Dear folks; few things decided for me that I need to remove dashboard (left hand drive MGF). First, the speedo cable snapped (not sure which part, seems allright to me) and that caused EPAS to work full power full time, turning a car into... something that's turning too much... At the same time, heater matrix died, so I am replacing that as well. Enough reasons to remove dashboard I feel (unless such can be easily done without?)...
Though I don't think I can replace the heater matrix without dashboard removal... Plus I am happily removing the power steering as I hate it - hope that dismounting the motor from column is plenty (and covering the hole with something I can 3D-print).
Do you have any suggestions, what to focus on, blahblah, just in order to be able to eventually put everything back together (except for the EPAS)? Do you, perhaps, have a picture where are all the bolts I have to remove (anything similarly helpful would be very much appreciated)?
Cheers Jan
Dashboard removal
Moderator: Committee Members
Forum rules
Not many rules really, this board being aimed at technical issues, it shouldn't fall foul (hopefully) of some of the more personal issues that can affect forums.
Rule 1 - Is that you need to think very carefully before posting anything technical or asking anything technical relating to the security system of the car - See 'Security Issues' sticky for more info.
Rule 2 - We (MGF Register) do not support copyright infringement and therefore references to CD ROM, PDF versions or paper copies of the workshop manual (for instance) should not be posted on the forum. We don't want to get into trouble and we'd rather sell you a genuine hard copy through our Regalia shop anyway!
Because advice is honestly and freely given in this technical section, much of it will be amateur experienced based, so any information is given in good faith and is not guaranteed as correct.
Not many rules really, this board being aimed at technical issues, it shouldn't fall foul (hopefully) of some of the more personal issues that can affect forums.
Rule 1 - Is that you need to think very carefully before posting anything technical or asking anything technical relating to the security system of the car - See 'Security Issues' sticky for more info.
Rule 2 - We (MGF Register) do not support copyright infringement and therefore references to CD ROM, PDF versions or paper copies of the workshop manual (for instance) should not be posted on the forum. We don't want to get into trouble and we'd rather sell you a genuine hard copy through our Regalia shop anyway!
Because advice is honestly and freely given in this technical section, much of it will be amateur experienced based, so any information is given in good faith and is not guaranteed as correct.
Re: Dashboard removal
Buy a MGF Workshop Manual on E-Bay
Re: Dashboard removal
To have only manual steering just remove the fuse for the EPAS, plenty of info regarding doing it. Some have actually used a relay so that they can switch it on and off at will.
-
Rob Bell
- Committee Member
- Posts: 14431
- Joined: Tue Oct 02, 2007 2:36 pm
- MGF Register Region: South East
- Model of Car: MGF 1.8i + MGF Shed!
Re: Dashboard removal
It's an easy, but big job.
Fixing the speedo cable is easy though - usually they fail close to the gearbox, so not a dashboard out task.
To remove the dash, you have to work methodically from the rear of the interior forward, and everything is MUCH easier if you also remove the seats.
Everything is held in place by screws or nuts and by removing the seats and removing all the trim from the rear of the cabin working forward exposes all the fixings and you'll not need to look hard to find them.
Removing EPAS is a good call. It weighs a lot, and to be honest, I don't think you really need it on the MGF given that the engine is towards the rear of the car and the caster angles in the steering geometry are so conservative.
I've done this [removing EPAS] on my race car. I used a non-EPAS steering column. It's a direct swap and easy to do. The only difficult thing is finding a non-EPAS steering column! They're pretty rare, even here in the UK! Both the ones I had had broken shear tabs and one had been compressed. This is rectifiable, and are not otherwise compromised.
Good luck and let us know how you get on!
Fixing the speedo cable is easy though - usually they fail close to the gearbox, so not a dashboard out task.
To remove the dash, you have to work methodically from the rear of the interior forward, and everything is MUCH easier if you also remove the seats.
Everything is held in place by screws or nuts and by removing the seats and removing all the trim from the rear of the cabin working forward exposes all the fixings and you'll not need to look hard to find them.
Removing EPAS is a good call. It weighs a lot, and to be honest, I don't think you really need it on the MGF given that the engine is towards the rear of the car and the caster angles in the steering geometry are so conservative.
I've done this [removing EPAS] on my race car. I used a non-EPAS steering column. It's a direct swap and easy to do. The only difficult thing is finding a non-EPAS steering column! They're pretty rare, even here in the UK! Both the ones I had had broken shear tabs and one had been compressed. This is rectifiable, and are not otherwise compromised.
Good luck and let us know how you get on!