How to remove plastic panel on cab behind the door

[GotToGo]

Hi Guys,

You know that plastic panel on the side of the cab behind the door? I think its a vent of some kind. How does that come off?

I would assume it just pops off but thought I better check before I break something.

[Jeff V.]

Inside the cab? Down in the bottom corner where the seatbelt feeds out from? That just pops out. If it's something else you're talking about, a picture would help.

[GotToGo]

Sorry about that. This one.

18818

[GotToGo]

The big black one that about 4 inches wide.

[t97]

It just prys off its held on my the same type of clips as the a pillar. I used my harbor freight trim removal tool but it takes quite a bit to get it off

[GotToGo]

Any advice on where to pry?

[t97]

I pryed on the back side closest to the rear window be careful though theres a little rubber gasket there as well

[GotToGo]

Cool, thanks!

[GotToGo]

Since my plan was to replace these panels (if I could find some better ones), I decided to leave them on until I actually found replacements.

So I headed for the Pick a part to practice removing them. :)

I must have pulled 8 of those things off and it was always the same. It just pops off but virtually all the clips break. I think I came back with 2 unbroken clips. There are 4 clips per side, 1 top center, then 1 a 1/4 of the way down and slightly towards the rear, one 3/4 of the way down and slightly towards the rear, and 1 bottom center. It was easiest to start at the bottom. I used a flat prybar, inserted it under the panel then worked it in until I found the clip. Then it was a simple pop. Repeat for the others.

Anyway, after all that, I did find 2 panels that were in pretty good shape. When I got them home I decided to leave the old panels on until I found some new clips. Yeah right. I checked a couple of auto stores, nope. I checked at Lowe's, nope. I checked at a body shop, yes! But they wanted $5 a piece! No way. Stopped at Autozone on the way home and they had some that were very close ($1.50 ea.). I'll give them a try tomorrow.

[t97]

I ordered a bag of them and the door panel clips from ebay for a few bucks each. I cant remember if those panels hace the flat clips or the round ones but you can find both on ebay for next to nothing.

[GotToGo]

Wish I had thought of that.

[silverjoel]

I have a few comments.
First, thanks for the details about prying the vents off.
Second, eBay is definitely the way to go for the little plastic clips, but it's best if it's known that your going to need them as shipping can take awhile.
Third, where in the hell are you located that you can go to a yard and have at least 4 trucks available for you to pull parts from? My local yard just received a mighty max on Tuesday, the first one in about a year and a half, and I'm worried that by the time I get there sometime this weekend, every part I'm looking for will be gone.

[GotToGo]

Hahaha! Yep, the big yard here has 4 of them. I'm in Boise, Idaho. Two of the other yards in town also have one Ram50 each.

Hmmmm, maybe I should start pulling parts for people and make some money! :)

[silverjoel]

That makes sense. It seems, for wherever reason, these trucks are a lot more common in the northwest than anywhere else in the country.

[GotToGo]

CORRECTION:
There are 4 clips per side, 1 top center, then 1 a 1/4 of the way down and slightly towards the FRONT, one 3/4 of the way down and slightly towards the rear, and 1 bottom center.


I made a mistake on the clip locations