Cluster Help

[imateo44]

I am not sure if this is in the right section or not, if not mods please move.

well anyways, so i am changing up the festiva to make the whole car black and red, so here is the current issue that i am trying to over come... how do you take your cluster out??? i have taken the surround off of it, and then taken the four screws out (two on either side of the cluster) and the cluster won't come out!!! it is driving me crazy, it is like it is catching on something..

and if you are asking y i am taking it out.. no it isn't to put a different one in.. but i am going to actually try customizing the cluster as far as color and the lights behind the cluster.

thanks for any help that you can offer.

Matt

[Levitan]

http://www.fordfestiva.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8909&highlight=remove+cluster

[Otakuphill]

Remove th 4 screws in front. Then put your hand under dash and to the right of the steering wheel you will see a black cable (connected to Speed) twist the white bracket it is connected with and it will come off. Then pull the cluster forward you will se the rest is easy.

[GenevaDirt]

^^that works but I find it much easier to undo the speedo cable at the tranny, then you can pull the whole assembly forward and then unhook everything much easier. Usually only takes a pair of channel locks to get the cable loose and then you can do it by hand.

[imateo44]

thanks for all of the help guys.. sorry i should have searched it but was in a bit of a frustrated moment last night.. thanks all

[SimonTuffGuy]

You can just grab the speedometer cable where it routes into the body and give it a good tug. I've done it that way, many of times, without any real issues.

If you've got big arms, reaching up under the dash is a pain, and unbolting the thing at the tranny is a pain too.

[Ogrestiva]

I'm 6'8" and I can fit my arm up under the dash. the easiest way I can think to do it is to undo the screws on the housing, then the screws on the frame, then reach under the dash and feel for the speedo, and when you hit the speedo you should feel it move. Then all you have to do is feel around for the marker-sized speedo cable. If you have a tach then the cable should be closer to the passenger side. If you don't have a tach than it should be in the center. find the little clamp that holds it on and squeeze it a little and pull it off, then the speedo should fall right out, then pull out the cluster out of the housing and remove the two silver dollar sized plugs from the back of it and you are done. I hope you can figure it out ok.