Hardbody instrument cluster

[HRH]

So I have a customer with an '87 D21 4x4 with a electro injected Z24, and did a heater core last winter for him, and just replaced an ignitor recently. Since I did the heater core the speedometer hasn't worked. It's been a winter rig, so not a big deal, but he didn't tell me. So I figured it out yesterday, I had the cable end snapped into the wrong slot on the rear of the dash where the speedo head fits into it. Fixed the cable so it's at the appropriate length, but the speedo refuses to work. Everything else does, and I've tried twiddling the square hold manually with a screwdriver and it moves a little but not much. Prior to my removal of that before the heater core it was working fine.

 

Anyone have any idea? I even put it in gear, observed the cable end turning and tried multiple times putting the speedo head back in. Has some spring tension, which should mean it's engaging. Seems odd that it would have just died. And the way I had it that was incorrect was too far back, so it wouldn't have been able to bind up. Any trick to these you guys know of?

[wildmaninid]

I have had a helluva time getting the speedo cable to fit far enough down in the assemble...you can fully install the cable and have it not be engaged. When i did the 97 dash swap on my 87 hardbody i fought the same problem. As long as the speed jumps up and down when you turn the drive it should be good. I took me 4 try's to get it fully engaged. Might be that simple?

 

Good Luck

Bill

[The Stig]

Ive seen the needles fall off the shaft, after warping from heat. maybe the shafts spinning but the needles not. Also isnt there a clip sort of thing that holds the cable forward so when you push the cluster in it snaps in place?

[zed]

I'm running a Hardbody 1800 SWB - similar to D21 - with an L18 motor. I'm on my fourth speedo in 60 000 miles. The speedo unit itself seems very sensitive, and they all crack around the plastic boss where the cable inserts to the gauge. I think they maybe lack lubrication there, and overheat. I look in the scrap yards for used replacements - new from Nissan here they cost R2700 - about US$400!

[HRH]

Yeah, I got the thing a little better last night. Fortunately the customer wasn't too concerned since it was a winter rig. It started working, but doesn't necessarily want to come back down after it's gone up for speed. But applying the brakes will get it to lower a little, and going in reverse will re-set it. I wonder about that plastic boss, I did notice some cracking now that you mention it zed. Either way, I left it as it was, told him it might fix itself with a certain amount of driving, not sure. The unfortunate part is both the speedo cable and the new head are too expensive to warrant fixing on an 87 hardbody, seeing as it's just a speed device. Ray (my customer) had the opinion of well, just keep with the traffic next to you and I doubt there will be any problems.

 

So anyway, the problem's fixed, but not fixed, get it? :)

[Creepy Cruiser]

It was cool to see you and hang again Matt.

 

Just change out the needles for ones from a newer cluster and you're good to go.

 

If it has a tach, just make sure to bring the truck up to normal temp and take a pic of the needle location at idle before you remove it. Then with the truck at temp and idle again, reinstall the new needle at the same location, . This way it's in exactly the same spot.

 

For the speedo, remove to stop pin and let the needle relax, the take a pic of that location. Remove the old needle and reinstall the new needle in the same location, and then reinstall the stop pin. Then go drive it and check it against a GPS. Adjust if necessary

[HRH]

You know, I wonder if this would work with my 510 speedo guage? It's been off (works fine, not accurate speed, reads too high), even though the gearing and the tire size should be the same as the higher gears and smaller tire size at stock. May have to try that as well.

 

To recap, Todd and I talked last night at the Hot Rod Cafe, and the earlier unlighted needles bend the end towards the face of the guage. Doesn't look like it's touching, but it is. That's what causes the problem as mentioned above. Worse with heat.

[Creepy Cruiser]

The needles on the 510 gauge are a little different how they mount, but basically the same. You can use a GPS to set the needle in one accurate position that is most important to you, but keep in mind, since your actual ratio is off still by a little, it won't be accurate across the board. It will be close, but if you set it correct at like 60mph, then at 30mph on the gauge, it might really be more like 28mph or 32 mph, etc...(depending on how your ratio is off)