XJ Dash / Steering Column Removal

[jay79cj7]

I have a bad evaporator core on my 00 XJ and I am going to tackle this myself. I have the service manual / alldata online to guide me.

It says that to get the heater/AC housing out you have to take out the dash. To get the dash out, it says to remove the steering column. The instruction section for steering column removal start with pulling the wheel, which requires removing the air bag. Then it has you remove the key cylinder.

It looks like you should be able to pull the steering column out without taking the lock, airbag and wheel off. I don't see why the wheel would have to come off first.

Does anybody know for sure? I don't want to take extra steps if I don't need to, this is already a big enough project. This is my daily driver, so minimizing down time is a must. Plus, I don't have a steering wheel puller, so I would have to figure that out.

THANKS!

 

[OutOfStep]

I can't help you with your main question, however, I've used other gear pullers to pull wheel hubs before. Most auto parts places will loan you one for free these days as well. Only other advice is to make sure you disconnect your battery if you have to mess with your airbag.

 

[jay79cj7]

Yeah, I could go get one from Autozone, but I'd rather not take stuff apart if I don't have to. I am starting to disassemble all the dash stuff now. I hope this goes well!

 

[Bounty__Hunter]

I'm with you, I don't know why the steering wheel would need removed in order to drop the column. This from what I remember about parting out a non-airbag XJ.

 

[jay79cj7]

Well, I just yanked it out without disassembling all of that stuff. Keep your fingers crossed that I didn't screw anything up by doing that. This is actually going pretty well so far.

 

[jay79cj7]

&%^$%^#!!!!!

I got it all back together and it started up, everything worked. (Except the A/C because I have yet to charge it.) I was so proud of myself.

Today, I get in and the cab smells like antifreeze. Long story short, wrestling with the heater hoses I must have made a small fracture in the heater core. I checked it out and it looked fine, but its not. I have to start all over again. I could not be more angry right now.