a dash cap of some type...

Thanks for the advice!

dodgeguy71

stubborn clips......at the dealer we called them something else clips with a b. Always hoped you would'nt screw up the customers trim trying to get it out.