Gauge cluster stuff

[inanecathode]

So im thinking about doing luckies 'my furst gauge cluster' coloring mod to my gauge cluster. Im not digging the worn out sun f***d paint anymore.
Does the marker hold color?
When i go to replace me needles, do the stock needles just break loose from the center roundel or do i have to grind it out?
Were the stock indicator needle bushings oiled or were they dry lubed with graphite?

[Lucky]

they will not fade for a long time if you can keep them out of the sun, a tinted windshield helps too. you can always go over them every few years.  i considered paint as well, but thought it would cut down on the lighting at night too much (sharpie doesn't block the light) 

if you try to remove the tach pin it'll break, if you grind it out, keep the dust out of the pin bearing or bushing or whatever is in there...

[inanecathode]

they will not fade for a long time if you can keep them out of the sun, a tinted windshield helps too. you can always go over them every few years.  i considered paint as well, but thought it would cut down on the lighting at night too much (sharpie doesn't block the light) 

if you try to remove the tach pin it'll break, if you grind it out, keep the dust out of the pin bearing or bushing or whatever is in there...

Well i know the pin wont come out, but my problem last time is the pin seized in the bushing. I cleaned it but forgot to lube it, so it works, but only above 4krpm.
I might just glue the needle back together.

[Lucky]

gluing it back in might make it work, might need the counterbalance the needle gives??...

[inanecathode]

Probably right about the counter balance. The needle fragement doesnt weigh much but its already pretty sticky.

[YellowJacket!]

I made a replacemet needle for one of my tachs.  I took a spray tube - you know, one of the ones that comes with a spray can of carb cleaner - cut it to size and used some needle nose pliers to squeeze a taper into it.  Once I was satisfied how it looked, I painted it with some "indicator orange" (I think thats what it was called" and glued it onto the tach hub.  It looked nearly perfect.
Its included in my new gauges thread somewhere on the boards with some pics of it too.

David

[Rick G]

What ever you do don't try to remove the the needle, all together. I got mine out,but the shaft came with it  and upon re installation the tach didn't work right.

[YellowJacket!]

What ever you do don't try to remove the the needle, all together. I got mine out,but the shaft came with it  and upon re installation the tach didn't work right.

Yeah, forgot to mention that.  Had the same problem and ruined two good tachs.

David

[inanecathode]

Theres a coil attached to it down inside the tach. It cant come out, obviously :)
Its pretty cool actually, theres a winding of very fine wiring packed into a little rectangle that glued to the tach shaft. At the base of the needle theres a tiny magnet, when the pulse for the coil goes through the little coil it drives the needle around a tiny nudge.
Quite cool to see