I received my Instrument Cluster yesterday and was looking things over berfore I dig into it. I've got a few questions.

1) What is the best way to remove the trim panel that sits in front of the cluster? I don't want to break anything. It looks and feels delicate.

2) I'll need to swap out my odometer and it looks like I'll have to remove the PRND automatic indicator window as mine is a 5 speed. Is it a simple disassembly, anything else to look for or be wary of?

Doug

1966 Fairlane 500 428 2-4v MR 4/spd
1995 F-150 4x4 5.0 5/spd
Ford Mercury MuscleCar Era Cars & Parts Board
http://members4.boardhost.com/fairlaniac

 

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 03-May-01 AT 12:37 PM (EST)[/font][p]Ok, this is pretty easy, I just did mine a few months ago. First to remove the large dash piece around the cluster. First take a small screwdriver and pop out the silver (wood in the eddie) pieces. They come out real easy. Now you will see a few screws that were hiding back there. You will also have to take off the Headlight ****. You just need a small scredriver, awl, hook, etc. Pull the switch to the on position, look for a notch in the shank, and then you need to put the screwdriver in the notch at about a 90 and pull straight back towards yourself while pulling on the ****. You'll know if you have the release pushed right or not because it won't move otherwise.
Once the screws are out, **** is off, just start pulling and it comes right off. Then the FuelSelect switch has a wire harness that needs to be unplugged so you can pull the dash all the way out.


As for the cluster itself. Just start taking it apart so you can swap out your Speedo/Odo. After you get the black trim ring off, the gauges just pull out in 3 sections (4 on the one w/ the tach). Just start at the outside ones and move in. The speedo is the last one to pull out. Then just push them all back in,and start putting it back together. This whole project probably took me less than 1.5 hr from start to finish.

One thing to check while you have the dash out, is the bulbs. I put mine all back in to find out that One of the tach lights was burned out.

http://members.tccoa.com/charlez/fdash1.jpg
http://members.tccoa.com/charlez/fdash2.jpg

 

This was the exact info that I was looking for.
Thanks,
Doug

1966 Fairlane 500 428 2-4v MR 4/spd
1995 F-150 4x4 5.0 5/spd
Ford Mercury MuscleCar Era Cars & Parts Board
http://members4.boardhost.com/fairlaniac

 

Hey Charlesz: I yanked mine out a couple of weeks ago to give it a good cleaning, offly dusty here in KS. I noticed that it had a nice size crack starting at the top and running down, can't seen it when it's in place. Do you know if a regular non-tach plastic cover will work?

 

They are the same. When I changed out to my tach cluster I kept the original plastic because my original was in better shape. Exactly the same.

 

Well I made the tach cluster swap today. 35 minutes! That is all it took to do it. One flat blade screw driver, two T-handled torx bit wrenches and a 7/32 wrench. I swapped the odometer module and the PRND indicator for automatic transmissions and used my blank for the 5 speed. Thanks Charlez your description was right on. Oh yeah, I installed 4 new Ranch 9000 shocks is 40 minutes! The wife was surprised to see me done before she even got up this morning. I never have success like this. I'm quitting while the getting is good.

Thanks,
Doug

1966 Fairlane 500 428 2-4v MR 4/spd
1995 F-150 4x4 5.0 5/spd
Ford Mercury MuscleCar Era Cars & Parts Board
http://members4.boardhost.com/fairlaniac

 

just a small question I have a 84 F-150 and a 300 straight 6 awesome motor...but I have a small tach from Jc whitney I would love to relocate to the center of the instrument panel in between the speedometer and the fuel level gauge in the opening there is I drill through that would I hurt the thin membrane on the back of the cluster am not sure any ideas

 

fairlanic - Glad to be of help.

quads1 - I wouldn't try it, If you tearup that thin circuit board on the back and then some of the gauges/lights might stop working.

 

Could you please tell me where you bought youre new instrmnt cluster? thanks!

 

I got it from a salvage yard in Saratoga, NY. I forget off hand who it was. The invoice is in the garage somewhere. I posted a part request on the board below. You post and salvage yards respond as to whether the have your part. The cool thing is that these salvage yards are somewhat trying to low ball each other. They all respond and only you can read their posts with a predetermined password that you had to give when posting you ad. I reeived responses from 5 yards, with priced from $75 -$155. I took the $75 deal which turned out an excellent cluster. It is pretty easy to use the part share web site.. Give it a try at

http://www.partshare.com/bboard.html

Doug

1966 Fairlane 500 428 2-4v MR 4/spd
1995 F-150 4x4 5.0 5/spd
Ford Mercury MuscleCar Era Cars & Parts Board
http://members4.boardhost.com/fairlaniac

 

Hey 1 ton

I got mine through http://www.car-parts.com

Go take a look.

 

Hey guys thanks alot for the links! havn't found what I'm looking for yet but I'm sure one of these places will have one sooner or later. Thanks again!

 

Also try, [link:www.copartfinder.com|Part Finder.Com]

Just type in your zip code, and put in the year range, and click away. It'll show you the yards closest to you, that nobody seems to think about.


1988 F-150, SWB, 5.0 EFI (formerly 4.9 EFI), M5OD 5 speed, 3.08 gears, Summit shorty truck headers, Custom built Flowmaster exhaust system. Force 4 LP6000 lightbar, Federal signal PA-300 100 watt siren, Icom IC-V100 50 watt mobile radio.
=======================================
1965 F-100 (just purchased 1/18/01), SWB, 390, C-6 auto. Dual exhaust, Not much else to do to it.

Can see both below.

[link:www.geocities.com/hotrodford_88/|Hotrodford_88's Webpage]