[.:sick_stang04:.]

hey guys, i wanna start a project to change the color of my gauges, but i need to pull the needles off the gauges first.

whats the best way to pull the needles off without breaking them, but mainly how do i then reinstall them and make sure theyre still acuurate.

[Eagle2000GT]

First, draw a detailed picture of each gauge with the motor running so that you can get the needles back on in the same place. I used a kitchen fork to remove the needle. It allows you to pry up from underneath. All of the needles push back on in the same as the pictures except the speedometer. You have to have the wheels turning to get the speedometer needle back on in the correct place.

I jacked the car up with the wheels off the ground to get the speedometer needle back on correctly. You have to put your odometer in dealer test mode. I ran the car up to 20 mph and then put the speedometer needle on at 20. Using the dealer test mode my speedometer is only 1/2 mph off and the tach is dead on. The link below explains how to put the odometer in the dealer test mode.

BULLITT Archive Mustang Instrument Test Mode

[.:sick_stang04:.]

do you put the other needles on when the cluster is outside the car? or do you reinstall it, let the car run and warm up, then put all the needles back on?

[Eagle2000GT]

Put the needles back on after the cluster in the car and the motor in the same condition as when you drew the pictures. If they are in the wrong place you can pop them off and put them back on.

[2005gsxr123]

just pop em off its easy

[.:sick_stang04:.]

cool...thanks for the tip, ill try that...and awesome link, thatll really help.

[Eagle2000GT]

Just remember, your wheels must be turning to get the speedometer needle on correctly. If you just snap it back on at zero your speedometer will be 7 mph off. There have been numerous threads from people who thought they had gears but actually the previous owner put the needle back on wrong. How I know this is the previous owner of my car did the same thing.

[02'TrueBlue]

+1 to using a kitchen knife to get the needles off. I used 2, one on each side so it was an even force pulling upwards. also I forget exactly how, but i did it...theres a method of using a 9 volt battery to get the needles back into spec. Basically you attach a 9V to the prongs on the back of the gauges and they go to the middle, so you put the needle on facing the middle/top and it'll be accurate

[stal94gt]

dont push the needles down to hard cause you can bottom them out

[fastbike02]

I used a fork also and I got out on the highway and with the help of a gps I set my speedo needle dead on

[.:sick_stang04:.]

finished! looks awesome, and i got the needles back exactly on

[.:sick_stang04:.]

any way to open up those buttons below to match the color? i doubt it....looks like theyd break if i try to take them apart

[03OFP]

Kind of thread jacking here... but what stereo/head unit are you using? That looks sweet.

[Beerdog80]

what color are the needles? And you should be able to open up those buttons and replace the led with a 3mm one of your choice. I'd get a junk yard one to test it one first though.

[.:sick_stang04:.]

Originally Posted by 03OFP Kind of thread jacking here... but what stereo/head unit are you using? That looks sweet.

Its the Pioneer AVIC-X930BT...its nice, i paid 800 installed....i spent a long time trying to find a kinda more oem stockish looking radio in the car..most of the aftermarket radios ive seen are too flashy for me...its awesome too, you can customize the startup picture when the radio turns on, so i designed the mustang logo in photoshop and now it kinda reminds me of a bmw or mercedes how the car always shows the emblem when it starts up

[.:sick_stang04:.]

Originally Posted by Beerdog80 what color are the needles? And you should be able to open up those buttons and replace the led with a 3mm one of your choice. I'd get a junk yard one to test it one first though.

i didnt change the needles, kept those red but changed the dials amber...the pic i posted doesnt have the needles installed tho, that was just after i finished with the lights...just wanted to see how it looked.

good call with the junk yard tho, im gonna head down to pick-a-part tomorrow and see if i can find one of those buttons...that way i can rip that apart and see if i can change it without messing up my car..thatd be nice to get everything matching...its not a huge deal if everything is amber, and i just have those 3 small green lights, but it is a little annoying.