New Gauge Cluster Housing?

[draimondi]

I'm getting ready to refurbish my gauges and the last time I was in there the cluster tabs/mounting points were getting brittle. I know it only takes a couple of screws to hold it in place but I don't want to put it back together that way. Does anyone make a replacement cluster housing I can swap my gauges over to? This is a factory tach truck, or i'd probably scrounge the yards for a decent cluster to swap parts into. Thank you!

[andrewmp6]

Look at lmctruck page 116 and 118.

[draimondi]

Originally Posted by andrewmp6

Look at lmctruck page 116 and 118.

Grabbed my LMC catalog to see if I overlooked something. Looking at Pages 116-118 and still not seeing the part I need. I see on page 118 part number 38-8100 (10) Cluster Backing Plate. It describes this for an 83-88 cab w/o Tach. Am I stuck cutting one of these up to work with my factory tach? Or, maybe I'm just not seeing the part I need.

[Ski-me]

I think finding one with factory Rach in junkyard is going to be pretty tough. Heck, if you do find one and it has a tach I'll take it off your hands!
You can repair yours with some fiberglass mesh (like boat repair stuff). Just glob it on and then sand down the excess......

[Ski-me]

While you have it out, hit the inside with chrome spray paint and it will help reflect the light better for your gauges. It helped significantly for me....

[draimondi]

Originally Posted by Ski-me

I think finding one with factory Rach in junkyard is going to be pretty tough. Heck, if you do find one and it has a tach I'll take it off your hands!
You can repair yours with some fiberglass mesh (like boat repair stuff). Just glob it on and then sand down the excess......

That sounds like the road I'll be going down. I do have two factory tach clusters both from 79, both with brittle mounting points. When I get the time to pull the one that's currently in the truck out and see which is in better shape to repair I'll have a spare.

[INSIDIOUS '86]

I repaired mine with a soldering iron and another crap bezel. Pretty much plastic welding. Link is in my sig

[draimondi]

Originally Posted by INSIDIOUS '86

I repaired mine with a soldering iron and another crap bezel. Pretty much plastic welding. Link is in my sig

Very cool. I'll grab myself a cheap cluster housing to practice on. Thanks!

[gmachinz]

I've also used a dremel and some plastic weld epoxy to repair broken off tabs-just as good if not a bit better than plastic soldering. Yep....use a plain jainer cluster for the donor tabs! Lol LMC ain't gonna offer them until they one day exhaust their supply or reg. ones.....once they offer a tach housing.....who'd ever order a non tach one? Lol

[chengny]

I have found that a bit of Vaseline on every screw used in the cluster assembly reduces friction and causes fewer cracked posts. And make the screws up so they are just barely snug - never had one back out.

[draimondi]

Originally Posted by gmachinz

I've also used a dremel and some plastic weld epoxy to repair broken off tabs-just as good if not a bit better than plastic soldering. Yep....use a plain jainer cluster for the donor tabs! Lol LMC ain't gonna offer them until they one day exhaust their supply or reg. ones.....once they offer a tach housing.....who'd ever order a non tach one? Lol

You've got a good point there! I'll probably head out to the wreckers this weekend and grab a donor cluster for the tabs. I'll have an extra cluster if the repair goes smoothly. What should I ask for a factory tach cluster with a couple broken tabs? I may or may not include the tach itself, I do have two.