1990 Interior B Pillar Panel Removal Tips

[Garage Hack]

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Anyone have experience removing the panel that covers the B pillar where the seatbelt is attached? I searched but could only find extended cab posts. I broke a couple of the tabs that hold the metal clips on the center piece that runs under the window and am trying to avoid this with the next piece.

 

[Kriegs]

just yanked one in the yard today... the passenger side some gorilla wrecked before i got back there so i got to see where the clips and what not were at...there are 3 screws on the lower part of the pillar, that includes the obvious one you can see in your pic. there was a clip at the top edge near the rear glass that i used a trim tool on and eased it out. there were a couple push in "legs/pins" in the center'ish,below the speaker hole. you can ease the trim out of the scuff plate/seat belt but i would remove the seat belt completely....the one at the yard was frozen solid into the floor and didnt want to budge.
the top center piece i had to remove the dome light(no need to pull it thru the cab, just the part that held the panel up,the wires clip into it)there are 3 clips that hold it at the bottom edge next to the back glass, hopefully you never replaced the rear glass and some ahole didnt over use the caulking to glue in the glass when installing) reach your hand thru the front and lightly push down on it applying slight pressure while trying to use the trim tool at the lower edge(near the back glass) closest to a clip...and be gentle...they break easy
you already got the lower piece so you know how that goes, clips in the lower, pull forward at the bottom(as always gentle pressure) once they pop, lift up to release
thats what i can remember anyways, was hot, miserable and did it while at work during a lunch break so was rushing LOL

 

[s98gmc]

just yanked one in the yard today... the passenger side some gorilla wrecked before i got back there so i got to see where the clips and what not were at...

That seems to be a common problem. I've found two trucks in a local yard with B pillars in the right color and both have damage from someone installing an antenna. They just yanked the panel out to run the cable in behind. One was glued back together with some sticky black goo.

 

[DaCoupe]

I broke by clips off as well.
Save them as you can epoxy / plastic weld them back on there.

 

[Garage Hack]

just yanked one in the yard today... the passenger side some gorilla wrecked before i got back there so i got to see where the clips and what not were at...there are 3 screws on the lower part of the pillar, that includes the obvious one you can see in your pic. there was a clip at the top edge near the rear glass that i used a trim tool on and eased it out. there were a couple push in "legs/pins" in the center'ish,below the speaker hole. you can ease the trim out of the scuff plate/seat belt but i would remove the seat belt completely....the one at the yard was frozen solid into the floor and didnt want to budge.
the top center piece i had to remove the dome light(no need to pull it thru the cab, just the part that held the panel up,the wires clip into it)there are 3 clips that hold it at the bottom edge next to the back glass, hopefully you never replaced the rear glass and some ahole didnt over use the caulking to glue in the glass when installing) reach your hand thru the front and lightly push down on it applying slight pressure while trying to use the trim tool at the lower edge(near the back glass) closest to a clip...and be gentle...they break easy
you already got the lower piece so you know how that goes, clips in the lower, pull forward at the bottom(as always gentle pressure) once they pop, lift up to release
thats what i can remember anyways, was hot, miserable and did it while at work during a lunch break so was rushing LOL

Thanks for the help! I got the side panel off but I was waiting to see if anyone responded before I pulled the top center (dome light) piece out and I am glad I did. I have run into very few things in this truck that can be removed without first removing something else.

 

[Blakestuhh]

I need to take mine off, what’s the best way? How does it connect up top? Should I take bottom out first or top? Also what tools are needed for the pillar and seatbelts or anything I’ll need to get it apart? What sizes of bits, etc. I’d appreciate the help, thanks in advance! Sorry for all the questions!

 

[mhodsdon]

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Anyone have experience removing the panel that covers the B pillar where the seatbelt is attached? I searched but could only find extended cab posts. I broke a couple of the tabs that hold the metal clips on the center piece that runs under the window and am trying to avoid this with the next piece.

Did you take the lower plastic trim off from the bottom first? Did you break the tabs on the top of the center piece or the bottom? I see there are long slots but not sure what type of clips are holding them in the slots. Are they the same style of clip holding the top of the molding in (smaller slots right below the rear window)? I'm attempting to minimize any breakage if possible. Trying to get a new headliner installed. Any guidance would be appreciated.

 

[Erik the Awful]

On my '89 I just yanked them, and then made new tabs with scrap plastic and JB Weld. I don't know of any way to get in there and get those clips to release.

 

[Frank Enstein]

Most of Frank's panels have broken tabs. I just attached them with trim screws.

Hidden fasteners are a pet peeve.

 

[someotherguy]

Order of operations matters a lot. Hopefully I'm remembering this correctly.

Remove the jack/tool storage box. Of course the stud that the jack slides over can be a real pain to remove as it has threadlocker. I use a socket on the top or sometimes it helps to tighten up a quality adjustable wrench to it as tight as you can.

The under-rear-window trim panel pops out at the bottom first, and while it's slightly hinged towards you from the bottom, gently push up as the top clips go down into the body. This has to be out of the way first as the B-pillars go in behind it.

There are a few screws down low in the B-pillars, and the coat hooks. Then the shoulder belt mount bolts. There are hidden clips but they will pop as you hinge the B-pillars inwards starting at the bottom; they have large slide-in tabs at the top that hook into the above-rear-window trim, so ease those apart.

Can't recall where the A-pillar trim fits in at this point but you'll be able to tell easily whether the rear of it goes behind the B-pillar trim or over it; easy to see.

Regular cab/crew cab, pop the dome light lens off and remove the screws, and there are screws at the ends of that above-rear-window trim, it'll come on down.

A-pillars are pretty easy to pop out and then re-install if you pay close attention to the locator "dowels" that help you line up the clips.

Don't forget there are a couple of velcro strips at the front edge of the headliner board, so you can reach in there and carefully separate them as you pull the headliner board down. (Of course you've already pulled the visor screws, duh.)

Forgive any errors.. it's been years now. Just read all that, put eyeballs on the truck, and take your time. Some of the clips may break; you can glue them back with Devcon Plastic Welder 2-part adhesive.. but you don't have to break a bunch of them. Patience helps.

Richard