sometimes seems impossible to get out of the back of the instrument cluster. Mine is stuck in there good.
what tricks have you used to get that drive cable out of there?

 

My hands aren’t strong enough anymore in some cases. But I haven’t come up with any tricks.
Is yours the older screw on style, or the later clip on?
Usually the screw on is very cooperative, and the clip on is supposed to be easy. But I found the clip ears hard to press.
What year is your truck?

 

‘67. The cable screws onto the cluster I’m sure.

last time I had the instrument cluster out for service that speedometer cable ‘rod’ would not come out.
I had to just lay the whole instrument cluster on the steering column to do the work,
(THEN I had a jumpy speedometer needle afterward for some time!)

Ive got to strip the whole dash now to take care of the firewall leaks, non-working windshield wipers, and attempt to install a plastic dash cover and an updated radio.

 

Perseverance , is the first & best thought that comes to me .
I am class 2 newbie to F100's . My worst stuck fastener that I conquered was the last screw in my tailgate handle assembly !!!
I never gave up even though I tried for about 4 hours or so over a span of 4 or 5 days and countless tries
Taking advice from here , and me , and perseverance , I won . I tapped/beat on screw , many squirts of PB blaster and finally using a BIG handled screw driver that I could grip with my whole hand , with other hand helping so I could REALLY grip handle GOOD & it WORKED What a feeling after all that time & straining !!!
So , , maybe try securing the panel somehow and using PB blaster & tap on the connection and turn connection both ways . this may help blaster seep into the threads , then let it set overnight so it hopefully will soak into the threads & g to work .... then try to turn the screw on & off again , and tap some more , & AND get a good secure grip on the connection !!!
Do this for maybe days , and hopefully it will eventually give up ............take your time , & I do hope you win
I saw heat being put to a screw by electricity I believe , to break a stuck fastener , & it worked ,but they will be a last resort I would think........