headlight/wiper switch replacement

[craigp29690]

Removing the dash part ot get to the switches is made to sound a lot easier than it is.  Unless you have monkey paws with gorilla grip forget about reaching up through the 4wd opening or under the dash to release or remove anything.

[Smitch]

Removing the dash part ot get to the switches is made to sound a lot easier than it is.  Unless you have monkey paws with gorilla grip forget about reaching up through the 4wd opening or under the dash to release or remove anything.

What do you suggest?

[jim]

I suppose I have monkey paws or gorilla grip because I removed both switches through the 4wd opening.

[Smitch]

I suppose I have monkey paws or gorilla grip because I removed both switches through the 4wd opening.

Are you sure you didn't cut a hole through your firewall? 
When I changed mine a few years back I don't recall any major difficulties either.

[jim]

The hole in the firewall option was looking tempting before I gave up on tilting out the instrument panel bezel.
Luckily I don't have large hands.

[Smitch]

The hardest "up under the dash" problem I've had so far was finding the flasher for the signal lights. It was higher than the light switch and closer to the windshield. I didn't put it back up there after I changed the flasher. Did you have to change yours when you added trailer lights?

[craigp29690]

My cluster wouldn't tilt forward unless I was able to get the electrical connections and speedo cable loose.  I could not get a hand up behind the cluster from below or from the 4wd opening.  I could see up there but no way was there enough clear space to reach up.  I had to remove some additional screws that held the front part of the cluster to the rear part in order to finally get the thing out without breaking anything.  Even then I was only able to get it out far enough to get to the headlight switch and replace it.  Turns out that wasn't the problem after all and all that effort was no more than an exercise of experience.  Maybe some are put together with some extra wire or tabs have already been broken by previous owners but even reading the removal instructions word for word which are here on this site, the removal was not in any way as easy or worked as described for me.

[jim]

The hardest "up under the dash" problem I've had so far was finding the flasher for the signal lights. It was higher than the light switch and closer to the windshield. I didn't put it back up there after I changed the flasher. Did you have to change yours when you added trailer lights?

Yes.  I went with a heavy duty flasher.

[jim]

My cluster wouldn't tilt forward unless I was able to get the electrical connections and speedo cable loose.  I could not get a hand up behind the cluster from below or from the 4wd opening.  I could see up there but no way was there enough clear space to reach up.  I had to remove some additional screws that held the front part of the cluster to the rear part in order to finally get the thing out without breaking anything.  Even then I was only able to get it out far enough to get to the headlight switch and replace it.  Turns out that wasn't the problem after all and all that effort was no more than an exercise of experience.  Maybe some are put together with some extra wire or tabs have already been broken by previous owners but even reading the removal instructions word for word which are here on this site, the removal was not in any way as easy or worked as described for me.

As I mentioned, my headlight switch wasn't my problem, either, so I too did it for the experience.  I gave up on the dash removal.