Problems Reinstalling Dashboard

[dwjack]

I removed the dashboard in my truck to have more room to work and now I can't get it to sit underneath the windshield seal like it should.
All the clips on the bottom are in the slots and if I angle it up I can slip it under the seal but when I bring it down to screw it in it pops out. I tried for about an hour before giving up thinking I would break it. Now there is a gap as you look in through the front windshield.
The only other thing I can think of is that I need a new windshield anyways so maybe when it's out I could pull that seal out and put it back in on top of the dash before the new windshield is put in.
I'm stumped, anyone have any thoughts or tips? Maybe there's something Im missing here?

[bigblock73]

Without seeing a pic, it is going to be hard to see what is going on.

When installing your dash pad, there shouldn't be much of a need to angle it...you should only need to angle it just enough to see that the clips are indeed sliding under the tabs on the metal dash itself. It kind of sounds like one the the ends of the dash is not seated properly, and causing it to "pop" out of place when pushing the front down.

Do you have a headliner in the truck? If so, maybe remove the pillar pieces, this will give you more room...and you can re-install them after the dash is in place.

I find it difficult to believe the windshiled seal is causing any problems here.

Hope this helps a little.

[MidnightBlues]

A bit late with the reply,but what's wrong is this I think:

When the clips are in the slots you have to push the dash forward with some force while moving it up and down a little , until it is seated against the window seal.
Only then it will be slided in the slots far enough.
And yes, it takes some force.

Hope this helps.

[dwjack]

I'm starting to think that it isn't supposed to fit under the weatherstripping. I can see all 6 clips in from underneath, but whenever I get it underneath and bring it down to screw in, it pops up.
Can someone look at their's to see how it is seated, up over the seal or underneath? I need to get this fixed because it looks like crap.

[MidnightBlues]

Yesterday I removed mine once again because one of the speakers was shot.
Mine is seated UNDER the weatherstripping. I still think you haven't pushed it far enough towards the front.

[dwjack]

just to verify, the windshield pillars on the sides flare out at the bottom and go on top of the dash, the piece that mounts below them flare at the top and go under the dash. Right?

[MidnightBlues]

I don't know exactly what you mean,but my dash goes easy in between the sidepillars.

Just to be more specific on the windshield seal:
On the front sides the dashboard is more or less seated against the seal and in the middle it is almost under the seal.

Can you make a pic of your pillars???
So I can compare it to my situation.