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knee bolster help - i'll pay someone in Bay Area CA

hey guys. I know this thread is old but I just installed some new cluster rings from our friends at S.O.S. It was to easy thanks to this thread. What would I do with out all of you. Thanks.
 
The 2nd clip should be located around the ignition switch. In order to get to that section, you have to crawl under the steering wheel/bolster with a flash light. There are a lot of wires that you need to maneuver the screw driver to reach straight to the clip. Make sure you have a screwdriver long enough. Sorry...but I couldn't get my camera down there to take a picture of the position of the clip. Keep looking...
 
I'll do some pictures of this section tomorrow. It's damn small in the footroom, an acrobatical practice. :D
 
vtec888 said:
... Sorry...but I couldn't get my camera down there to take a picture of the position of the clip.......
Actually you did take a perfect picture of the clip location & posted it earlier in the thread - it just isn't while it's still installed but shows the perfect location of where you can find it relative to the panel.
 
I've done it tonight! :) I used the hammer-method described above. Some pics:
First one: Clip on the left (in driving direction) side, quite easy to access:
 
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On the right side: The clip is behind the two green connectors, pull them out, so you can see the clip, not an easy access, but it works.
 
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That's how the clips looks like. I adjusted the clip strength a little bit as seen in the third pic. The one on the left is OEM, the one on the right is the adjusted one.
 
I was just wondering after taking the under steering-wheels protector apart, if this gap is reasonable (first pic)?
But more than this I'm wondering how to get the instrument unit out of the car? As described on the right side, but how? I pulled the unit from the top towards me but no way.
I had the steering wheel all towards me and all down. Any recommandations?
 
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I'm reading this thread and laughing. After removing the lower screws of the knee bolster you wrap your fingers around the top outer corners and pull straight out.
You pull with sharp firm pressure and MOST important, swear and curse very softly while doing so.
If you don't softly whisper some curses and swear words it will not come out.
The cluster comes out after you disconnect all the plugs and releasing the lever to lower the wheel and keep the lever released past the lowest setting to get that extra 1/4". Tilt the top of the cluster down and remove.
 
pbassjo said:
...If you don't softly whisper some curses and swear words it will not come out.
...

So my 'Holy Crap'-curse wasn't enough? :D I just wanted to pull the knee bolster out and not the entire interior. :D
For those who wan't to save time: try pulling hard. if it doesn't come out the first time get hammer and screwdriver like vtec888 and I did. :)
 
Good job GoldNSX. Now, you're a master :)

Oh believe me...I tried to use the pull method..and the swearing style. I think I spent 1 hour just trying the pull melthod. It didn't budge at all. If I had really tried pulling it even harder than I did before, my bolster (especially the small thin plastics) would have been broken apart...and who knows what other damage that I could have caused to the other parts.
 
Make sure you find all the screws that attached to the unit. This should be much easier than the bolster now. There's a certain angle that you can take it out (remembering...the right side should be the first to come out toward you and the face/front needs to be tilted downward.) Take your time...play around with all angles. Just make sure you cover the unit from scratches. Also, make sure you unplug several of the connectors too.

And about the gap, you shouldn't have one. I don't have a gap on mine. It seems like something is blocking it from a flush mount.

goldNSX said:
I was just wondering after taking the under steering-wheels protector apart, if this gap is reasonable (first pic)?
But more than this I'm wondering how to get the instrument unit out of the car? As described on the right side, but how? I pulled the unit from the top towards me but no way.
I had the steering wheel all towards me and all down. Any recommandations?
 
vtec888 said:
Good job GoldNSX. Now, you're a master :)

You're still THE master! :D Thanks to your pics and posts I decided to give it a try to get the tricky knee-bolster out. It's an excellent idea of hammering it out instead of pulling and breaking everything into pieces. :) And I got some insights of unknown areas in my car too. :D

I've made a mistake and have to take out the under steering-wheel protector again. This should work. :)

Regards,
Thomas
 
my knee bolster must be experienced because she popped right out... definitely not a virgin bolster here:wink:

And wow I cant believe this thread is still going after almost a year...:biggrin:
 
My recently acquired '91 has a broken tab on the left top side of the knee bolster. After stumbling onto this thread, I decided to try removing it to see if it can be repaired.

I must say, after jamming my head, flashlight, 10" screw driver and a hammer into that tiny space, I had to recheck NSX Prime to make sure this thread wasn't posted under the "Contortionist Tricks for Near-Sited Horse Jockeys" forum.

I then tried the brute-force/quiet explicative tug method, and after a few tries it popped right out. I'm going to try and fix it with epoxy since the broken piece was still in the clip and upholstery glue to tighten up the fabric that came loose over time.
 
After the pain with the knee bolster some new pics. :) It was worth doing it.
It doesn't belong to here I know but the first and last time in snow (with summer tires). Will be one of the rarest pics ever of her. :) Background: The whole trip was dry but when I got of the autobahn, there was snow from one of the industries there.
Copyright by Micha.
 
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I tried this method today, stuffing my big fat head, flashlight, long screwdriver and hammer under the dash. After a while, I had to check NSX Prime to make sure this thread wasn't listed under the "Contortionist Tricks For Near-Sited Horse Jockeys" forum. I finally got it though.

Now on to the next problem; one of the top tabs was already broke (I swear!), but the broke off piece was still in the clip. So I'm going to try and glue it back together with epoxy. And the fabric is starting to come unglued from the back. Any upholsterers out there with suggestions?
 
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