Ok Gang... I've got a project coming up. I need to change my A/C evaporator out and know I need to pull the dash out... Throw me a bone here guys tell me the secrets of doing this job and any special tools I might need. Because the last thing I want to do is drive 100 miles round trip because I forgot something or have to pull it apart again because I should of done it another way... I knew this day was coming...

Sorry Mike... I paid to have mine done a few years ago. I'm not thrilled with the way some of the plastics were refitted afterwards. Considering what it cost, I was disappointed. I think there is some info worth reading on the heater treater site. The guy seems to specialize in these repairs.I don't believe you'll need to remove the actuator motor to do your repair but it would be a mistake to not replace those phillips heads with hex or torex while you have the access. In my truck the issue was the proximity to the floor / transmission hump. IMHO, these suffer from "built to last the warentee" syndrome. Good Luck,Russ

Well I'm going to rebuild and lube everything up in inside the HVAC box while its out. So hopefully I can have better than +10 years worth of service from my A/C without sweating it (Pun intended! )

Just unbolt the steering column from the dash frame and lay it back on the seat and then unbolt the dash and pull it back from the fire wall but there is no need to totally remove it. There will be planty of room to get at everything with it layed back also. It is pretty self expanitory once you can get those two layed back.

Maybe you should consider a new heater core while you are in there as well? But they dont seen to fail as much as the old brass and copper ones did? I have seen quite of few of them fail, back in the day. You should prolly buy every part to the evaporator that is behind the fire wall, and return what you don't use. I imaging the inlet and outlet stick through the fire wall, so prolly just the evaporator, and fingers crossed that nothing breaks, that you cant make your self.

Very easy to do took me all but 4 hours to do. As Wild and Free said just unbolt the column and lay it on the seat and unbolt the dash and pull the passenger side up and away. I used a bungee cord and used the passenger side oh crap handle to hold the dash up and out of the way. I'm pretty sure you can handle it MoparMan. I will look for the write up I had but cant guarantee I can find it.

---------- Post added at 06:30 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:26 PM ----------

Still had it bookmarked.

Evaporator Core remove/replace in dodge 1500 truck 1995-01. I can pull it in 3.5 hours. putting it back takes about 2 hours, plus charging the AC, about one more hour more. Having a friend around really helps. Disconnect the battery before attempting any work to avoid a short.

1)Remove first screw on plastic door sill on both sides. (the things on top of rug where door closes)Remove kick panels.

2)Remove panel under steering wheel.

3)Remove two nuts holding up steering wheel.

4)Remove screws where windshield meets dash board.

5)Remove 2 bolts left and right under dash but against sides of car (under kick panels).

6)Dashboard is now loose and can be pulled towards the seats.

7)On right side of dash hook a wire way up to screw that holds moulding clips, or pull the dash towards the seat and put a jackstand under the passenger side.

8)The whole heater box is now visible.

9) You've got to remove vacuum lines, controls, and electric plugs from heater box.

10) Now the secret: there are 2 screws holding it to fire wall on inside (one has a ground wire attached). The other is in the upper right hand corner facing up.

11) there are 4 nuts holding it from engine side of firewall(one is behind the electric panel on the passanger side). Remove all four of these.

12) Remove heater hose clamps with a hose clamp plier. This will take time, these clips are a >edit< to get off.

13) Drain the AC freon.

14)the AC lines require a special tool that costs $9-12 at parts store. the kit has 6 plastic widgets. use the one that fits. play with an AC fitting near the radiator for practice first.

15) you should be able to pull the heater box out now.

16) Remember the dashboard is just pulled up high enough on the right to get at the heater box.

17) It is a good idea to change the heater core while doing this job. They are both in the same box.

I'm going to use that write for sure... Sounds simple enough... Thanks!

Mike,I could sure use info & pictures of the heat / AC direct door & controls. The one that controls floor / dash / defrost direction. Mine is still stuck on defrost. I think the other has turned out to be a blind.Russ

Well here really soon I'll be picking up the stuff to do the A/C evaporator and I'll get the camera out and document as usual. I better too... Because once it done I'm not planning on pulling it out again for another good 10-15 years...