Aftermarket tachometer

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Apr 27, 2006 | 08:09 PM

Fordman_Evs

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From: BC, Canada

Aftermarket tachometer

Hey ya'll,

I've been driving my 1996 F-150XL for about a week now. I want to put an aftermarket tach in to keep a closer eye on my gas mileage. My question is how difficult would it be to install? Or would it be easier to get a different gauge cluster that already has a tach?

Thanks
Evs

Apr 27, 2006 | 08:54 PM

tomandbeth

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Isn't it amusing that you can get a tach with an automatic but not with a stick? What the heck is up with that?

I've seen aftermarket guages sold to the diesel boys that goes on the driver door pillar. Check to see if that would work for you.

Apr 27, 2006 | 09:04 PM

handyman43358

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From: West Mansfield, Ohio

It's actually fairly easy to install one.

They normally come with 4 wires, and instructions on where they go. You'll need a source of power. It's better to tap into a circuit that is only on when they key is in the "on" position. One wire will go there. Another wire will be your ground. The next wire will be your input, which will go on the negative side of your coil. The last wire will be for the light inside the gauge (If equipped), which again can be tied into a circuit that is on when your parking lights are on. I tapped into the light on my ash tray for a source of power for all my gauges.

If you have a manual tranny, you might be hard pressed to find a place to run the wires through the firewall. Mine is an automatic, so I cut a slit in the big black boot where the clutch pedal componets would have gone, and ran everything through there.

So basically, you will only have to run one wire through the firewall, which will be the one going to your coil. The others can either be tapped into the fuse box, or any other place inside the cab.

Apr 27, 2006 | 09:53 PM

DT98

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I have a '94 2WD 6cyl auto and had room on my dash on the right side to mount a tach. I got a Dakota Digital tach. It's a three digit read out and it looks great but if I had it to do over with again, I would have got a small size old fashioned tach with a needle pointer. I found some that were 2 and 1/8 inch diameter and it would have fit the dash nice. The three digit digital readout changes too fast and a needle pointer on a dial would work better for me. The other posts are right, it's not hard to install, just finding a place to get the pickup wire through the firewall is the hardest part.

Apr 27, 2006 | 10:03 PM

Fordman_Evs

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From: BC, Canada

Thanks guys. Yeah I know my girlfriend's Dad has a Doddge Dakota with a tach but it's an auto. What about drilling a small hole in the firewall and putting a rubber gomet in for the wire?

Apr 27, 2006 | 10:10 PM

handyman43358

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From: West Mansfield, Ohio

Excellent idea. Just make sure nothings is on the other side of the firewall!

Apr 27, 2006 | 10:16 PM

12secondstang

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From: Newark

Changing the cluster is simple and no wiring issues. Just Plug and Play. The trick is finding a 96 cluster at a reasonable price. I put a 95 cluster in my 96. The ABS light came on so I pulled the ABS bulb. I have no ABS right now. Other than that I have a Factory tach without the hassle of mounting and wiring up an aftermarket piece.
A 92-93 Cluster won't work in a 96 but the 94-95 will with the issue stated above.