Cluster removal

[Senck243]

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

[hotrod24]

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...

[ehjorten]

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.

[IdahoMan]

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. 

[travisr1988]

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.

[IdahoMan]

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.

[roundhouse]

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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[bd]

That darn speedo cable gets 'em every time.   

[fitz]

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.

[travisr1988]

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.

[enaberif]

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.

[travisr1988]

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.

[Irish_Alley]

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.