Cluster removal...

[ophee]

So i bought a white face gauge and didn't want the local jackass mechanic to rip me off with his $60 proposal to install it for me.

So i'm doing it on my own. I went as far as removing the dash panel and actually pulled out the cluster.. problem is, my tilt steering wheel column is getting in the way from me taking it completely off.. i can't get it around that thing....

Anyone know how i can remove the tilt wheel column ?!?! (just to make sure i'm calling it right, it's the thin stick that comes out of the left-hand side, allowing you to lower/higher the steering wheel)

It's getting dark, don't know if i can do it before then... it's ok to drive to work without the cluster pushed in is it ?!?!

Thanks a lot guys.... I always seem to get the help i need. yall rock

CORRECTION: I actually just want to remove the CLEAR PLASTIC panel from off the cluster.. I think that way i can get a little more room to work with squeezing it passed the tilt ... thanks again

[hot_wheels21]

White Illuminescent Gauge Installation Steps
heres a guide

[Greg Norris]

i pulled my panel and cluster w/o pulling the steering wheel when I swapped my gauge cluster. took a little finagaling but it came out w/o breaking it.

[95 Camaro Z28]

its easy dude. i have done it several times.

take the socket, i belive its a 7 and put an allen wrench in the end of it, the size that fits the best, that gives u more clearance to twist.

[95 Camaro Z28]

by the way. good luck. id rather pay 60 than deal with it. its easy to get out and put back 2gether for the most part. time consuming but not hard. the hard part is delacately taking the needles off with out breaking them. break it and look forward to shelling out 50-70$ for a new one!

other than the needles its no problem. take ur time and ull be fine i rushed and broke several needles.

[ophee]

Thank you for the guide hotwheels....

I noticed that the gauges came with an inverter and micro-switch. I didn't get any of the two. Just the gauge, with adhesive-back.

I've got a tool that removes the needles easily (with my purchase)... but that glass panel is really annoying. No way will it slide out from over the tilt WITH the cluster attached. I'm going to keep picking at the clear plastic piece... I have to get it off.

Did you guys just throw the gauge over the stock, black gauge? Or did u scrape it off with a razor?

p.s... if i don't have time to get it off, can i drive without the cluster? Or will that not work.?

[ophee]

Just got it off.. apparently, their is VERY little space to pull the tabs out. Their are 4 tabs that need to get pushed back out of their holster to remove that annoying clear case... just in case anyone else was wondering. I just did so, and it's a good time to give that glass a good wiping.

Still though, is there much of a difference between peeling the black gauge off, and just laying it over ?!?! Thanks a million all.

This stupid gauge that i bought off ebay didn't have the hole located under the "1" on the RPM side.... But otherwise fits perfectly.. should i return it back to the guy, or just put a hole through it myself ? What do yall say?

[hot_wheels21]

the needles dont move correctly if you dont peel it off I found.

[ophee]

I think i just screwed up. Successfully peeled the stock gauge off, placed the new one on, and immediately pushed the pins in. Now when i start the car, the gauge jumps to 55 MPH and the rest of the needles aren't in proper place. ...

I think i was supposed to sketch where the needles were on my stock gauge, but i missed that step. What can i do now ??!?

[Randy L]

You simply have the guage needles improperly pressed on the pins. Just keep removing them and lightly put them on the pins. Then recheck them. When they all look good, press them down to secure them.

[ophee]

Thanks Randy

Yes you're most likely right, as i did press down pretty hard on them. Assuming they'd fit better off.