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Instrument Cluster Gauge Swap How-To (with some other stuff)
- Thread starter mcglsr2
- Start date
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Updated section 11. Now that the wedding is over, I expect to be making good progress on getting this finished. I also changed how I'm going to wire in the starter and alternator to the relocated battery, so I need to update that wiring diagram.
[MENTION=15705]mcglsr2[/MENTION] how does that bezel attach to the dash? It looks like it might need to be screwed in? Also, do you think all of the gauges will be visible if you were to install a column pod with the one gauge off to the right hand side?
I ask so many questions because I am getting ready to do this. Thank you for this write up, its been very helpful so far and ill be using it in the near future.
I ask so many questions because I am getting ready to do this. Thank you for this write up, its been very helpful so far and ill be using it in the near future.
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OMG I TOTALLY FORGOT ABOUT THIS THREAD! I need to finish updating it. Everything is pretty much done. Over the next couple days I will wrap this guy up. Thanks for reminding me of it!
Now, to your questions: the bezel attaches at 4 points. The top uses the stock screws in the stock screw holes. So that one is super easy. The other two attachment points are at the lower left, and lower right. The bezel will come with two aluminum brackets, you will screw the brackets in to existing holes using existing screws. The bracket will then attach to the bezel using smaller screws that are provided with the bezel. I'll see if I can find some images that show this better. The hardest part (and the whole thing is pretty easy) is making sure the brackets line up with the holes in the bezel. A couple trial fits before populating the bezel with gauges is all it will take.
As to the column pod - not sure. The way I have my gauges arranged, that may block some of the tach and some of the oil pressure. But there's like a gap there between those gauges, so it may not actually block any of it. You can also arrange gauges however you want: for example, a pretty common thing done is to clock the tach so that when the needle hits your shift RPM, it's pointing straight up. This makes it easier to see that you are at shift RPM, as you can more quickly interpret the position of the needle rather than the number it is pointing to. (In my cause, I use a shift light, so I clocked the tach normal.) So you can do things like that to make sure the relevant information is still visible even if the column pod blocks a little.
Youre welcome, and thank you lol. Ive been watching this thread since the beginning so I dont forget it. Thanks for the info and If its not too much hassle I would really appreciate a couple pictures of the attachment points. I can pretty well visualize it but photos always help.
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Oh it's no hassle. I took some existing pics and added some circles to make it easier to identify stuff.
Let's start with this image:
(Link to photobucket for larger resolution if you want it: http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l248/mcglsr2/Mustang/Interior/Dash Re-Wire/07.jpg)
The top screw holes are circled in orange. You can re-use the screws from the OEM bezel here. So don't throw those away. The left-side and right-side holes are circled in green. You will use the little screws that come with the aftermarket bezel when you buy it. And that's it. Those are the 4 attachment points for the bezel.
Now, on to the dash cavity:
(Link to photobucket for larger resolution if you want it: http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l248/mcglsr2/Mustang/Interior/Dash Re-Wire/08.jpg)
Okay, here, again, the top screw holes are circled in orange. These correspond to the orange circles on the previous image. These are existing holes, and where your OEM bezel screwed in. You are re-using your OEM screws into these OEM holes. The green circles show the left-side and right-side attachments. If you look closely, you will see little aluminum colored brackets. These will come with your aftermarket bezel. These attach to the dash using more OEM screws, going into more OEM holes. All 4 of these screws/holes were used to you hold your OEM cluster and bezel in place. You are just reusing them. You will have to position the aluminum brackets so the empty holes line up with the holes on the bezel. Then the little screws that came with the bezel will go through the bezel and screw into the little holes on the aluminum brackets. Easy peasy.
Attaching the bezel is really super easy - not just saying that because I already did it. Even if you look at it for the first time, you'll be like "oh, I see what they did here." It will take like all of 2 min to get to screwed in place, and that's mostly because you have to position the aluminum brackets.
If you have any questions about anything else, let me know, I'm happy to help!
That did it. I wasnt following along with the lower attachments. I saw the little brackets and it all clicked. Ill have plenty more questions in the future. Thanks a bunch for all the time and effort you put into this.
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Alright, made some general updates to the whole post, and specifically added to sections 8, 11 and 12. Sorry for the delay, totally forgot this guy was out here. I'll work towards wrapping it up.
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No problem, my pleasure and glad to help!
HUGE depressing moment earlier...................I dropped my speedometer and put a dent in the ring, I havent been this depressed in a long time.
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Updated the remaining sections. I think this guy is all wrapped up. There are a couple small things left to do still but the vast majority is complete and accounted for here. If there are any questions about what I did, why I did it, how I did it, or anything like that just let me know!
[MENTION=15705]mcglsr2[/MENTION], I have more dumb questions. What led's did you use for the left turn, right turn, and high beam? How did you attach them to the panel? I remember you made the cover for the high beam led, what is that made of and how did you attach it? My panel is due here probably tomorrow so I am about to start on this portion of the project.
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Not dumb questions at all! Hopefully my answers help you out - let me know if I need to be more specific on anything:
They are 12 volt LEDs - the 12 volt is SUPER important because it means you don't have to worry about wiring in any resistors. And while the car will actually be around 13-14 volts, the LEDs can handle it. So you can wire them in just like a bulb (of course be mindful of the polarity, as they only work 1 way). I got them from here; led-switch. I chose the 3mm ones (they are the smaller ones) water clear - you could also maybe use the diffused ones, which would help spread the light around and not create a "hot spot." I wasn't too worried about that though as I didn't need coverage, just an indicator that it was on. And you don't have to shop there - feel free to get them from eBay or Amazon or superbright or where ever. Just make sure they are 12 volt. I was happy with the prices from led-switch, and it was pretty clear on what I was getting, so I ordered from them.
To mount them, you will also want to pick up some 3mm LED holders (link: here; scroll or search for "3mm LED Holder" - it's at the bottom of the page). If you aren't familiar with these guys, the way they work is basically like this: you drill a hole slighty smaller than the LED holder (you'll notice an indented "ring" around the upper part of the holder - this fits in the panel) in a panel, you then push the holder in from the front, squeezing the little prong leg things so they fit through the hole. You then insert the LED from the backside, and the LED puts pressure on the prong legs, forcing them out a bit, which holds the holder in place. In the case of the instrument bezel, it's a little too thick for the holder (meaning the bezel thickness is a little bigger than the indented "ring") so I used a slightly larger drill bit, and with my hand, clearanced the back of the bezel just enough so the LED would fit into the holder and push the prong legs out. Just take your time, and test fit the LED as you go - you will know the clearance is enough when the LED fits snugly (it won't fit at all if the clearance isn't enough). This sounds more complicated than it is. Once you see one of these, and push an LED into it, you will see immediately what I am talking about. If it's still not clicking for you, let me know and I'll take a couple pics and post them that will help clear this up.
Anyway, you drill the holes in the bezel where you want to mount the LEDs - I chose the left side and right side for turn signals, and center for high beams - but you can literally put these anywhere you want that will fit the LED holders and be visible. Once I put the holder in the bezel, wired up the LED, and then put the LED inside the holder, I then used a bit of hot glue to keep them in place. And that was it.
For the little blocker thing for the high beam - the reason is this: 12 volt LEDs can be bright. For the turn signals, it's okay, because they aren't on that often and they are off to the side (for me). For the high beam, it was bright blue, and pointed straight at my eyes, making it very distracting while driving. So I made the cover. I just took a piece of ABS plastic from something (I don't remember what - anything with do: part of a car part you no longer need, a computer case drive cover, anything plastic). I shaped it with a dremel to basically just be the side of the LED, and then used a small plastic/wood screw from the backside of the bezel to hold it in place. Rember that the cover needs to "float" a bit above the LED so light can come through - use either another small piece of plastic to build it up, or, as it was in my case, I got lucky and the thing I used what sort of like an "L" shaped piece of ABS. I left the leg part of the "L" (what the screw screws into) and shaped the long part to round it off a bit. Mount it, paint your bezel, and that's all there is to it. Now the high beam light sort of glows behind the cover, rather than blasting me in the eyes.
The cover can be avoided if you decide to mount your LEDs somewhere else, or use a less intense color than blue; red, for example, probably would have been less distracting because of the wavelength of the light, however I was trying to mimic the stock colors (green for turns, blue for high) - although now that I think about it, I think I changed the high beam color to orange afterwards. If I were to do it again, I would probably just move the high beams off to the side or something and avoid the cover all-together.
You could also use 5mm LEDs if you like the large ones, but I'm not really a fan of them (too big, and look too old school) so I tend to use the 3mm ones.
Does that make sense? Want to me post up some pics to try to clarify things?
