Cluster removal help, 2005 LC (1 Viewer)

[jlm43]

Does anyone have any thoughts on how to get the instrument cluster out? I have it fully separated and the wheel is full down and out. It still won’t clear.

My next step is pulling the plastic around the column off to see if that gives me more room. Otherwise I think I’ll need to drop the column some.

 

[Patron100LC]

Yes, you should remove the top plastic around the column first. Carefully not messing up the little tabs, go slow around the seams after removing the little screws from below. Use a plastic trim tool.

Be careful with the electrical connectors too. Everything is very brittle in there.

Edited to add, nice steering wheel, mine is same black but it's getting messed up by the sun. How did you keep it so new?

 

[Malleus]

I just uploaded the 2005 specific Toyota service manual (RM1147U) for you. It's in the 100 series Land Cruiser Resources section. The Electrical Wiring Diagram (EWD601U) is also there.

FWIW, the service manual calls it the combination meter.

I'll upload a bookmarked version later this week, with section headings bookmarked, so you can find your way around. I did include a bookmark for the instrument panel in this version.

 

[delz05]

There are 2, 14mm nuts holding the coulumn up. Simply remove the knee bolster cover (10mm and maybe a phillips screw or 2), the metal shield behind it, and then access the 2 nuts. You don't have to remove them completely, just enough to let the column drop to ease the cluster removal. This adds about ten minutes to the cluster reoval process, but almost guaurantees a painless and damageless removal and installation. I pulled this image from another thread to show the nut(s) I am referring to... disregard the red circle. The second nut is located on the other side of the column

 

[MongooseGA]

You don't even have to mess with the knee trim or metal tin or anything.


Turn your steering wheel 90° in each direction. There will be a screw on each side of the column facing you, visible at the 'bottom' of the wheel. Once 2 screws are removed, use plastic trim tool to remove upper column trim. Don't mess with the lower at this point.

Wheel in the fully lowered position, there's a tilt and turn motion that will get the cluster out no problem. Having just had my cluster rebuilt, I've had it in and out about a half dozen times this Summer. Removing the cluster is about 5 minutes. You'll spend more time loosening the cluster bolts than anything else.

 

[jlm43]

Yes, you should remove the top plastic around the column first. Carefully not messing up the little tabs, go slow around the seams after removing the little screws from below. Use a plastic trim tool.

Be careful with the electrical connectors too. Everything is very brittle in there.

Edited to add, nice steering wheel, mine is same black but it's getting messed up by the sun. How did you keep it so new?

I'm not sure exactly, it's held up extremely well compared to a lot of the other ones I've seen. It does live in a garage when not being used but with 237k miles, it's not a garage queen.

Thanks for the tips, pulling the top of the column worked. Once that was off, I could slide it to the left and it came right out. It will be nice to have a functioning speedometer again.