i have an 85 4runner and im desperately trying to remove the dash pad to drill the hols in the proper location for the altimeter/clinometer. i have the screws out, the main gauges bezzle out and the nut from the left side of pad (under gauge cluster) removed, but it still feels like it is stuck on the right side mainly above the passenger vent, i do not want to just pry it off because it is in mint condition, but 25 years old so i could see it cracking easily. is there another nut that i havn't located or do i have to be more firm and hope for the best??? i believe there are clips in the back and i got one loose and can lift the front of the pad up about an inch and a half but i have trouble seeing back there. ANY HELP WOULD BE DEEPLY APPRECIATED!!!!

 

Hi, here are 3 pics from the pdf manual.(sorry for the bad quality)... hope this can help you... and yes you will have to remove the passengers vent in order to get to one screw behind it... There is another nut in the middle of the safety pad and to get to this one you´ll have to remove an air condition 5 inches oval air duct up and behind the globe compartment. The third nut you have already find it.

 

Here are some of the naked safety pad I came up with, since all the old material was cracked down I decided to tear it down and just paint it with flat brown rustoleum paint...You can see the factory holes ...You dont have to drill anything but the cover cuz they´re already there...

 

To remove the dash pad you need to remove the trim around the gauge cluster, there is a 10mm nut under it that needs to be removed, next you need to remove the air vents in the center of the dash pad using a small screw driver to kind of get in behind them and pop the clips down that hold it in place. Now you need to remove the air vent by the passenger door, this is the hardest one to get off, once its out there is a 10mm bolt behind it that has to be removed. The next part you need to remove is the glove box, once removed you will see a heater vent duct above the glove box, it needs to be removed also, once its out there is a hidden 10mm nut that needs to be removed, its very hard to see, so just feel around for it. and i think there are 4-5 phillips head screws along the front edge of the dash that also need to come off. After all of that the dash pad will come off. Turn the dash pad over and you will see the holes in the bottom of the dash were the clinometer mounts, carefully drill them out and mount the clinometer in place. Removing the dash pad isn`t as hard as it sounds, its just a matter of finding all of the hidden bolts and getting to them.

 

THANK YOU MYYOTA!!!!

your advise is a huge help, thats what i was needing, i knew there was more to it and thats why it was clinging on. i will post pics of the end result soon!!!

 

wow morena, that manual is very useful as well, where did you find that????

 

Here´s the link...
http://www.ncttora.com/fsm/index.html

 

thank you! i have a chiltons, but that FSM on TTORA blows that chiltons right out of the water!

 

HERE´S ANOTHER...
http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/CheapTri...inometer.shtml

 

What's the best and easiest way to get the far right vent off the dash pad ?? I tried a thin screwdriver and it put a dent in my pad not to happy about that.

 

You probably know the only thing the wires do is light up the altimeter. It works fine without the light. If you have a perfect, pristine dash pad don't drill a hole in it. Hold out for one that already has the hole. Sell your nice one for $200. I rigged mine up with industrial Velcro and it looks fine. I'm not planning on needing it after dark. If you need a pic of how I rigged the bottom LMK. This is a $39 altimeter from eBay 'cause the seller spelled it "alti-meter" and no one else bid.

 

Why is the little truck on the right looking like its climbing a mountain? Seems like the truck is parked indoors. Or are you out popping wheelies?

 

On ramps but not quite that angle.

 

I drilled the holes and connected the light, and like the look of it in the dark. It's a gadget, why not go full-blown into the gadgetry, if you ask me.

The aluminum frame of the dash pad, underneath the vinyl and padding, has the holes pre-drilled already, so it's pretty easy to do and to know exactly where they fit.

To get the light working, you unplug the connection for the heater/ac lights and link them into that circuit. Pretty simple if your inclinometer/altimeter has the stock connections still.

Mine looks pretty good and having the light work finishes off the stock look. I don't ever plan on taking it off, so drilling through the dash made no difference to me.