HELP!!!!! Speedo disassembly...

[Army_Dude]

Well, I just couldn't wait. I went out and tried to take my interior out. Reading some of the other posts and seeing I had a couple gauge lights out I decided to take out my cluster to replace the lights and spray it with the chrome paint. I did OK till I got to the speedo. You guessed it...SNAP... Broke the needle off. My problem now is (other than a broke speedo, I'll be posting on the wanted board for one) I can't seem to get the rest of whats left out of the cluster to remove it from the dash. What am I doing wrong?

Also, anyone care to tell me how I should have done it the first time?

Anyone here got an extra stock speedo that will fit an 85? Or would I be better of looking for a whole cluster? Thanks in advance.

[Army_Dude]

Guess I won't post it over there on classifieds... I don't have paypal...Doh!

May get it just to support. I already see the bennies from this site.

[82 Silverado 4X]

Did you dissconnect the speedometer cable from the speedometer?
Also if your speedometer is the same as an 82 I can send you one.

[Army_Dude]

Hey thanks man... I'm guessing it is the same. Maybe someone who knows can chime in so we can be sure. As far as the cable goes... No. How do you get to it to disconnect it? I took the face loose and removed the 2 bolts behind the face that go into the connector. Thats as far as I have gotten. I decided to stop there and ask before I broke anything else.

[Captkaos]

Did you remove the cluster (white pod) from the truck first? Proceedure to remove the cluster should be
1)remove dash
2)remove headlight switch (there is a button on the side to depress and pull the stalk out
3)move the column gasket back
4)remove column plate (4 bolts)
5)remove dash bezel (8 bolts)
6)remove dash pod ( 5 or 6 bolts) don't pull it out, just get it out gently from the dash. It needs to be manipulated towards the drivers door to get the tabs out
7)remove the dash pod wiring (clips on both ends)
8)lean cluster forward and reach behind and press the clip holding the speedo and remove speedo cable
9)reach to the back and remove the cigarette Fiberoptic lense bulb hookup
10) Bezel can be lifted out.


Anything from '81-87 will work. If you have cruise, you need a speedo that still has it. If you only broke the speedo needle, you just need another one.

[Army_Dude]

Ok, I didn't have to do #2, my dash came out around mine. You lost me on #8. I have not removed the wiring (I'm assuming you mean the clips for the water temp, oil, etc? I'm guessing I need to mark these.) But I will. I cant get the cluster to come forward at all, and I don't think it is the wiring holding it but I could be wrong. BTW what is a cigarette fiberoptic lense bulb hookup?

[Army_Dude]

ok i got it out. I had to go from underneath to reach it. Now that it is out... Can I just mask off all the gauge hookups and paint it? If not do I have to remove everything from it?

Oh yeah, does anyone know if an 82 and an 85 speedo are the same?

[82 Silverado 4X]

Your ashtray is lit by a fiber-optic cable that runs from the upper right side instrument lamp over to the ashtray. Chris's instructions are right-on for the cluster removal. If you follow them your cluster should come out. If you can't get the cluster to lean towards you at all to get to the speedometer connection (if you are a very flexible person) you might be able to reach up under the dash to dissconnect it, but it's not very easy to do.
PM me with your address and I'll send you a speedometer. All I ask is to be reimbersed for the shipping.

[Army_Dude]

Hey, you got it. Plus (of course, I'll do the same for you or anyone else here if I can)...

I got it out completely. I also got it disassembled. I'm gonna clean it and spray it tonight. Thanks for the help guys. Wish I had asked first.

82 Silverado 4X pm sent...

[beaterC10]

Originally Posted by Army_Dude

I got it out completely. I also got it disassembled. I'm gonna clean it and spray it tonight. Thanks for the help guys. Wish I had asked first.

...

But you always remember the lessons better when they cost you something.

[Chevrolet4x4s]

Originally Posted by Army_Dude

ok i got it out. I had to go from underneath to reach it. Now that it is out... Can I just mask off all the gauge hookups and paint it? If not do I have to remove everything from it?

Oh yeah, does anyone know if an 82 and an 85 speedo are the same?

Not really sure can we get some pics of the backs here they should both work but I know that 85s had the federally mandated(I believe)85mph spedometer I'll go look up an lmc book and tell you more

[Chevrolet4x4s]

It will work according to my LMC truck book "part# 36-1953 SPEEDOMETER CK 79-87 list price $224.94 their price$179.95" They are overpriced but their catalogs make one heck of a refrence vin#decoding,schematics,compatability etc. Hope this helps
Shane

[Army_Dude]

Thanks for the info, Chevrolet4X4s. What I needed to know.

[Russell]

Doh!

I shoulda read the whole topic before posting this, but whatever, might be helpful for someone in the future, LOL

Ok!

Gauge dissassembly 101

First, you are best off to gut your cluster.

To do this, you need to remove the 6 screws that hold your plastic lense / black reflector peice.



Then remove your speedo by undoing the 3 bolts in the pic below, then gently pulling the whole speedo towards yourself until you are able to push the friction tab on the back towards the back of the gauge, and slide the speedo cable off. Unless you have a VSS on the speedometer, you can simply put the speedometer onto the seat beside you.



Next, pull the fuel gauge. You will have removed all the screws needed to pull the gauge already, so just give it a good tug, and it'll come right out.

Next up is to remove the 5 screws that hold your small gauges in place. My cluster has a mechanical oil pressure gauge, so it has three screws that yours will not, and is missing one yours will have. I circles the place where you'll find the screw on your gauge cluster (I think...) After you've undone the screws, all the gauges will pull right off. Make sure to keep an eye on the order the gauges came off, as they need to go on the same way



Now, you need to remove the whole cluster from your dash. I've circled the 9/32 screws that need to be removed when you pull the cluster. If your truck still has the tab seen on the far left in-tact, you'll want to be very careful when you remove the cluster. They are very easily broken off. You'll also encounter the wiring plug, just pinch the ends together, and it slides right off.



After you've got the cluster out, its time to dissassemble the rest. Each of the gauges has 2 - 3 small clips behind them, that connect the gauges to the circuit sheet on the back. To remove them, press on one side of them so it pops to the outside, then the rest will push out easily. Then remove all of the lights by twisting them counter-clockwise (I think) and pulling straight out. Once you've got all the lights, and all the clips off, the circuit sheet will simply pull right off. Make sure you pull off all the little color lenses for the high beams, idiot lights, signal lights etc, then clean the inside of the cluster, and shoot her chrome

Then, re-install it in the opposite order as dissassembly except before you put the gauges back in, turn on the dash lights to make sure that all of them are working properly, then check your idiot light bulbs etc.

Lemme know if you have any other questions!

Russ

[JustOneTruck]

Im going to add this to the steps .Add some oil of some kind to the cable end thats now sticking out of the dash A few drops or more will help this will run down to the other end next to the tranny about 6feet. This makes for a quiet cable in the next few months. Also check all your bulbs to make sure they are not burnt out. Im guessing thats why your painting the inside is to have better lighting. O the ear cleaners {Q-tips} make good tools when cleaning out the shift marker PRND21 .

Russel Thanks for your photos and pointers.

[Captkaos]

Originally Posted by Russell

Lemme know if you have any other questions!

Russ

Can I post this on the 73-87 Tech pages?

[Chevrolet4x4s]

Your welcome glad to help

[Russell]

Originally Posted by Captkaos

Can I post this on the 73-87 Tech pages?

Feel free! Pictures are all located on my server:

www.zieglerdigitial.ca/public/pictures

[86swb]

Is this board great or what. Love this board and a bunch of great guys and gals here to help.

[82 Silverado 4X]

Did any of you have the numbers/letters smear when you tried to wash the gage faces?

[82 Silverado 4X]

Did any of you have the numbers/letters smear when you tried to wash the gage faces?

[Zilverado]

Hey Guys,

It's been a little while since I've come around so I thought I'd poke my nose in tonight. It always gives me a little thrill to see that the chrome painting of the gauge pod is still being used as a mod. I had no idea it would be such a huge success when I first posted my results a couple of years ago.

Army_Dude it would be great to hear how you like the final results. Good luck with fixing the speedo...

[Army_Dude]

So far so good, I decided to redo all the interior and I got it all torn out, painting as we speak. I'll let y'all know...

[weekender]

Somethng to think about, my truck is green, so I put in green LED lights in the dash with the white face guages, looks great. Repainted all the neadles in the dash florencent orange, I got the white face decals for the guages had my girlfriend do that, she has more patience. It really looks good at night.