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Installing Whit face gauges

  • Thread starter Thread starter Saleen8786
  • Start date Start date Aug 14, 2004

Saleen8786

New Member
Oct 7, 2003
209
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0
Marlton, NJ
Aug 14, 2004
#1
  • Aug 14, 2004
  • #1
heys guys got some white face gauges from upr. How do i install them its a 91 gt i have know clue how to install them please help me


thanks
jim
 

ALMOST STOCK

Founding Member
Sep 23, 2000
1,250
41
88
CA.
Aug 14, 2004
#2
  • Aug 14, 2004
  • #2
It's not that hard to do. The worst part probably is disconnection the Speedo cable.
Make yourself a diagram of where all the needles are before you remove them, use something like a fork to place under the needles to remove the needles, remove all the old glue, re glue the new gages, then re install the needles. If you want the needle to be a different color just scrap the white paint that is on the needles how off and paint whatever color you want them.
I've still got the instruction sheet that came with my NR white face and I'd be glad to send it to you if you’re interested?
 

88stangmangt

Active Member
Nov 25, 2003
2,332
1
48
Stafford,VA
Aug 14, 2004
#3
  • Aug 14, 2004
  • #3
take your time please lol this is when elec. Gremlins love to come out and play.
 

Ozz

I think I have a problem here.
Founding Member
Jul 27, 2001
3,514
66
109
Canton, MI
Aug 14, 2004
#4
  • Aug 14, 2004
  • #4
It's easy, just a bunch of bolts. Like ALMOST STOCK said the toughest part is disconnecting the speedo cable and that only takes 10 seconds as well. The toughest part about that is fitting yourh and in there and maneuvering it around.

One thing to make sure is that the when you put the cluster back in place, to keep it from bouncing around and moving a needle or two. I had to take my dash apart and reset my gas gauge again.
 

UMDSmith

Member
Feb 10, 2004
226
0
17
Salisbury, Maryland
Aug 15, 2004
#5
  • Aug 15, 2004
  • #5
yeah, the speedo cable was the biggest pain out of taking the entire dash out. I still don't know how I got it off or back on, but somehow you manage. Get a small handed friend to do it for you.
 

remat457

Founding Member
Aug 7, 2002
587
0
16
Seattle/Tacoma
Aug 15, 2004
#6
  • Aug 15, 2004
  • #6
Saleen8786 said:
heys guys got some white face gauges from upr. How do i install them its a 91 gt i have know clue how to install them please help me


thanks
jim
Click to expand...
Make sure you mark the needles! The previous owner of my car didn't and my car reads in the 0 when I am going about 10mph... Hmm... I should probably fix that one day..
 

Saleen8786

New Member
Oct 7, 2003
209
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0
Marlton, NJ
Aug 16, 2004
#7
  • Aug 16, 2004
  • #7
hey guys thanks for the tips. But where are the bolts that i have to take off and how many this is a big pain in the ass for me (mainly taking the bezel off and do i have to take the steering wheel cover off

thanks
jim
 
P

PonyBoy90

Founding Member
Aug 30, 2002
555
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0
Toronto
Aug 17, 2004
#8
  • Aug 17, 2004
  • #8
I have a 1990 LX and I just did mine this past June so I guess I'd have the most consistent and accurate detail you need to pull this job off. I also was very nervous when undertaking this job so I sympathize with you. So without further ado, here goes nothing............................

1. DISCONNECT THE BATTERY CABLES. First negative, then positive. If you don't you risk activating the air bag in your face!!!!

2. Tools you'll need are a small hand wratchet (torque wrench), a set of 6 torx bits (for the wratchet), and one of those adaptor screw drivers for which you can use as a nut driver. Most of the upper console pieces are held in place by torx bit screws.

3. On the upper console surrounding the gauge pod there are 2 torq screws holding it down. You can see these better when looking at the dash from the outside of the car throught the windshield. Use the wratchet with the smallest torx bit to take these two screws out. You can't use a nut driver as the angle of the windshield is in the way.

4. You need to pull out both the light switches on the left and the hazzard and defog switches on the right of the console. There are 2 exposed plastic clips on each set of switched one behind each individual switch. Gently pull the switched towards you and use a flat head screwdriver to push those clips in towards the console. Eventually the whole light switch unit will come out. Then unplug the the wire harness from the switch noting which plug went where so that you know when you re-assemble the console later. Do the same for both sides. FYI don't be surprised if a couple of the plastic clips break. It's cheap FORD plastic but it will hold later anyways.

5. Now that you have the switches out, there are 2 long screws that hold the 2 piece steering column in place underneith the column facing the floor. Use a phillips screw driver to unscrew both. Once out, take the top and bottom piece off and away from the column.

6. Next, take off the plastic trim plate underneith the steering column that goes across. This plastic trim plate is what ever colour you interior is. It is held in place by 3 screws/bolts. You can use either your wratchet with the torx bit, or your nut driver with the torx bit to take these out. Once out, remove the trim.

7. Behind the trim plate is another black metal plate that's bolted in and shares the same bolts as the plastic console cover. Remove these 2 bolts. There is a 3rd bolt that holds the console down to the base of the main dash underneith the hazzard and defog switches. Take this out also. Now barring any other nuts I may have forgotten about, gently lift up and off the console housing.

8. In front of you you'll see the guage pod. It's held in place by 5 torx bolts. Take all 5 bolts out.

9. Behind the guage pod you'll find 2 electrical harnesses and the speed cable. The 2 harnesses just simply unplug. The speedo cable has a white clasp. Gently squeeze the clasps together and pull the guage pod towards you and the speedo will pop off. You're now ready to take the pod inside the house and now the real work begins.

10. The clear plastic lense and the black plastic trim around the guages that separate each section must be removed. Use the adjustable nut driver to take these out. I think there are 16 all together. Lift the plastic face off.

11. Each part of the guage is a section. There are 4 sections all together. To get the stock faces off, you'll need to take the needles out with the tool that came with your set. Mark the original place of the needles on your stock faces and use the needle popper to take the needles off. Be gentle and make sure you "lift" in order not to bend the pins as they are very very very fragile!!!!!!!!!! Watch out for flying needles as THEY WILL FLY across the room!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

12. The sections are held down by screws at the battery/temp guages, and the fuel/oil pressure guages. Un-screw these and each guage section will come out. Simply peel the old faces off the plastic face plates gently!!!! Use Goo-Gone to gently clean away the crap left over from the old faces so that the plate is clean. Do this to all four guages. Then just stick the new faces on. You don't need any extra adhessive for this. The new faces have plenty on the back from UPR.

13. Once the faces are on, screw the screws back onto the temp/battery gauges and the oil/fuel guages. Then eyeball the needles back into the same place as where you marked them on your old faces. DO NOT use pressure when re-applying the needles or you'll bend the pins and your needles will stick.

14. Re-assemble your guage pod with the trim plate and the plastic lense cover. Remember that some of the screws are used to hold both the plastic lense and the trim in conjunction so make sure you know which ones you need to screw on before and which later for the clear plastic lense.

15. Now you can armoural all your parts and re-assemble your dash back together. Assembly is just the opposite of dis-assembly.

16. Put you battery cables back together and start your car. Now you get to see just how accurately you measured your needles when you put them back on. Go for a ride and see if things check out.

My personal comments of the whiteface guages are as follows.............

Mine were the MAC's. They look great during the day, ok at dusk or dawn, and blurry during the night. No matter how hard you try to clean the guage surfaces, it still won't matter. FORD foxbody guages were NOT designed for whitefaces!!!! The reason being is the bulbs behind the faces are not scattered properly to luminate whiteface guages. You'll find that some spots on the guage light up better than others. YOU CAN'T IMPROVE ON THIS!!!!
Not unless you find a wrecker who's selling a COBRA foxbody guage off a 1993.

Hope this helps. Enjoy and good luck. Make sure you have LOT'S of time for this job. I started at 10am on a Friday vacation day morning and finished the job at 4:30pm installation and all!!!!!!! For a first timer, it's a 6 hour job at least. I figure if I were to do this now for someone else I could cut my time down to 4 hours.
 

FrdMustangCpe

New Member
May 27, 2004
493
0
0
Sin City, NV
Aug 17, 2004
#9
  • Aug 17, 2004
  • #9
thanx for posting that PonyBoy, im waitin on my white faces in the mail. ill be installing some too.
 
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