Taking Gauges apart

[antFJ]

THE ABOVE CANNOT POSSIBLY BE STRESSED ENOUGH!






Removing the speedometer cable at the transfer case before trying to remove the cluster makes things a lot easier.

i never thought of this and now my knuckles are mad at me for having to reach up behind the dash and disconnect the cable without being able to see what I was doing...

also - early trucks with 3-speed on the column... do you have to drop the column/ubolt the steering box to get the cluster out or was that just me?

 

[White Stripe]

Ok got it apart...as usual it was a pain to get the speedo cable off. I ended up using 2 strips around the edge. I also grabbed some chevy engine orange paint and brightened up the pointers....

When the interior lights are turned all the way up its actually too bright lol. I basically went from driving with what seemed like a small candle lighting up the gauges to a arc weld. I also replaced my oil pressure sender so now my oil pressure gauge actually works!

 

[Poser]

also - early trucks with 3-speed on the column... do you have to drop the column/ubolt the steering box to get the cluster out or was that just me?

No reason to drop the column....

 

[antFJ]

weird... I couldn't rotate the cluster forward enough to lift it out of the dash - the face of the cluster would hit the 3-speed shifter column. Looking back I wonder if the tabs on the bottom could have just been bent..

 

[aktundra]

Is anybody still monitoring this old thread? Paged through it on my phone, and may have missed it.

But are there PN's or a link to the led strips ?

 

[White Stripe]

Is anybody still monitoring this old thread? Paged through it on my phone, and may have missed it.

But are there PN's or a link to the led strips ?

They are all over ebay. Look up 30cm led strip

30cm/15LED 12V Car Bike SMD Truck Flexible Waterproof Lights String Strip HR | eBay

 

[DougAustinTx]

Once you get the instrument cluster out, you can dremel about 2/3's of the two lower tabs off and the cluster will come out much easier in the future, but will still engage at the bottom and allow the cluster to tilt forward.

 

[aktundra]

Does any body know if the speedo needle in a 1980 conducts light and "lights up"? Or is it just painted orange and reflects surrounding light ?

 

[aktundra]

This is one of the light sockets in the instrument cluster. Two connectors inside at the bottom and two tabs at the top on the outside. Wondering if I can use this socket to wire in LED strips

Does anybody know which of the connectors in this socket are + and which are - ?

 

[Kadjiado]

Great idea. Doing this!

 

[Landpimp]

No light, just paint

Does any body know if the speedo needle in a 1980 conducts light and "lights up"? Or is it just painted orange and reflects surrounding light ?

 

[White Stripe]

View attachment 1353949 This is one of the light sockets in the instrument cluster. Two connectors inside at the bottom and two tabs at the top on the outside. Wondering if I can use this socket to wire in LED strips

Does anybody know which of the connectors in this socket are + and which are - ?

I suppose u could solder the led wires in there. No idea which is positive. Doesn't the socket fit either way? If u solder it wrong can't u just pull the socket and flip 180 to reverse the connection?

 

[aktundra]

Wasnt going to solder, just slip the bulb back in, and use it to hold the wire securely. Think I'll assume both bottoms are positive, and both top-sides are negative, but ground differently.

 

[aktundra]

Thanks to all. I can't add much to white stripe's posts except that I was able to run the LED wires through the light socket. I'm no electrician, but the current goes in one side, and across to the other side, the filament/LED links the sides.

 

[White Stripe]

Thanks to all. I can't add much to white stripe's posts except that I was able to run the LED wires through the light socket. I'm no electrician, but the current goes in one side, and across to the other side, the filament/LED links the sides.

How about a pic of your end result?

 

[aktundra]

The LED wires begin in the center below the hi-beam indicator. Then loop up to the light bulbs on either side in the mid-center, behind the light covers. (The wire is most visable on the left side).

Then I used the bulb & connector to secure the wire. The LED bulbs currently in use are almost worthless.

 

[White Stripe]

View attachment 1355656
The LED wires begin in the center below the hi-beam indicator. Then loop up to the light bulbs on either side in the mid-center, behind the light covers. (The wire is most visable on the left side).

Then I used the bulb & connector to secure the wire. The LED bulbs currently in use are almost worthless. View attachment 1355652

View attachment 1355653

View attachment 1355654

Looks really good! I'm still shocked when I turn on my dash lights. I lived with the dim stock dash lighting for so many years, it will take a while to get used to it. And it costs very little money in materials which is nice.