1979 Fj43 new guage cluster installation (1 Viewer)

[apatrick]

Recieved new guage cluster today. Appears closely the same but some minor differences. Not wanting to fry it off the bat, I need some hookup advice. (pics Attached).
Removed the 12 pin connector from the old cluster and on the passenger side of the guage, bottom were 2 black approx. # 12 or so guage wire connected together to the positive terminal (which is one side of the ammeter). Seemed odd to me that Toyota would go through the trouble to connect 2 wires to the same terminal, but maybe there is some reason I'm not aware of, or the previous owner didnt know what they were doing. In testing with key off or on one of the black wires when grounded to the frame shows 12.5 Volts. The other black wire, key on or off when grounded reads 0 volts. With the key on or off connecting the two black wires together with the volt meter shows 12.5 volts. Should I connect the hot side to the positive side of the new cluster and the other black wire that appears to be ground to the negative side of the guage? Any insight would be greatly appreciated

 

[JVZii]

You old cluster is an older style cluster where the amp gauge has 2 bigger wires that go to the battery more or less.

Your newer cluster has a newer style amp gauge that goes through a shunt first.

Be careful if the amp gauge on your 43 is the old style you will not like the result if you hook your new amp gauge up to it.

I am not sure on 43s but for 40s, if you have a 1/79 build date, your original cluster is the right one and your new cluster amp gauge won't plug right in. If it is 2/79 or later then someone may have done something creative to get cluster in.