Trouble Removing The Steering Wheel

LogIK · Post by **LogIK** » Wed Dec 31, 2003 1:29 pm

Hi everyone.
I have just picked up a new instrument pannel off a friend for my MK3 Polo Coupe. I did this because I wanted the dash that has the digital clock and the tachometer on.
I need to remove the steering wheel in order to remove the plastic shroud around the steering column. This will give me room to pull out the instrument pannel.
However, the nut that holds the steering wheel on has a thin, white, flakey substance around it which has locked the nut on. What can i do to remove this and in turn remove the nut? Do you think this stuff is thread-deep, and therefore completely locking the nut on? Would it be possible to remove the instrument pannel without removing the steering wheel?
Thanks in advance.

Gilex · Post by **Gilex** » Wed Dec 31, 2003 2:45 pm

With some luck you can change the pannel without removing the steering wheel.
You don't have much workspace, but with some gentle moves it wil work

One a thing is a bit "tricky" (not the right word) is to connect the cable on back of the pannel, you can't see what you're doing.....
The mileage cable(round white connector) is easier, it will connect automaticaly by sliding the new pannel in place

LogIK · Post by **LogIK** » Wed Dec 31, 2003 3:17 pm

Yeah, I had another quick go at it. I removed the lower plastic shroud and the upper one was very loose, but I couldn't quite get it off. I made a removal tool out of some old welding rods and bent them into shape. I could feel the clips depressing behing the pannel, but it just will not budge. The pannel hasnt even come loose even after shoving the tools all the way down into the holes on both sides at the same time. I would have imagined that the pannel would pop out after depressing the clips, but nothing.
I think I can do this without removing the steering wheel, but I just cant seem to release the pannel from the clips.
ANy ideas...?

Gilex · Post by **Gilex** » Wed Dec 31, 2003 3:24 pm

I didn't use any kind of removing tools, just with bare hands. As you can see I removed de lightswitch and the radio so that I could release it with some gentle pressing on both clips.

LogIK · Post by **LogIK** » Wed Dec 31, 2003 3:36 pm

I see, but I read my Haynes and it shows a U shaped tool that goes into the tiny holes at the ends of the pannel and they somehow release the clips so you can pull it out. When I first inserted the tool, I could feel the clips move, but now, the tool slides straight in and the pannel will not budge. I'm a bit stuck now.

Gilex · Post by **Gilex** » Wed Dec 31, 2003 3:47 pm

You could try to gently press the pannel to the left or right side, and at the same time by pressing on one clip, trying to release that one clip only.
than just pull the pannel a bit out of the dash so that the clip stays in that released position and repeat the same on the other clip.

LogIK · Post by **LogIK** » Wed Dec 31, 2003 4:22 pm

I know wot u mean, but I just cant get to the clips. I've removed the headlight switch, but my hands are too big and I can't get the angle with a screw driver.
It's a bit weird because the removal tool now goes right into the pannel holes, and I have tested this on my other pannel that is waiting to be installed, and for the tools to go all the way into the holes, the clips must be in their natual position (not depressed.) Now, is this the release position or do they have to be depressed in towards the pannel for it to be removed? If so, the removal tool cannot possibly work, as it just goes behind the clips.
I hope you can understand this

SpikeyG40 · Post by **SpikeyG40** » Wed Dec 31, 2003 4:33 pm

sounds like ur having fun! well, the white stuff on the steering wheel nut is just a wax used to protect! that stuff should just flack off and thats not wot would be holding the nut firm! wot i would sujest is getting a mate to hold the steering wheel while u take a reasonably sized socket bar and give it some! that nut has to be put on with a torgue bar, thats why its a bit tight! at least there is one thing u can say, due to the wax being still on the nut, it means ur steering wheel has never been off!

as with the clocks! u can buy the tools for the job as i beleive they are the same ones that are used to remove radios! check out halfords! they have them on the shelf n aren't to pricey!

hope this helps!

mk3_beast · Post by **mk3_beast** » Wed Dec 31, 2003 5:01 pm

i had trouble with mine so i put my hand up from underneth and forced it out, it came out with out any damage

LogIK · Post by **LogIK** » Thu Jan 01, 2004 2:27 pm

Right. I thought the white stuff was some kind of nut locking crap. Thanks for that. I've seen the tool in pictures and in Halfords, but I've made my own which is exactly the same size etc, but it wont work.

mk3_beast, where did u put your hands to force the pannel out? Did you remove the shround at the bottom of the steering column and put your hand up there?

Thanks, guys.

LogIK · Post by **LogIK** » Sat Jan 03, 2004 4:29 pm

I did it!

After a whole lot of forcing, I finally managed to remove the old dash and replace it with the GT style one - Lovely. I had to first force one side of the instrument pannel out of its clips by pushing it to one side and basically yanking and rocking it. Then I had to remove the stereo and put my hand in to depress the clips on the other side so that they release. After that, the whole unit would slide forward and pass through the steering wheel.

I tested it and it worked fine. The speedos have been swapped over to retain the original mileage. There is just one problem, only one of the illumination bulbs works

. I think its a faulty connection on the bulb holder, since the bulbs are off my old dash and worked fine on there. But I cant be arsed removing the whole thing again at the moment, but i'm sure it will annoy the hell out of me and I'll end up doing it!

LogIK · Post by **LogIK** » Sat Jan 03, 2004 4:46 pm

Thanks for the help everyone!

Gilex · Post by **Gilex** » Sat Jan 03, 2004 8:49 pm

LogIK wrote: Thanks for the help everyone!

Nice to hear that you had succes at last

The way you describe it, is almost the like the way I did it, but I didnÂ´t have to use any force at all.
In a few weeks I have to do it all over again, so wish me luck

IÂ´m going to change the speedos or dials (whatever itÂ´s called) Instead of black ones they are going to be silver/white like this one:

LogIK · Post by **LogIK** » Sat Jan 03, 2004 10:31 pm

Mmmmm, very nice. I had something like that in mind, but I was going to make my own. They look like purchased parts. Where did u get those from???? Mite get a set of those myself!

Gilex · Post by **Gilex** » Sat Jan 03, 2004 11:17 pm

These are form a Swiss shop and I bought them at Ebay

The parts are replacement dails(alumium) and the quality is much beter then those paper/plactic things