colder

ok guys..i know ive seen it on here before but i cant find the answer. i am in the process of swapping my instrument cluster (as we speak) and i cant get enough slack to pull the old cluster out. what am i missing? any help would be appreciated.

Firestorm500

Reach under and behind dash and unplug wiring harness connectors? Speedo cable?

Tilt cluster to right or left as needed?

These are just general thoughts.

winston427

There are 2 electrical connections and the speedo connection. The speedo is the culprit, it depends on how the factory installed the cable. Sometimes it is routed all the way at the back of the firewall leaving no slack. The speedo is actually electronically controlled and changes to a cable system under the dash. Reach under the dash and find the cable, follow it down to the firewall and you will find the connection to the electric control. Unplug that and it should slide right out.

winston427

After work I came home and decided to check the connections on my 87 and 91. I have pulled severeal gauge clusters out of the jy and know there are 2 types of speedo connections, cable and electrical. I thought that the difference was the year model, I now know better. The difference depends on if you have cruise control or not.

To replace the idiot lights with gauges on either type first remove the trim around the instrument cluster. 4 screws, 2 at the top of the cluster, 1 above the headlight switch, and 1 above the cig lighter.

Remove the 6 screws securing the cluster to the dash.


For non cruise equipped vehicles, unscrew the cable connection under the dash at the firewall.


To ease the process of removing the cluster it may be necassary to remove the rear defrost switch (1 screw), the cig lighter (3 screws), and the rear wiper switch (1 screw). The cig lighter will need to be removed to access the screw retaining the rear wiper switch. Remove the 2 top screws on the cig lighter and hold it while removing the bottom screw so you do not lose it in the dash.


The instrument cluster without cruise control will have 2 electrical connections and the cable connection for the speedo.


The instrument cluster with cruise control will only have 2 electrical connections.


Replace the idiot light cluster with your new gauge cluster and reverse the removal procedure. This entire process should take no more than an hour.

RCB

Could you add some pics regarding the cruise control varieties? Operate the same way? I think I just broke my cable while swapping in the new cluster, as the cable now snakes out of the casing. Fortunately I have a parts jeep, but don't want to repeat the mistake a second time.

solderjunkie

The cable is not secured to the housing... otherwise it would bind. It will come out if you pull it.

Lube the cable with some light grease, put the cable back in the sleeve and twist it to get it to "bottom" in the square receiver at the other end. Reassemble.

BTW... awesome write-up and photos Winston. That should be in the tech-section fo' sho'.

SJ

RCB

Hmm, good to know. Yes, excellent writeup. I had found another swap how-to, which wasn't nearly as informative.

winston427

I need to retract that write up. The difference in the speedo connections is according to the year model and has nothing to do with cruise control. I WAS WRONG. Up til 90 the speedo connects with a cable that is connected at the firewall under the dash. 91-96 is an electrical connection on the back of the instrument cluster.

I will gather more information and pics to submit a correct write up on doing a gauge swap soon. The pics are still useful for cluster removal.

RCB

Those responsible for sacking the people who have just been sacked, have now been sacked, eh?

winston427

Flame me, nominate me, whatever I deserve for posting incorrect info. Bring it on I can take it.

Steelcityfan29

On this subject.. what cluster can you swap to? Like I hate my cluster.. i have the HUGE gas guage and speedo and no tach... can I get one with a tach on an 88? and what one should I go for.. Id also like to get a white guage cluster.. like the cheapo cover one. thanks for the suggestions!

RCB

No worries, it just reminded me of the opening credits on the holy grail, in that you mention early that you were mistaken, and then later realized that you were mistaken about your mistake

4.3L XJ

Just get one out of another 88 with the tach and gages. It will plug right in. But you will have to change out the oil pressure sender and the coolant temp sender.

Steelcityfan29

ok I have an aftermarket oil guage someone put in.. maybe I can move that unit over to the new guage cluster.. thanks.

RCB

A Note to the above intructions:

Regarding unscrewing the speedo cable at the firewall... (and this is what confused me) on my 87, it's not at the firewall, its at the transfer case. When I went back to fix the cable, where it pulled out (mentioned above) I was determined to find the above connection, then I remembered seeing that connector before... at the transfer case. Sure enough it was there. Just unscrew it and snake some slack to the front of the vehicle and up through the firewall. Worked perfectly.

And for those curious about getting the right sensors (It was a heck of a time for me) the part numbers at AutoZone (Advance had to order theirs... but normally buy from them) is TU108 (Temp sensor/switch) and PS133 (Oil Pressure sensor/switch)