Getting steering wheel shroud / surround off?

[Martin T.]

I'm repainting all the black interior trim on my 97 TJ (really worn, discolored etc). The one piece I can't get off it the lower part of the steering wheel shroud. I got the top part off by removing the 2 deep-set screws underneath, and the bottom part is now free floating, BUT the plastic ring surrounding the ignition key area is over the plastic shroud. I tried pulling, twisting, etc, but can't seem to get the round plastic piece around the key off. Any suggestions?

Here's an illustration from the manual with the spot in question circled in red. Even the illustration shows the plastic ignition cover ring (as I call it) positioned over the larger bottom shroud on the steering surround.

HELP!

 

[Martin T.]

Better picture - arrow shows the plastic key cylinder surround that seems to be installed OVER the plastic bottom steering column cover.

 

[Chris]

It's been a while since I removed mine, but I did it at one point to install the EP26 LED flasher relay. I remember this being probably the easiest thing in the world, I just removed the screws, wiggled the trim around, and it came right off.

Mine is a 2005, so I'm not sure if it's different at all, but it was a walk in the park for me. Maybe it's different on the earlier models. I'll wait until someone else chimes in here.

 

[JeepNWilly]

on my 2006 I can easily remove both covers. The plastic has enough give to let me remove them. maybe on the 1997 you have to remove the ignition cylinder?

Page 19 -11 from the 1997 Service Manual



https://wranglertjforum.com/threads...ice-manuals-fsm-technical-documentation.4618/

 

[Chris]

Interesting... Hopefully someone with a 97 or earlier model TJ sees this and responds.

 

[ThisIsJon]

I repainted all of my trim too, and had the hardest time with the bottom shroud to the point the black key cylinder part broke off. On my 1997 there's no way to take off the bottom shroud without taking off the key cylinder (unless you break it like me) there's a hole in the shroud so you can remove the cylinder.

 

[MY97TJ]

Here's a video on how to remove the key cylinder.

https://www.google.com/search?q=rem...e=ive&vld=cid:3e72caaa,vid:vUW8g5kD6V0,st:131

 

[Mike Yankee Papa]

d

Did you ever figure out how to take off the key cylinder?

 

[jonny jeep]

d

If you are looking for an answer to the question you quoted see post #4.