Revers glow gauge install problem...please help

[DINGBAT]

I got everything tore down (first time I've attempted this) and installed the speedo and tach gauge no problem. The fuel gauge is giving me a problem. The new gauge face will not slip over the needle due to the needle extending beyond the round piece in the middle (I hope that makes sense). The speedo and tach needles don't do this and the gauges slipped right over. I really don't want to remove the needle. Can I take a dremel tool and cut off a small piece of the needle that goes beyond the round piece? It's not the end of the needle that points to Full or Empty.

Also, I purchased the LED bulbs that someone else here mentioned. They will not snap into the bases off of my gauge cluster. The stock bulbs kind of snap into place. The LEDs won't snap in and are too loose. I'm afraid they will vibrate out.

Other than these two small issues, this is really pretty easy to do.

Thanks.

[BISQ]

Have you thought about taking an x-acto knife and cutting a small slit in the new face? It should let you slip it over the needle, and with a spot of glue, should disappear.

Also, you should be able to pull the needle off without much trouble, but I can't say that I've done that to the fuel needle personally. If you can get under it and pry straight up, it should come off. As long as you mark it first, you should be able to put it back on in the same orientation.

When I took my R1 gauge apart, I put the tach needle on about 2k skewed. :lol THAT got me confused for a few minutes!

[WildKat]

Rockadaous comes to mind immediatly as one who has the illumiglo gauges installed..there's a thread about it in the body shop that might give u some ideas.. I also have the same gauges but havent installed them yet, so i'll be looking for this advice too should i come across this problem as well.

[Haggisman]

DO NOT cut them. Move the needle around a bit and it will fit on. You can move the needle past the stoppers if it helps as long as you remember which way you turned them and howw many times.

[rockadaous]

haggis is right. don't cut em. try and pull the gauge to the very bottom of the needle. If you just can't get it pull the needle. before you do hook the cluster back up and remember where your needle reads. pull it. place the gauge on. take the cluster back to the bike. turn it on and place the needle back to the original position. hope that helps

rock

[WildKat]

did anybody else run into this problem when installing these gauges ?


Mod. edit..moved this into the body shop forum

[DINGBAT]

did anybody else run into this problem when installing these gauges ?


Mod. edit..moved this into the body shop forum

Out of all of the people on here who has installed reverse glow gauges, I'm the only one that run into a problem with the fuel gauge?

What would cutting a small piece of the back portion of the needle hurt. I'm not talking about the part that pionts to Full/Empty. The needle extends beyond the center portion just enough to keep the gauge from slipping on. There's no way this thing is going on without either cutting the needle or removing it (which is what I really want to avoid).

[letsride]

like the last replys dont cut take your time and move the needle to diferent positions till it slips is . out of all the trims that is the hardest one . if you take your time and move till it slips in it will every one has a hard time with that one more or less

[DINGBAT]

Got it done last night. I did end up cutting a small portion of the back part of the needle. Worked like a charm after that. Most of the LEDs did not work though. One of the green ones for the turn signal worked and the red one for the oil light worked. None of the blue ones worked. They were the #74 bulbs that everyone else used. I put the stock bulbs back in and they worked? So my clock light is white, big deal. The gauges look great.

[letsride]

great glad afterall its done they are very cool glad you join the few of us that have them welcom abored dude

[WildKat]

congrats on the mod!!

[WildKat]

like the last replys dont cut take your time and move the needle to diferent positions till it slips is . out of all the trims that is the hardest one . if you take your time and move till it slips in it will every one has a hard time with that one more or less

what other trims are normally needed with this install ?

[DINGBAT]

The only other part that I had to trim was a small notch in the top of the lip of the cluster back (the white part) for the three wires coming from the gauges to go through. I just used a dremel tool with the sanding drum attached and made a small "U' shaped cutout. Sorry no pictures.

This really wasn't very hard to do. Just follow the others advice and take your time. I don't normally work on much of anything and I didn't have any problems.

[WildKat]

gotcha.. thanks for the info.. !!

[BeekMan]

LEDs are polarity sensitive. Turn the ones that don't work around. I also had the hardest time with the fuel gauge indiglow but got it on after a bit of manoeuvering...no cutting required.