Questions about face guages/needles

Bacondoggy

Registered User
Ok, I did a search, and see that alot of people use a fork to remove the needles for the speedometer, etc. now I have 2 guage clusters (my 91 and one from my old 89). 2 questions here.

First, I noticed the speedometer guages themselfs are slightly different. They are both 120mph, but the internal designs are alittle different (even the front is different - the 89 has 2 small phillips screws on the face of the guage, where as the 91 does not). Can I use the 89 one in the 91? I know it will fit, but will there be in issue with calibration?

Secondly, I tried to take the needle off the 91, and it broke! the 89 came off easy, but when I removed the 91, the plastic broke and the metal "sleeve" is still in the middle instead of on the plastic needle. it is also a grey metal sleeve, whereas the 89 is a bronze color, and that is still attached to the needle. I wanted to keep the 91 because it has my original miles (72k versus 200+k). Can I use pliers to rip out the metal piece still in the speedometer of the 91, and IF it comes out, will the needle from the 89 fit? I should get calipers and measure the sleevs to see if they are the same size.

Also, should I peel off the black backs? I have heard if you put them on over the stock black ones, the needle can rub...

Any reccomendations will be greatly appriciated!
 
You can swap the two gauges without any issues.

I don't know what to tell you about the broken needle issue. Whatever you decide to do, try to be gentle.

I'm assuming your installing aftermarket gauge faces. Yes, you need to peel the factory gauge faces off.

-Rod
 
need more help!

ok, I put some white reverse indiglow guages on my car, and now I am running into calibration issues. what I did with the gauges was have them as car to the left as they would go (fuel, temp, oil) and took the needle off and put them on at the same place. Well, this apparently didn't work, because they are not calibrated now. Fuel, I can just go and fill my car up, and just have that moved to full. even the other ones I am not THAT worried about. The RPM even seems VERY close.

What I am really UPSET about is the speedo gauge. I took the needle off when it was right at 0 (and didn't touch it - it would rest right at 0 but it wouldn't hit the trip reset). I put it back on the same way. But when I pick it up from a desk and hold it like it would be in the car, the speedo goes up to about 30 mph (without it installed). So I installed it, and it rested at 30mph. so I tried to remove the needle and install it at 0 with it at the same angle as it being in the car. It is much closer now, but now the needle wobbles until it gets up to a higher speed!

Is there any info on how to calibrate all the gauges/needles? Also, what is causing the "wobble" on the speedometer needle???
Thanks guys!
 
Depending on the gauge you are using you must match the needle with the correct speedo for it to work. Inside the needle base there is a counter balance and if you are mix and matching the needles with the gauge you will have issues.
 
Ricardo is right on. When I switched my gauge faces I didn't know I lost the counterweight and I had exactly the problem you have. I got a new needle and that solved the problem.
 
how do u know if you lost the counterweight? I KNOW I am using the right needle because I broke the other one when I took it off!
 
ok I know it has been awhile - I have had more important things to deal with. But now I want to seal up my instrument cluster, and the speedometer is STILL on the fritz. I have a few issues here still. I took off the black face guage on the 89 (which is currently installed), and ever since, I get a BAD wobble, and it usually stays around 20mph despite how fast you are going. I attempted pulling of/ replacing the needle - no luck. I don't care about calibration yet, if I can't get it to operate properly! I am assuming something is broken inside, or the piece the needle inserts onto got twisted or broken.

The other issue - my 91 speedo probably works, but when I removed the needle (if you want to call it that), the needle's plastic broke, and the brass collar is still on the unit. This is why I used the 89 guage.

Any ideas for what I should do here, or anyone have an extra speedo guage laying around? How easy is it to unstick those white guages after sticking them on pretty good??
 
You can get another speedo out of lots of tbirds and cougars, even the later lx models. Most junkyards should have something. The white gauge face should come off pretty easily if you just reused the glue that was sticking the old one on there.
 
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