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Dash cluster differences and ???

Old Dec 4, 2005 | 07:32 PM
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From: St George, SC I-95
Dash cluster differences and ???

Ive got a 79 F150 Custom with the dummy lights for the alternator and oil pressure and I want to use a Lariat dash cluster with the gauges that I have. I first noticed the plug in the back was smaller on my Custom. My next thought was to take the clusters apart and swap some parts over. Well that wont work bc the white plastic part and the printed circuit is different. Someone please help me make all this work. I would rather have a needle to look at rather than a light and I do not want aftermarket gauges
 
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Old Dec 4, 2005 | 07:35 PM
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it is hard to do. the wiring between the 2 trucks is very different. you would be better off adding a aftermarket 2 gauge setup. they run 18.00 from www.summitracing.com
 
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Old Dec 4, 2005 | 07:35 PM
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ok, well if you can get your hands on a wiring diagram, you can get the individual pins and switch them over.
 
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Old Dec 4, 2005 | 08:15 PM
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The 14 pin connector is for clusters with idiot lights.

The 18 pin connector is for the gauge clusters.

You will have to swap in the complete wiring harness.

It isn't that difficult if you have the time.
 
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Old Dec 5, 2005 | 08:10 AM
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If you are decent at reading schematics, then you can do it. I used a 77 idiot light harness and spliced in the plug for a 74 with guages. Assuming you use the same years, you might be able to just disconnect most of the pins, as previously mentioned. I don't recall running extra wires for the other 4 pins that were mentioned, but you may have to. There are plenty of differences between the 74 and 79 wiring harnesses and guages. Maybe a 79 will already have all the wires you need.
 
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Old Dec 5, 2005 | 09:04 AM
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might want to try an archive search on wwitching a wiring harness. couldn't hurt to have options.
 
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Old Dec 5, 2005 | 06:40 PM
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Well Im not going to swap the harness and Id rather not cut the wires at the connector so I guess Im SOL. Thanks for the help.
 
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Old Dec 5, 2005 | 07:33 PM
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Aftermarket oil pressure and volts guages are cheap and easy to install. I highly recommend them. They can keep you out of trouble, especially when a idiot light bulb burns out on you guage cluster. I mounted mine under the ash tray. They are out of the way and still visable.
 
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Old Dec 6, 2005 | 11:15 AM
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yeah, and any gauge that you think most important could be column mounted. That's how I did my tach.
 
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Old Aug 5, 2009 | 03:20 PM
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This is for *******, I know this is an older post but I added a factory mid ship fuel tank with everything needed (tank selector valve, fuel lines all emmision caisters). Now I am switching wire harness under the dash from a truck with a midship fuel tank so I can have the factory fuel switch on the heater control panel and instrument cluster with all guages and a fuse panel with Aux Tank wiring. My question is it looks like a plug and match thing with the wire hareness, I have the altenator wires that I need with the harness. I think the altenator wires are different from dummy light to guages.I will switch out the oil sending unit for the oil gauge. My question is once I connect the wire harness to the plugs(fire wall area) that connect the wire harnes along the drivers frame, do I need to switch that wire also?? The tank selector switch which I install by the rear tank had the factory plug in the harness and the midship tank fuel sender pluged right into the factory harness plug, I should be fine with the old frame harness from tial lights to the fire wall right ?
 
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Old Aug 5, 2009 | 09:33 PM
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You do not have to cut the wires. You can take a small screwdriver and unlock them from the connector. The connectors have numbers for each wire slot. The most important thing is the short wiring harness going to the alt. must be changed for gages.
 
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