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Help with a lost wrench

Barnaby’sdad

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You could possibly get by with pulling by hand. if your careful you can figure out by feel where the clips are. but a trim tool would be valuable. either way it is likely that the panel will bend ever so slightly and not go back perfect.... sadly, thats what happens to me anyway.
That’s the only way that I would attempt it. As @chorky said, whenever I’ve pulled panels without a specialty tool, they’ll go back together, but they rarely align perfectly.
 
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saratonin

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That’s the only way that I would attempt it. As @chorky said, whenever I’ve pulled panels without a specialty tool, they’ll go back together, but they rarely align perfectly.
Fortunately the speakers I bought from Crutchfield (amazing customer service) came with three types of panel tools!
 

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Edit: I think the answer has been posted ( ; thanks @Cape taco12 and @Rockabillyroy !) Will restart the thread if I need further help.



I’m aware that this is dumb, but I suppose most of us have gotten into jams of our own making.

I was screwing panels back together after replacing the driver’s side knee panel speaker and dropped my wrench, of all places it could have fallen, down a tiny hole.

I want to pry off the panel I think it’s under, if possible, but I don’t know what the procedure is to do so, or what the panel is called, to look it up.

Please see the attached photo for more detail, if you think you can help with either a how-to or what that panel is called.

The yellow arrow points to the hole it fell down and the green arrow to the panel I want to remove.

BDD58B76-CA4C-487A-AB41-BF84A9E68F0C.jpeg
Ahhh yes. That one isn’t fun. I started beside the seat and worked my way forward. The interesting thing is that panel releases parallel to the floor pan moving toward the center of the Jeep. It helps to get your finger tips under the bottom edge and pull toward the center console. Also, you can go to any parts store and pick up some cheap trim panel tools. If memory serves me right that panel lays over the one that goes up the B pillar. If you start there you can move forward using the trim tool. If you grab underneath and lift up you can break tabs that just slide in which will make a lot more sense once you’re able to open it.
 

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Ahhh yes. That one isn’t fun. I started beside the seat and worked my way forward. The interesting thing is that panel releases parallel to the floor pan moving toward the center of the Jeep. It helps to get your finger tips under the bottom edge and pull toward the center console. Also, you can go to any parts store and pick up some cheap trim panel tools. If memory serves me right that panel lays over the one that goes up the B pillar. If you start there you can move forward using the trim tool. If you grab underneath and lift up you can break tabs that just slide in which will make a lot more sense once you’re able to open it.
Great, thanks—helpful to hear the details!
 

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Cut a MAF for a FOD search
Man I hated the 0700 FOD walk after my 2100 to 0730 shift. Talk about zombie walk. We had a maintenance chief that would love to hide one of his rank backers and make us walk until we found it. Think the record was 6 walks over hour and a half. CO found out why his flight was delayed and that was the last backer that was hidden.

Thanks for the memories and probable nightmares tonight.
 
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Looks like a couple others have pointed you to the right place, but I have had to pull that off several times for aux switch installs, grounding wires, etc.

I've found it's much easier to start at the front of the vehicle and work your way back. The panel isn't held on by much in the front, and it's much easier to get the clips started up front than on that thin piece by the door.

Just make sure you pull off the wiring harness and the 10mm washer before you start, and pull away from the panel towards the inside of the vehicle - not up or back.
 

ShadowsPapa

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Removing that panel is part of the installation process of Amp Research’s power running boards. Instructions to remove it are found in their installation manual at step 12. I only know this because I did it last week. I hope this helps.

https://www.amp-research.com/images/ePIM/original/AMPIS-75135.pdf
Funny you mention those - when I was working with sales guy to order new JT we came into the question of stock Overland running boards or something else. I said stock, if I ever do anything else is will be the power running board from Amp or the others. He said they used to install the Amp Research power running board - but not any more. Their guys hated installing them, it always took so much longer than they could charge for and the panels and wiring involved - and a single mis-step on those with the wiring can mean a nightmare.
He liked them, the customers liked the results, but for a shop charging what they must charge and the hours it took............ no more.
 

JAVIERGONZO

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Man I hated the 0700 FOD walk after my 2100 to 0730 shift. Talk about zombie walk. We had a maintenance chief that would love to hid one of his rank backers and make us walk until we found it. Think the record was 6 walks over hour and a half. CO found out why his flight was delayed and that was the last backer that was hidden.

Thanks for the memories and probable nightmares tonight.
Welcome!!
 

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Funny you mention those - when I was working with sales guy to order new JT we came into the question of stock Overland running boards or something else. I said stock, if I ever do anything else is will be the power running board from Amp or the others. He said they used to install the Amp Research power running board - but not any more. Their guys hated installing them, it always took so much longer than they could charge for and the panels and wiring involved - and a single mis-step on those with the wiring can mean a nightmare.
He liked them, the customers liked the results, but for a shop charging what they must charge and the hours it took............ no more.
I'm a fan of the Rock Slide Engineering power steps. I have seen them slam rocks in Moab, Rubicon and several other difficult trails and still pop out no problem, and not bent. At first I would have said that is something that belongs on a daily and not a trail rig, but I was wrong.
 

ShadowsPapa

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I'm a fan of the Rock Slide Engineering power steps. I have seen them slam rocks in Moab, Rubicon and several other difficult trails and still pop out no problem, and not bent. At first I would have said that is something that belongs on a daily and not a trail rig, but I was wrong.
If I do any, it would be those, most likely. However, I love the way the standard OVerland running boards protect the body. I can drive through wet mucky stuff, winter slush and salt and sand, mud, whatever and you can see the pattern of those protecting the door areas.

So I'd be torn - and would have to see, and get in and out of one with the RSE power steps to see how they fit, how well they work for me and my wife, and how they protect. These running boards really do a great job protecting from rock chips along the side.
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