Dash

[IdahoTater]

What is the easiest way to disassemble the dash board so I can start fixing some wiring problems?

[HIO Silver]

Unscrew the speedo cable and remove the instrument cluster.

[68RGR]

There are several screws around the perimeter of the instrument cluster that must be removed. Ford used clip nuts on the dash to provide "threads" for the screws. Many times, the clip nuts will be missing. You can get them at Lowes in their small parts drawers. Nothing is more annoying to me than to have a screw that won't tighten up. And, without those clip nuts . . . They won't. Plus, the clip nuts can fail so that the screws won't unscrew either. In that case, using a small screwdriver under the screw heads to put slight pressure on them while lightly unscrewing them usually works. DON'T OVER DO any of this - Broken plastic definitely detracts from your cab's ambiance!

Once you remove the screws the cluster should move enough to allow you to unscrew the speedometer cable and to disconnect the main connector from the back of the instrument cluster. Once the cluster is out of the way, you'll have lots of working room but you still might need to remove the ash tray, radio or glovebox to get to some of it. I hate messing with those radios but, sometimes, you have to.

I'd suggest that you solder any connections you make and cover them with heat shrink. Put the heat shrink tubing on FIRST . . . Otherwise, every time you make a perfect solder joint, you'll have to unsolder it and will never get it perfect again. I think that is Ungar's or Weller's or Kester's Law.