How to: - 2nd gen console removal | Page 3 | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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How to: 2nd gen console removal

Prefix for threads which are instructional.
What about removing the short console? Is it the same or ???

Thanks

Tim

Since you have a 95, just pull the cupholder part off the console then you will see 2 bolts going to the floor remove those and the back of the console on the sides remove those caps and there are 2 bolts on each side remove those and the console should pull right up off the floor.
 



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yeah, that works You need to pull off the arm rest with the four bolts. Under the arm rest there is one more screw. them comes up no problem.

Tim
 






Oh yeah...sorry I forgot about the screw.
 






installing

im having a hell of a time lineing everything back up on this the two gold bolts with nuts wont line up at all console.. under the and i cant get the rear a/c vent to line back up..its a mess..
 






Did mine today. Took the shotgun approach and replaced all four sensors*. Figured if one is bad then the others may not be far behind.

*"Exact fit" Bosch. Bosch's definition of exact must be different from mine. Their plugs are unkeyed so one must make sure the sensors are hooked to the correct plugs.

Runs better than it ever has. No check engine light yet after driving a few miles to get it warmed up.

Went through 'threat escalation' from rubber mallet to 16oz ball peen to 6lb sledge with another person yanking on the console to get it to let go of the bracket on the floor. Then I had to bend the hooks on the console a bit to relax them to get the console to go back in. Must have been installed by a robot with a hydraulic ram.
 






I have a 2001 Mountaineer with the short console, and I just finished removing it. In addition to what’s been posted, there is a vertical metal (aluminum?) post under the rear of the console that the armrest bolts into. This post is also bolted to the floorboard with two 10mm bolts in the back of this metal post, and two 10mm nuts on the front of the post that screw onto two screws permanently sticking up from the floorboard.

That all said, can I replace the short console with a long console? The long console I’m thinking about getting from the junkyard is coming out of a ’99 Mountaineer, and it looks like the long console will bolt under the dash ok (I already removed the ashtray and lighter from the dash in my Mounty, where the front part of the long console will bolt into). Additionally, the plate under my carpet looks like the one in the earlier set of pictures for this thread. My concern is the two screws sticking up from the floorboard that I mentioned above, and whether these screws will prevent the long console from properly mounting to the floorboard. Bottom line, is this swap doable?
 






As far as I know, yes. We had an '00 with the bag center, and I took that out and threw in the eddie b long console with fuel range computer cluster & cd player in the arm rest, and was working on figuring out how to hook up all the controls when the motor blew. Sold it to buy our '01.. As soon as I find another console with the extras I'm swappin again.

Tifoez

(edit) Just to swap is about a 2 outta 1-10 on difficulty.. hooking up the wiring.. 6-8, depending on how many nifty aspects you want.. And I'm not saying all the goodies will work, only saying it sounds theoretical...
 






Heeeelp! :)
I have an Eddie Bower with the "long" console. Want to get access to the plate under it to swap the O2 sensor.
I did unscrew the four 8mm screws, the electric connector and I hit the console with a hammer to move it backwards. NOTHING.

Does the long console, with A/C vents on rear, have another screw that I don't know? I don't want to break something...
 






Heeeelp! :)
I have an Eddie Bower with the "long" console. Want to get access to the plate under it to swap the O2 sensor.
I did unscrew the four 8mm screws, the electric connector and I hit the console with a hammer to move it backwards. NOTHING.

Does the long console, with A/C vents on rear, have another screw that I don't know? I don't want to break something...

Nope. Hit harder. That little bracket might even bend a bit before you get the console "unlocked"
 






I cut a piece of 2x4 to fit over the metal then whanged on it with a 4 pound sledgehammer while another person sat in the back seat to pull. Took the console lid off to make pulling easier.

Before reinstalling the console, bend the tabs so it'll slide forward much easier. I swear those consoles had to be installed by robots or guys capable of winning Mr. Universe contests.
 






Thank you so much for this, I thought it would take me at least an hour to remove my console, and another to remove one from the U Pull It yard. But I did both today in less than an hour including travel time. Now I have 1 good console by using parts from the two.

Thanks again!!
 






Just so I get this clear, BEFORE I start taking everything apart. I have a 1996 Eddie Bauer with the message center, rear heat&ac, and Radio controls, is there anything different that I have to do to get this out? I have to change the o2 Sensor on Bank 1 Sensor 2.
 






Very similar, however there are a couple more connectors you have to get thru, and, the cd changer is in the console so you may want to remove it first to avoid shock damage.
 






Very similar, however there are a couple more connectors you have to get thru, and, the cd changer is in the console so you may want to remove it first to avoid shock damage.

OK, Thanks, I just wanted to make sure. I just figured just like everything else in my Eddie Bauer, that this would be more complicated, go figure, it is.
 






quick question about this: I have the console off, cut the carpet, I'm at the access panel the 4 screws are loose but at this point they are spinning and do not come completely out, tried to pry up the panel, seems like it's still held down? What I missing? Should the screws come completely out of the panel before removal?

Thanks
 






quick question about this: I have the console off, cut the carpet, I'm at the access panel the 4 screws are loose but at this point they are spinning and do not come completely out, tried to pry up the panel, seems like it's still held down? What I missing? Should the screws come completely out of the panel before removal?

Thanks

Yes they should. There could be corrosion build up on the tips of the threads, which makes them larger and hard to get thru the metal. You might try vise grips while pulling upward. Or, cut the screws and get new ones. The remainder should push back out onto the ground after threading them back down.
 






Thanks for the quick reply, turns out the thread clips were rusted and broke off the frame when the screw was coming up so I had to use upward pressure under the panel with a screwdriver to get them to come out of the clip and the clips fell under the truck. Panels off, though, lol
 






Now that it's out-look how easy it is to get under the access panel.

Beneath the panel, right under the flex joint of your ratchet is a black tube on a 90 degree angle, going into the transmission. Mine is a bit swollen and not very tight on the connection. There is a trace of brown fluid in it. I am assuming that this is a vacuum line for transmission control. Am I right? (I can't start the engine at the moment to test this theory since I have one of the o2 sensors out waiting for a replacement.) I'm thinking of putting a small hose clamp on it if it's a vacuum line and not an overflow. Thx mbruffey.
 






Yes they should. There could be corrosion build up on the tips of the threads, which makes them larger and hard to get thru the metal. You might try vise grips while pulling upward. Or, cut the screws and get new ones. The remainder should push back out onto the ground after threading them back down.

I had to play with a couple of mine to get them out, just this afternoon, but broke the head on a third. This is not a major issue. You just need to horse out the corroded D-nuts and go to ACE hardware for the replacements that you need. I would have soaked these with SeaFoam Penetrant beforehand had I known that they were that badly rusted.
 



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Beneath the panel, right under the flex joint of your ratchet is a black tube on a 90 degree angle, going into the transmission. Mine is a bit swollen and not very tight on the connection. There is a trace of brown fluid in it. I am assuming that this is a vacuum line for transmission control. Am I right? (I can't start the engine at the moment to test this theory since I have one of the o2 sensors out waiting for a replacement.) I'm thinking of putting a small hose clamp on it if it's a vacuum line and not an overflow. Thx mbruffey.

That is merely a vent tube. You might want to make sure it isn't clogged, a clamp on the pipe joint might not be a bad idea.
 






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