gauge cluster swap...
 

hi i want 2 swap a gauge cluster w/ a tac into my '96 F-150 from a '96 Bronco how hard is this and can anyone out there that has done it tell me the procedure thanks

P.S. why didn't F-150's come with a tac but Bronco's did

Not all Broncos did. My 94 Bronco with the 302 and a 5 speed had no tachometer, which I found odd being that it had a manual transmission.

As for your actual question, I'm not sure. I would assume plug and play, but I'm probably assuming wrong. I'm sure some smart person will show up soon and teach us both. xD

I switched the gauge cluster from my 94 f150 to my 95 F150 and it was plug and play. The swap is simple. I kept the same PSOM from the 94 since the mileage was close but you can change that part if you want to keep the same mileage reading.
Many F 150s came with the tach. My 83 and 94 XL had them and my 92 Custom and 95 XLT did not.
Regards
rikard

ohh really nice 2 know... i have owned quit a few of the '87-'91 F-150's w/ tac's but i was talking about the '92-'96 F-150's i probably should have said that... but anyhow out of all the 1s i have seen or owned i have nvr seen 1 w/ a tac just the Bronco's, Diesel's, and 460... did the F-250/F-350 with the 300/302/351 come with tac's i nvr looked and now im wondering????

Yes a lot of them did, my 1995 F-150 302 came from the factory with a tachometer.
My 94 460 did not come with a tachometer.

The 96B to 96F should be plug and play.

Funny you should mention a gauge swap... I was just out working on the F350 and snapping some pics of the dash removal.:-X07

Anyways, it is a plug and play swap, not too awful bad, but does have a couple steps involved.

1. Disconnect battery
2. Remove lower dash cover
   http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o...DSC00144-1.jpg
3. Turn on headlights and using a small screwdriver in the slot on the headlight knob to release the clip, remove the headlight knob
   http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o...DSC00147-1.jpg
4. Remove the 3 screws holding the steering wheel cover (sorry no pic)
5. Using a 13mm deep well socket, loosen the nuts holding the steering column almost all the way.
   http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o...DSC00150-1.jpg
6. Remove the gauge cover, (unplug the tank selector if equipped with dual tanks) exposing the gauge set
7. If its an automatic, using a 1/4drive with a 7/32 socket, remove the shift indicator cable from the steering column. Once the bolt is out, you will need to fish the cable loop off the shift rod.
   (no pics, sorry)
8. Finish lowering the steering column down
9. Remove the four 7mm bolts holding the gauge cluster in.
   http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o...DSC00148-1.jpg
   
   http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o...DSC00149-1.jpg
10. gently pull the gauge cluster out, and unplug the harnesses from the rear of the gauge cluster
    http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o...DSC00152-1.jpg
11. Assemble in reverse order

Note, make sure the donor set has the same motor as your truck (v8 to v8, i6 to i6) if it is not, there is a way to adjust the tach to read correctly, but I do not remember it off the top of my head.

hey thanks bud that was very descriptive... helped me out a lot now i don't have 2 go at it blind....

i got the cluster with a tac in that 92. so the f 150 did have them on some models.

Happy to help!

i'd give u some rep points for that but when i try it says "You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to L. Ward again." i guess u said something else useful 2 me recently haha....:-D

so the new cluster with a tach does it need any new wires or is the wire for the tach already their and hooked up

Tachometer was optional on all pickups except Lightnings and Diesels.

Your truck is already wired for the Tachometer Cluster. You will need a Cluster from a '96 model F150 or Bronco as others will need wiring modifications. It does not matter if the Cluster comes from a V-8 or I-6. They will all work

i just did this swap on my 1996 f-250, with a 460. I picked up a tach cluster off e-bay for 30 bucks. it came off a 1996 f150. It was real easy just plugged right in and everything worked great. I think you need to get one from the same year so all the lights and everything work. If you dont you have to do some modifications. to the circuit board. it's now like driving a brand new truck.