I have a 1986 F250 with a 460 and my neighbor gave me a guage cluster with a tach in it. Does anyone know how and where I would wire the tach to make it work? Is there a chance that the wires are already in the wireing harness from factory and just not used if the tach wasn't ordered? Any help would be appreciated. I'm also still trying to find out what xlt lariot and explorer means. My truck has all three.

 

If you have oil pressure and amp guages, the tach instrument cluster will be a direct plug in.

As for XLT Lariat and Explorer, they are all just trim packages of varying levels, all three combined was a top of the line truck in 86.

 

Thanks for the info.

 

Hog

Does your neighbor have any more?

 

I believe there are some differences over the years in the gauge clusters. I put a cluster with a tach from a '81 truck into my '80 truck, everything worked but the right turn signal indicator and the brake light are swapped. When I turn right the brake light indicator flashes.

 

Hmm, I remember that happening once, don't ask me why, it was a few years ago, but, whatever it was, I must have managed to fix it without much hassle, I would remember it if it wasn't an easy fix.

 

Well, I'm new here to this forum and I also have a 1986 F-250 XLT, 4WD with 460 motor and C6 trans. My truck is lacking the tach as well and it drives me nuts not having one. Do you have to replace the whole cluster or can you simply steal an appropriate tach and plug and snap it in? Also, is it ok to to just get it out of a truck at the salvage yard? If so, what should you check to ensure workability on it besides obvious damage? Recomendations?

Thanks.

 

jdon88...you indicator plates can be removed with a razorblabe and reattached with a litle super glue.

 

ry2krazy - that's what I planned to do but never got around to it yet.

Rifleman - I think you will need the whole cluster, for my truck the cluster without tach had no wiring going to the tach position. To get the tach you need to remove the cluster anyway so you might as well get the whole cluster. Mine was only about $10. in a u-pull-it type junkyard. As far as testing before buying I don't know if it is possible.

 

Thanks jdon88. I'll be goin junkyard to get me one. As long as it is out of an 86(Are there other year models that work?) F-250 with 460 motor it should plug right in and be calibrated correctly right?

 

any 80-86 tach equiped dash should work it's just pug a play

 

where can i get whit face guages for a 86 f- 150 with no tach

 

Any 80 - 86 except the diesel insturment cluster

 

If you swap clusters (and you already have oil + amp guages, not lights) it should plug right in.

If you want to put the tach into your existing cluster I think you have to change the printed circuit board on back with one from a tach. The tach cluster probably has a trip meter on the odometer, too. You should probably change the new odometer to match what your current odometer reads, or change speedo's. I'd want the trip meter so you can either swap odometers or change the reading on the new one to match the old one.

 

Thanks for all the info. I swapped it out and it worked great although I had to pull it apart a second time because after I changed the odometer the numbers were floating half way out of site. I just set them all back one notch and it is good now. Just for info for people that don't know the cluster without the tach didn't have the wiring going to it so you can't just slap in a tach into a cluster that doesn't have one. All the other guages can be replaced.