[impatient]

Pretty droll, and bits & pieces of this info are sprinkled throughout the forum. We can search til we are blue in the face. But let's use this thread to tie them altogether, so people can find links or actual advice in one starting place, on how to pop them out without damage, (or which ones are throwaway, so don't bother being too careful). Tools needed, tip, techniques, etc. For the future benefit of FordTransients! I've had limited luck with the 2-piece fasteners, which have a screw or wedge in the middle, which spreads the shank as the screw is pushed in, but very little luck with salvaging 1-piece fasteners.

A few starters:

How to pop off the headliner ( over the front seats )?

How to pop off the electric wire loom cover along drivers side going to the rear?

How to pop off the electric wire loom clips ( inside the cover )

How to pop off front door panels?

How to pop off rear door panels?

How to pop off the slider door cover (okay, that one is too simple maybe.)

How to pop off the lower body molding strip beneath the slider (I want to add a factory runningboard), and the strip is lower profile for factory runningboard-equipped vehicles. In other words, how to swap, assuming I can buy the strip for less than a small fortune.

Speaking of, how to ADD the studs (studs are fasteners) to mount the runningboard. I can't figure out how Ford added those studs at the factory, unless they knew it would have a runningboard or not before the frame was even welded to the unibody.

How to add riv-nuts (Orton has answered this here: http://www.ortontransit.info/cabinetsUpper.php but maybe more discussion is warranted). Like strength-to-size info.

Any other suggestions (I'm starting with a cargo van, but no reason to not add passenger vans. They have lots more fasteners.)

 

[asdrew]

Great idea to get them all together, even if the answer is in another thread

Here's one:

How to pop off front door panels?

I posted a pic in #8 of this thread, How do you remove front door panels?.

 

[orton]

Suggest all bolted connections use elastic stop nuts. I did not on the sold Sprinter and found loose fasteners due to vehicle vibration. Transit conversion uses elastic stop nuts.

 

[EddieZ]

...
How to pop off the electric wire loom cover along drivers side going to the rear?...

Here's how to open that wiring race:


I have the LWB. There's a joint cover in the race just past halfway back. I removed that first: get a finger of each hand over the top of it, and sort of peel away from you, and upward. It will sort of hinge down and dangle, unless you go to the trouble of getting the more difficult bottom bit off. Don't bother, since it will be free after removing the race covers.

So, I was able to examine edges of the race to divine the designer's intent for removal. On the LWB, there are 6 hold-down clips for each of the fore and aft race covers. Start with the forward cover.

For each hold-down, get fingertips behind the cover. Use your thumbs to press inward (well, outward, if you're considering van orientation) to relieve tension on the keeper clip. While pressing inward, use finger tips and thumbs to move the cover upward a bit, for release.

At the rear corner, you have to peel that cover off at the top (similar to the joint cover, above), before you can slide the race cover out, even after releasing all of the hold-downs.

 

[impatient]

Thanks Asdrew. That pic is worth 1000 words.

I removed EIGHT fasteners, not 7. No need to lift up other than to get it over the door lock, just pull straight out, working your way around. All but the bottom 2 screws were under covers that pop off, and for some reason 5 are 9/32 hex screws while 3 are T20 torx ones.

http://www.fordtransitusaforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=20553&d=1455058406

 

[SR75]

My door panels have reflectors on the rear edge,there isn't a screw there, only 2 t20 screws. Nonreflector doors apparently have a screw there. Ford sells the push pins for $2.02, I wasted several hours searching auto parts stores and didn't find any.

 

[Hein]

Visit ClipsAndFasteners.com for all sorts of Automotive style fasteners. One of our favorite suppliers. Search 'Ford' for OEM specific selections.

Agree with Dave that prevailing torque nuts and hardware are a great idea for van builds.

VHB tape on it's own or in combination with some hardware is also awesome for keeping things from coming loose.

Taking OEM panels off in warm temperatures (sunny day) will help prevent breakage.

 

[asdrew]

My door panels have reflectors on the rear edge,there isn't a screw there, only 2 t20 screws. Nonreflector doors apparently have a screw there.

On my doors, when you pop out that reflector (it slides rearward), there is a T20 screw way down in there - the other side had a 9/32.

PS: when putting that one back in, it is easy to drop it into the door cavity :blush:

 

[brittles]

How to pop off the lower body molding strip beneath the slider (I want to add a factory runningboard), and the strip is lower profile for factory runningboard-equipped vehicles. In other words, how to swap, assuming I can buy the strip for less than a small fortune.

Speaking of, how to ADD the studs (studs are fasteners) to mount the runningboard. I can't figure out how Ford added those studs at the factory, unless they knew it would have a runningboard or not before the frame was even welded to the unibody.

I'd like to know these things as well.

My dealer told me the lower body molding for the side step is only available with the OEM kit.

I'm guessing the 2 studs need to be welded on but don't know for sure.

 

[impatient]

Tools: a thread about various tools for fastener removal

In case you missed this thread about fastener removal tools (like I had):
http://www.fordtransitusaforum.com/...chnique-removing-plastic-panel-fasteners.html

 

[impatient]

Running Board studs

I'd like to know these things as well.

My dealer told me the lower body molding for the side step is only available with the OEM kit.

I'm guessing the 2 studs need to be welded on but don't know for sure.

Here is a pic from a video on Cyclevan.com (aka fordvanworld.com) about removing the pesky factory running boards.

Without the studs in place, there is a 1/2" hole and a another oblong hole 1" x 1/2". So yes, studs get welded in, but I would like to know how Houdini got those studs in there in the first place, and what special plate was used. Don't know, maybe there is a Ford part # associated with all this. If Ford figured out how to add these after it left the factory, they sure didn't share that info with the dealer I spoke to.

 

[foxharp]

a tip regarding the interior cargo panels: there are several different types of push clips that hold them on. the ones along the bottom of some of the panels don't actually need to be removed -- they clip into small plastic pieces that fit into larger holes in the sheet metal, and the panel can be worked off with those plastic pieces still in place.

 

[foxharp]

one more fastener type: when removing the cargo panels, there's a plastic bracket that helps support each of the large pieces, on C column. there are three of these plastic brackets, in total -- tow on the driver side, on on the passenger side. those brackets are held to the colum by a pair of plastic posts that the bracket slides onto. my plastic posts are green. how do you remove those? just pull? they look similar to the orange posts that hold the headliner up over the cab, and i think someone said that was the answer for those.

paul

 

[impatient]

Fox harp, Any chance you can provide a picture?

 

[foxharp]

Fox harp, Any chance you can provide a picture?

i've mentioned two different fasteners in the two posts immediately preceding your question, so i'm not sure which you're referring to.

i have a picture handy of the brackets that hold the cargo panels up. you can see the green fasteners there. they have a double head -- the bracket slides into the slot between the lower and upper disks of the head. this is the one i haven't figured out how to remove -- or, rather, i think i should just get my trim removal tool under there and pry, but i'd rather not break it. any thoughts?

(i'll try and get a picture later today of the other fastener i mentioned, the ones that don't need to be removed -- or at least didn't on one of my panels. i didn't figure it out in time for the other two.)

 

[asdrew]

I've been following this post from the start, and in fact removed some new trim & fasteners today to hookup yet another thing.

However, as I looked at the latest post from foxharp, I was struck by the fact that we all have these awesome new vans yet immediately want to rip them apart, lol :nerd:

 

[foxharp]

here are pictures of the other fastener type i was talking about, a few posts back -- the ones i don't believe need to be removed, because they can come out (with some wiggling) with the panel. i only tried this on one panel (the low short panel behind driver seat) because it took me a few panels to figure it out. but if i reinstall any of them, i'm going to try reassembling the fastener before reinstalling the panel.

in the second picture, the panel is turned 90 degrees from normal. when installed, the L-shaped part of the plastic on the rear of the panel points down, so to work it out of the hole it fits in, you need to lift the panel a bit before pulling it away from the wall. and of course there are four of these in a row, so you need to do them all at once.

 

[impatient]

I've been following this post from the start, and in fact removed some new trim & fasteners today to hookup yet another thing.

However, as I looked at the latest post from foxharp, I was struck by the fact that we all have these awesome new vans yet immediately want to rip them apart, lol :nerd:

Unfortunately, I am better at taking things apart than putting them back together.

 

[impatient]

Rear door panels

On cargo van, lower door panels (with speaker grills):

This is the first panel or part I was able to remove without damage. I started on the lower "inside" corner ( where the 2 doors meet) prayed gently with my hands, and off it came. Worked my way around from there.

 

[impatient]

Running board install

Here is a pic from a video on Cyclevan.com (aka fordvanworld.com) about removing the pesky factory running boards.

View attachment 23137

Without the studs in place, there is a 1/2" hole and a another oblong hole 1" x 1/2". So yes, studs get welded in, but I would like to know how Houdini got those studs in there in the first place, and what special plate was used. Don't know, maybe there is a Ford part # associated with all this. If Ford figured out how to add these after it left the factory, they sure didn't share that info with the dealer I spoke to.

This did not go so well, although victory is in my sights. We popped off the lower body side molding (that almost touches the running board), breaking several plastic clips in the process. I think 1 is salvageable; the rest maimed or completely ruined. After removing the trim, we drilled 1 hole for each bracket location and with a wire wrapped around the threads held in place with electrical tape, fished 8 bolts (3/8 x 2 flange head bolts) into the holes where the factory studs would have gone. This was a slow process, with a couple setbacks, but ultimately succeeded. We even had to enlarge the holes on the inner side of the rail to allow the bolt with tape and wire to be pulled through. Of course, 5/16 might have been sufficient. We double nutted each bolt, one of which was a nylon lock nut. I may slather some lock tight on the bit of the bolt extending past the nuts because I'm a suspender AND belt kinda guy (about certain things). http://www.fordtransitusaforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=23137&d=1458264403

Picture shows factory studs, but that is where my flage boots ended up...in factory holes (slightly enlarged). Now to prime and and some paint on the outer surface where we drilled.

Still need a lower molding that doesn't protrude as much as factory molding (which covers up a good portion of the factory running board). Part #: CK4Z-6110176-FA would solve that issue but lighten my wallet more than appropriately.