FJ40 instrument cluster removal (1 Viewer)

[dgangle]

This is a total newb question, I realize but how in the world do you remove the stock FJ40 instrument cluster in my '75?

I have removed the 2 screws on the face and detached the speedo cable and it won't budge....concerned about breaking something fragile.

I have searched, read, read and read to no avail.

 

[nicksfj-40]

?

If I remeber right you have to lift it up and out. I think mine had metal tabs on the edge of the cluster.

 

[jeffj40]

That IS strange
Maybe the PO painted it in or used some kind of glue. Two screws are it....mine pops right out. Kind of a pita to get back in tho.

 

[amaurer]

Its held in with the two screws, and then has two "tabs" that hook onto the dash at the bottom of the cluster.

I tilt the top outwards (which is why the speedo cable must be detached) and then when there is clearance, lift upward and out.

 

[lone gunman]

yep, tilt the top out and pull up. but dont forget to reach in and push in on the plastic tab that holds the speedometer cable to the gauge. and i ground off the two little tabs at the bottom so i could pull mine easier.

 

[Copenhagen1]

I take out the two screws and unhook the speedo cable at the rear of the t/c. After it is unhooked , I push slack towards the cluster and the cluster just tilts from the top towards the steering wheel. I then unhook the speedo cable from the cluster and continue tilting the top towards the steering wheel until it clears where I can lift it out. It has two tabs on the bottom that have to lift out.

Be sure and disconnect your battery because you can smoke your gauges pretty easily in this position. Good Luck.

Kerry

 

[dx379]

Does anyone have a picture of the screws? I removed mine and can't remember what they look like to put them back in. The ones I thought were correct aren't going in properly...

I looked on Coolermans list of bolts but didn't see pictures of them. Thanks (and sorry to hijack)

Thanks,
Jonny

 

[dgangle]

thanks...all good info. Working on removing the light shield/covers.

Ok, so once tilted out and lifted up, will have I have to diconnect all the wires to the back of the gauges or unplug a harness??????

 

[amaurer]

thanks...all good info. Working on removing the light shield/covers.

Ok, so once tilted out and lifted up, will have I have to diconnect all the wires to the back of the gauges or unplug a harness??????

1975 - you should have two plugs to disconnect, a big round one, and a little three-prong job.

 

[xtfritz]

Just to add to the quandrum, how do you disconnect the speedo cable from the cluster? I see a white plastic bit around a brass fitting with the speedo cable running into it.

Thanks

 

[Lynchmobracing]

yep, tilt the top out and pull up. but dont forget to reach in and push in on the plastic tab that holds the speedometer cable to the gauge. and i ground off the two little tabs at the bottom so i could pull mine easier.

Great idea about grinding those two tabs, I usually manage to scratch the paint off something while tilting and pulling

And also very important point about disconnecting the battery first, could make things a lot worse if you don't

 

[lone gunman]

that white plastic thing has a little tab on one side that you have to push down and then you can pull it out. its kinda hook shaped and clicks over an edge on the cluster to hold it in place.

 

[AlexJet]

Bringing old thread back to life.
Is the speedo cable just pushed in and hold only by the plastic sleeve tab?
I pulled my plastic clip easy off and slide it back on the cable, but speedo is not disconnecting or moving at all. Anything else can hold it? Mine is '74.
Good catch on battery disconnect. I didn't know.
What plugs do I have and need to disconnect on mine?

 

[Roboosfj40s]

Bringing old thread back to life.
Is the speedo cable just pushed in and hold only by the plastic sleeve tab?
I pulled my plastic clip easy off and slide it back on the cable, but speedo is not disconnecting or moving at all. Anything else can hold it? Mine is '74.
Good catch on battery disconnect. I didn't know.
What plugs do I have and need to disconnect on mine?

Those speedo cables can be tough to remove at times especially if they have been there a long time. On mine I removed the neg battery cable, removed the 2 screws and in the cluster, tilted slightly at the top removed the white speedo cable clip and the cable would not budge so I kept wiggling it a little which is not easy coz I have big hands and then I took a long bladed screw driver and very carefully worked around the edge of the cable housing. When it began to move it pulled righ out. My 74 has the older cluster and was about 3 plugs to remove on the back. The new ones have 1 round plug on the back left side facing the the cluster. I think one small plug as well. Putting the speedo cable back can be a chore because the inner cable ends are square and have to line up correctly to work. Good Luck!

Rob

 

[DougAustinTx]

Those two little tabs at the bottom of the instrument cluster are a PITA. I didn't cut mine all the way off, but shortened them quite a bit.
On the light shields, I used a pair of those scissors that can cut a penny to just cut the shields off without generating a bunch of metal fragments.

 

[AlexJet]

Those speedo cables can be tough to remove at times especially if they have been there a long time. On mine I removed the neg battery cable, removed the 2 screws and in the cluster, tilted slightly at the top removed the white speedo cable clip and the cable would not budge so I kept wiggling it a little which is not easy coz I have big hands and then I took a long bladed screw driver and very carefully worked around the edge of the cable housing. When it began to move it pulled righ out. My 74 has the older cluster and was about 3 plugs to remove on the back. The new ones have 1 round plug on the back left side facing the the cluster. I think one small plug as well. Putting the speedo cable back can be a chore because the inner cable ends are square and have to line up correctly to work. Good Luck!

Rob

Good info. Thanks.
Any hints on putting the cable back? There should be some "easy" way...
BTW, I was told that without power for some time some gauges may loose the needle location and become inoperative. What is the timeframe the cluster can be out of power? Is it matter of hours, days, weeks or month? Can they hold 4-5 month?

 

[Roboosfj40s]

Good info. Thanks.
Any hints on putting the cable back? There should be some "easy" way...
BTW, I was told that without power for some time some gauges may loose the needle location and become inoperative. What is the timeframe the cluster can be out of power? Is it matter of hours, days, weeks or month? Can they hold 4-5 month?

I have always had to reach behind the cluster from under the dash to put it back before I put the screws in. I have never had any luck putting it back otherwise unless of course you cut the two tabs off of the bottom of the cluster making it where you can go straight in and out. But I have been a little hesitant to do so but again I am really thinking of doing that because as stated from others, it will scratch up the dash right above the steering column. As far as gauges losing needle position? I have never heard that and would not think it would happen unless bumped around alot. My cluster came from Aussie land 2nd hand and everything worked except the needle on the ammeter was showing 1/4 wacked but still worked. I use gauges anyway just because I like them and I have found in years past to be somewhat more reliable for me that is. But I am not a purist because here funtionable is more important than pretty.

 

[Racer65]

Bringing back an old thread. I haven't done this job, but would really like to in order to change out the dim lighting.

With all the difficulty of removing/reconnecting the speedo cable at the cluster end, could the problem be solved by removing the cable at the TC end, as one of the posters mentioned above? In that case can't you simply pull out the cluster along with the cable connected? Is it easy to remove the cable at the TC end?

 

[lostmarbles]

..With all the difficulty of removing/reconnecting the speedo cable at the cluster end, could the problem be solved by removing the cable at the TC end, as one of the posters mentioned above? In that case can't you simply pull out the cluster along with the cable connected? Is it easy to remove the cable at the TC end?

Pulling on the instrument cluster like that won't draw up the speedo cable as you plan.

The cable won't slide easily through grommets etc (as you envisage).

So reaching up and behind (while being a contortionist) from below is the only way in my opinion.

Here my 1979 being removed:

You have to realise that tilting is necessary (as already mentioned) because there are tabs below (based on my 1979 anyway):

 

[DTSkyCop]

I recently converted all my lights in my vehicle to LED. I had to remove my cluster to change out all the lights respectively in the cluster. I too experienced the same issue s as noted here.

Finally, I got the cluster removed. When I tried removing the back of the cluster however, I could not remove the back at all. Any special way to remove the instruments from the housing so I can clean the inside of the glass and possibly look at refinishing the gauge faces to make them brighter etc...?? I tried removing the screws for the speedometer, but being a newb, I definitely did not want to mess anything up here... I reassembled and just put it all back together.

A secondary question:

When I replaced the two white bulbs on each side of the cluster which light up the inside of the speedometer, and gauges etc, one side only would work with the right type LED bulbs purchased from SuperBrightLEDs. If I switched the working bulb to the other side, the other side worked but not both LED bulbs together... However, both bulbs are new and do ultimately light on their own. I then switched back to the regular incandescent bulbs and both bulbs now work fine. Strange. Any ideas..???

Thank you in advance,