The guy I bought my '87 TII from told me that the heater core was clogged and gave me a spare, but I never got around to swapping them. I was going to do it this week, so I started tearing my dash apart, only to find that the Haynes manual says I'll need to take my steering wheel off and take the whole instrument panel out. I don't have a steering wheel puller, so I can't do that right now...is there any way to change the core without taking the wheel off? I'd like to get this done, since it's getting really cold around here, and there's no way I'd be able to afford to have a shop do it. Any insight would be appreciated.
-Ed

 

have a friend push the steering wheel down and then slip the dash over it.

 

Not a fun job but we did not take the steering wheel off. Just had to drop the shaft which actually holds on a part of the dash if I remember correctly. After that the dash comes out. That's the tough part I thought, taking the dash out.

RW

 

The wheel comes off without a puller,

Just take the cover off, remove the bolt them grab the wheel and pull backwards very hard, very sudden.

Its gonna take at least 3 or 4 pull backs like that to loosen it.

Once it is loosened it should pull off very easy, without a puller, but you might want to mark the wheel and shaft with a line of bright paint, before you pull the steering wheel of entirely. It will make it easier to put back on straight.

 

not fun! remember where all the plugs go! and make sure to be carefull with the pipe that goes through the firewall! don't tweak on ti hard or it will break and you will have apassenger side floor soaked in coolant! ( i speak from experiance)