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Removing Front Door Trim on VN - VS

Darren

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Tools Needed
  • 250mm Shifter
  • Medium Sized Flat Head Screwdriver
  • Medium Sized Philips Head Screwdriver
  • O-Ring Pick or Some Other Hooked Object
  • Window Handle Remover

Other Material Needed
  • Rag or Cloth

    Removing the door trim isn't as hard as it looks. I must admit I almost drove myself nuts the first time especially trying to get the window winder off but having done it many times since I reckon I can safely say I have almost perfected it.

    Anyway on with the How-To :)
  1. Remove the door locking button - I find using an o-ring the easiest way in the world to accomplish this part. Insert the o-ring pick behind the red tab and gently pull back but not too much force otherwise it will break it and they do break very easily. I have found if you can get one side of the tab out that little bit further without breaking it the button will come off nicely otherwise attack it from the other side doing the same procedure and it will come off just as well. At times you may need to place a different object in the other side you aren't doing as they sometimes have a tendency to pop back in once you have a go at the other side.
  2. Behind the door lock button you will find a phillips head screw with a washer on it, simply remove it being careful not to drop it down into the door. Once done it should look like a metal rod with a thread on it, if so head on to the next step.
  3. Next is to try and get the metal clip off the window winder which can be easily removed by using a window winder remover tool available for about $2 or $3 from Super Cheap Auto Parts. If you prefer to do it the hard way use a hacksaw blade with some electrical tape around it so it doesn't damage the door trim and slide it into the small gap and push slowly until the clip flies off. I must warn you just about every time I do this they tend to very quick at springing off in different directions, just keep a close eye out for it.

    Once the metal clip has come off simply grip the handle and bring it towards you and while your at it grab the spacer which usually sits behind the handle.

  4. Now that the window winder has been removed it's time to remove the arm rest where the electrical mirror switch is. You will see like a plastic cover which is easily removed either using an o-ring pick or flat screwdriver. Once removed disconnect the electric mirror switch and remove the two phillipshead screws (one at the top and one at the bottom). Once done the arm rest should pull away without too much trouble.

    * The next four steps are only applicable to the VR - VS.

  5. On the VS there are 3 phillipshead screws located on the bottom which have to be removed using a screwdriver.
  6. Removing the heating/cooling ducts is as simple as removing the transfer vent which is 1 phillips head screw. The transfer vent can be tricky to get out but don't go using too much force as it may break.
  7. Now the next thing is to remove the vents, this can done with a flat screwdriver with a bit of cloth or rag wrapped around it to prevent any damage or at least minimise any damage as screw drivers can slip. Of course I use my favourite o-ring but use whatever you have access to. I have generally found you can get the left hand side out assuming your doing the drivers side. You have 2 lugs on each side of each vent so once one side is part way out either slide the screwdriver from the back to dislocate the other two or go from the front, I will leave that decision up to you.
  8. Once the vents have been removed you have a futher 4 phillips head screws to remove.
  9. Now the screws have been removed the outlet vent can be removed without too much trouble at all.
  10. That's it, now it's a case of slowly pulling the door trim to the opposite side of the car doing a little bit of a time ensuring the trim comes away fairly evenly otherwise the chances of damaging the plastic lugs is very high.
  11. Putting everything back together is reverse of what has been listed.
 

fourstar82

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Would someone be able to post step by step pics for this, I'm having a little trouble with getting the bit around the door lock off. Would be very much appreciated!!! (car is a VS btw)

Andy ;)
 

Locksmiff

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You have to flick it forward, if it's the orange bit your reffering too.
 

ben7

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Yeh i am too having trouble with the lock and the window winder.. pics would be great if at all possible please :).

I need to take it off to change speakers over.. unless there is an easier way to change without taking off the whole door trim?? car is VR acclaim.

I am also having trouble getting to the back speakers. I realise ill have to take out the back seats to take off the shelf but i cant find a way to take out the seats.

I may end up just buying a workshop manual but any ideas would be great?

Thanks,
Ben
 

KAL SPL

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Blown VS Calais !!
To remove back seat you need to pull the base upwards at the back where the buckles are , then it will just fall out.
The side seats each have a 13mm bolt at the bottom then slide upwards and come out.
Shelf has 3 clips across front , 2 in the top and usually a child restraint bolt 13mm.
Then the whole shelf slides forwards exposing the speakers.
 

deeranp

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Darren said:
[*]Remove the door locking button - I find using an o-ring the easiest way in the world to accomplish this part. Insert the o-ring pick behind the red tab and gently pull back but not too much force otherwise it will break it and they do break very easily. I have found if you can get one side of the tab out that little bit further without breaking it the button will come off nicely otherwise attack it from the other side doing the same procedure and it will come off just as well. At times you may need to place a different object in the other side you aren't doing as they sometimes have a tendency to pop back in once you have a go at the other side.

A tip from one of the other blokes on this forum is head out to Holden Spares and get some of the red door lock tab things -- I paid $1.70 each. Then you just drive a self-tapping screw into the ones already in the car and yank 'em out using a pair of pliers. Saves about 1/2 hour of arsing about trying to remove them. :p Then you just whack the new ones in when you're putting everything back together.

/Deeran
 

stevenfearne01

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window winder removal tip

another tip on how to remove the window winder. to easly remove the clip holding the window winder on. to save cash just grab a plastic bag slip the handel part of the bag in between the window winder and the spacer push down and rotate the bag. it pops off the clip easly.
 

Patrio7

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well i'll probably be getting a new HU and some 6" fronts for my car tomorrow so if i decide to try to fit them myself i'll be sure to grab some pics.

i have access to a modest selection of tools but im wondering how long it would take an amatur like me to do [im ok with re-wiring its just i might take some time to follow these instructions, that or i'll leave it till sunday where i have two days in a row to get it done [sun-monday].....

i'll edit this post when i make it all happen.
 

deeranp

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Patrio7 said:
im wondering how long it would take an amatur like me to do

It took me 1 1/2 hours for the head unit, and about 1 1/2 hours for the front speakers.

I cheated and bought an ISO <-> Eurovox adapter cable from Aerpro, no
cutting and soldering of wires for me...

Good luck, and don't forget to post pictures when you're done!

/DP
 

Patrio7

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oh wow, that all? you say adaptor, kind of like a cable to let you just pull the plug from the stocker and plug in cable then drop it straight into the head unit?

im sure ive seen something like that down at supercheap, will have to pick one up.
 
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