Okay. What's the trick to this...

[koda2000]

Okay. What's the trick to this... SOLVED

'01 ST power port on side of console. Guessing same piece as on any regular Gen II Explorer/Mountaineer.

So the cover on my power port is missing. Someone got me another one at the salvage yard. Now I need to remove the power port socket to install the leash under the collar.

I removed the console top. Unplugged the electrical plug, but I can't for the life of me figure out how to pop the socket out of the side of the console. It looks like it keys into the console to keep it from rotating. It also looks like it has 2 plastic tabs one on either side, that I would assumed you would press in to release the socket, but these tabs wont press in. I've tried a screwdrivers and pliers, but the tabs just don't move. As I write this I'm thinking of trying a hose clamp (like a ring compressor) next. I may also try warming and stretching the leash over the outside, but I'm afraid I'll break it.

Has anyone figured out how to remove this stupid part?

Here's a pic of one I found on eBay. It's for a newer model, but the black plastic mounting ring looks the same. Note the tab on the top and bottom.

I tried compressing the ring with a hose clamp, but no dice.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ford-OEM-Au...ash=item3f5c3e9dab:g:3S4AAOSwFNZWvAzh&vxp=mtr

 

[J_C]

Not sure about that specific outlet but on some vehicles you just push it out and the clips were to keep it from rotating in the hole.

When all else fails I heat the plastic (tabs in this case) with a hair dryer to try to make them less brittle - especially in winter, then if they break anyway I may end up getting creative with fiberglass cloth and epoxy to put it back together... which wouldn't work so well on the main lighter socket if used for the lighter but epoxy might hold up fine for a socket that doesn't heat up.

Then again you can probably find a replacement socket with a nut that goes over the whole thing similar to other panel mount gadgets for $5-$10.

 

[fixt]

Might it rotate to lock, similar to some light bulbs?
Though that one does look like it just presses in due to the "ramped" lugs on it.
It kind of rocks to free one side and then the other to get it out?
Not so much help eh?

 

[429CJ-3X2]

I told you it would be a pain! Makes me feel better about not getting the pp out at the salvage yard.

 

[koda2000]

I told you it would be a pain! Makes me feel better about not getting the pp out at the salvage yard.

Yeah, you wouldn't think it would be impossible though. I've given up on it for now. In the grand scheme of things it's not that important. I just like things to be right.

 

[1000fc]

Yeah, you wouldn't think it would be impossible though. I've given up on it for now. In the grand scheme of things it's not that important. I just like things to be right.

I was trying to take that outlet out of the plastic housing as well, leaving the plastic door to cover the hole... there are 2 tabs you can see, and another underneath that I didn't see at first, and then when I could, couldn't for the life of me pry it lose....


Since I really wanted that outlet relocated, I just released the two tabs and pried it off with pliers.

You would think having the outlet with that black plastic, and the door on a table would make it easy to remove the outlet from all that plastic, but nope, wouldn't budge at all.

If you want I can grab it later today and take some pictures to see if you can figure out a new way of attacking it.

 

[Bobmbx]

I'm thinking its been glued in place by a couple coffee/soda spills. My modus operandi in these situations is examine all possible ways its being held in place. If no mounting method is visible, time for the BFH.

Try some penetrating fluid to break that Coke bond.

 

[J_C]

Another way to replace a broken plastic mount might be a hose clamp slid up snug, with an insulating washer between it and the panel if it were the outlet used for the lighter itself.

 

[koda2000]

I'm thinking its been glued in place by a couple coffee/soda spills. My modus operandi in these situations is examine all possible ways its being held in place. If no mounting method is visible, time for the BFH.

Try some penetrating fluid to break that Coke bond.

It's not stuck. I can get it to wiggle around a bit and the port is not in a place were anything could get spilled on it. The secret must have something to do with the black plastic ring and the 2 ears that stick up, but I've even beat on one with a screwdriver and a hammer and they do not press in and the ring can't be turned. Maybe it's a one-shot deal... IDK. I think I'd have to remove the entire console to get a better look at it, which doesn't seem worth it.

 

[J_C]

^ Can you pull up a picture online that shows the clip? We could do an image search but not seeing it in person to compare, it's hard to know if it's the right part #.

 

[swshawaii]

This may be the actual "ring". (YF1Z-15K040-AA)

https://www.google.com/search?q=YF1...ved=0ahUKEwjU5ZSEm4zLAhUK5WMKHdfsAqgQ_AUICCgC

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/FORD-OEM-Ins...ash=item4d22ef6927:g:AbsAAOSwHnFVm~LV&vxp=mtr

 

[J_C]

^ That looks like the type that's easiest with an extraction tool similar to what's shown on the following page though I don't know if it's directly compatible:
http://www.amazon.com/Dorman-56457-Cigarette-Lighter-Removal/dp/B00G3YYSLE

In other words use something medium-thin, yet stiff, of exactly the right width and rounded front edges put in through the front of the outlet to expand the clips away from the socket body. It goes in at a slight angle then you push it straight when it's on the clips. A perfectly sized ratchet socket might work too.

 

[koda2000]

^ That looks like the type that's easiest with an extraction tool similar to what's shown on the following page though I don't know if it's directly compatible:
http://www.amazon.com/Dorman-56457-Cigarette-Lighter-Removal/dp/B00G3YYSLE

In other words use something medium-thin, yet stiff, of exactly the right width and rounded front edges put in through the front of the outlet to expand the clips away from the socket body. A perfectly sized ratchet socket might work too.

Interesting. I've never heard of such a thing. I'll look into this when I get the chance. Thanks.

 

[429CJ-3X2]

This may be the actual "ring". (YF1Z-15K040-AA)

That is the cover he's trying to get the power point out to install. I supplied it from the salvage yard, and was as stumped as koda is about how to properly remove the power point to get this cover off. There's a black plastic retainer ring that holds the power point in the console. The ring on the cover fits between the retainer ring and the console. When I couldn't figure out how to get it all apart at the salvage yard, I broke enough of the retainer ring to slip the cover off.

koda, the ring on the cover is only slightly smaller than the outside diameter of the retainer. That's why I said you might be able to warm the ring on the cover enough to stretch it over the retainer. Of course you risk breaking the ring.

 

[429CJ-3X2]

Sorry, the actual cover is #YF1Z-19A487-A .

 

[429CJ-3X2]

This, or something similar is what holds the power point in place, and is what's causing the problem. OEM CIGAR LIGHTER ILLUMINATION RING #1L2Z-15K040-AB

 

[J_C]

This, or something similar is what holds the power point in place, and is what's causing the problem. OEM CIGAR LIGHTER ILLUMINATION RING #1L2Z-15K040-AB

Not sure if you meant to link that but if so the link got broken somehow.
Here's a few pictures from different angles:
http://www.quirkparts.com/oe-ford/1l2z15k040ab

 

[429CJ-3X2]

Thank you

 

[429CJ-3X2]

FIGURED IT OUT!!!! What needs to be done. Still need to solve the how. A friend and I were at the salvage yard today getting a few things off an '01 Sport. I thought maybe 2 of us could figure this out. 20 minutes later, we broke the tabs and got the trim ring and power point out of the console. Only then did we realize what needed to be done to separate the two parts.

Those tabs on the inside of the console that we were trying to depress only hold the black plastic trim ring/power point assembly in the console and look to be a one time use item, as in once the trim is snapped into the console, it's not coming back out. But that's ok because the trim ring doesn't need to come out of the console.

To remove the power point from the black plastic trim ring, look inside the power point itself and you'll see a square hole about 1/8 x 1/8". There are 2 of them across from each other. On my truck they're at about 1 o'clock and 7 o'clock. You can feel them with your finger. There are tabs that are part of the plastic trim ring that barely enter those holes. Those are what hold the power point in the trim ring. If you have the cupholder insert out, you'll see or feel 2 grooves in the inside edge of the trim ring. The piece between those grooves is what needs to move. Once you figure out how to push those out of the holes from inside the power point, the power point will slide out of the trim ring. Unplug the electrical connection, and you can slide the retainer ring for the cover over the power point, then snap the power point back into the trim ring, and you're set.

The problem is, even though those little tabs only need to move a tiny little bit to release the power point from the trim ring, they're hard plastic and don't want to give. And you might have to push them both outward at the same time. I just now got it apart by prying the tabs from the outside one at a time, but I have the power point out of the truck. I don't know if you can get to both tabs with assembly still in the truck. Actually, they aren't really tabs as they more grip the hole rather than go into the hole. The trim ring is really snug around the power point, and there are grooves and ridges to keep the pieces aligned - you can't rotate the power point inside the trim ring. I think you could break those little tabs off to get the power point out, then use a spot of glue when it goes back together. Wouldn't take much as tight as things fit.

 

[koda2000]

Funny, I was just thinking about attempting installing the power point cover you had sent me again today. I just started driving my ST again yesterday, because my XLT is having some rear diff problems and until I get around to investigating what's wrong I don't trust it.

I'll see what I can do with the power point over the weekend. Thanks your the new info. I'll let you know if I succeed (and if I'm successful, how I did it).

Edit:
I can feel the 2 square holes at (1 & 7 o'clock) with my finger. I quickly tried using two "L" shaped pics to try to release the metal sleeve, but that didn't work. It may be because the pics are too pointy, or maybe I just can't press hard enough. I'll keep playing with it.