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73-87 Chevy _ GMC Trucks => Interior & Equipment => Instrumentation => Topic started by: Senck243 on May 11, 2012, 09:37:51 am

Title: Cluster removal
Post by: Senck243 on May 11, 2012, 09:37:51 am
Any tips? Removed the dash pad ( replacing anyways) and bezel. All the mounting screws are removed, just held up by wiring and speedo cable. I need to replace the actual speedometer
Title: Re: Cluster removal
Post by: hotrod24 on May 11, 2012, 01:22:47 pm
The speed cable is held by a spring like thing that you have to push up and you can get the cluster harness loss by taking your thumb and frist finger and press the tabs in...
Title: Re: Cluster removal
Post by: ehjorten on May 11, 2012, 01:50:59 pm
Take your time...be careful...wiggle here and there...don't force anything!  The cluster assembly will come out, but it is tight to the sheetmetal and has to be moved just right to come out.  In some cases putting some strategic pressure here and there on the sheetmetal to flex it out the way a few millimeters helps!

Again...just take your time and be gentle!  If you force it to hard you are going to break tabs off or your cluster housing.
Title: Re: Cluster removal
Post by: IdahoMan on June 05, 2015, 01:46:51 pm
Take your time...be careful...wiggle here and there...don't force anything!  The cluster assembly will come out, but it is tight to the sheetmetal and has to be moved just right to come out.  In some cases putting some strategic pressure here and there on the sheetmetal to flex it out the way a few millimeters helps!

Again...just take your time and be gentle!  If you force it to hard you are going to break tabs off or your cluster housing.

Bump.

I'm trying to take mine out now. I have the four screws removed, pad and bezel is all off. It's another case of some magic resistance somewhere.. if it isn't sticking here, it's sticking there and everywhere you turn you are blocked from gripping or seeing what you need to. And of course the most fragile pieces.

I'd like to know what was going through the heads of some of the people who designed our trucks. It's almost like sadistic genius how they managed to make what you'd think would be the simplest matter so impossible. 
Title: Re: Cluster removal
Post by: travisr1988 on June 05, 2015, 11:52:06 pm
Once the wiring and speedo cable are disconnected (make sure the cable is pulled all the way out of holder or it will catch), and oil pressure line if you have a mechanical gauge, it will still seem stuck. This is because it hangs up on the right side by the storage pocket or vent if equipped and the left side down low where another vent would be if equipped. I found that pulling up and left a little while using my pinky to push the metal out a little in the lower left allows me to remove it more easily (left comes out first). Next time I remove it I think I'll roll the metal where it catches so it doesn't fight so much if it gets removed again.
Title: Re: Cluster removal
Post by: IdahoMan on June 06, 2015, 04:00:34 pm
Well, miraculously, I managed to get it loose of the sheet-metal. The white frame of the cluster isn't being hindered by anything, but it is still stuck as can be. Like a chain is tied onto it directly behind it.

Screw this. I'm going to be on my back under the steering-wheel tearing out every wire I can find attached to it until it decides to cooperate*.

*Update: It cooperated. The Speedometer(?) cable needed detaching. Had to lay on back and feel my way.
Title: Re: Cluster removal
Post by: roundhouse on June 07, 2015, 04:47:47 pm
You can also remove the clamp on the firewall under the hood that holds the speedo cable
And pull anough slack in it from under the truck to be able to pull the cluster out and then diss connect the cable


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Title: Re: Cluster removal
Post by: bd on June 07, 2015, 05:07:51 pm
That darn speedo cable gets 'em every time.   :D
Title: Re: Cluster removal
Post by: fitz on June 07, 2015, 08:22:43 pm
This is the spring clip on top of the speedo cable. Push in the clip and gently pull out the cable.
As others said, go slow & easy and it will come out.
Title: Re: Cluster removal
Post by: travisr1988 on June 08, 2015, 02:59:48 pm
I just reached through the left vent or the right vent to get the speedo cable. I recommend the right of you have a mechanical oil pressure gauge as the line gets in the way.
Title: Re: Cluster removal
Post by: enaberif on June 08, 2015, 04:27:03 pm
Please for the love of God wear gloves if you are doing this. The one thing that engineers never did was think about the hands of people 40 years later.

The sheet metal on these dashes is so dang sharp I've got a few good scars.
Title: Re: Cluster removal
Post by: travisr1988 on June 08, 2015, 10:14:52 pm
Please for the love of God wear gloves if you are doing this. The one thing that engineers never did was think about the hands of people 40 years later.

The sheet metal on these dashes is so dang sharp I've got a few good scars.

And be very careful, make sure to avoid allowing anything to touch the printed circuit, and be gentle when removing any connections. just go slow and you'll be fine.
Title: Re: Cluster removal
Post by: Irish_Alley on June 10, 2015, 07:16:29 pm
Please for the love of God wear gloves if you are doing this. The one thing that engineers never did was think about the hands of people 40 years later.

The sheet metal on these dashes is so dang sharp I've got a few good scars.

last time i reached into my dash i got a surprise. i thought i was poked by a bare wire, turns out i ticked off a wasp.