The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Panels 'N Burbs gauge cluster unit removal for 55-59 chevy 'burb

hello, i have a '55 chevy suburban 2nd series, im new to this website and had a question that i think a bunch of you can answer from experience. i need to replace my speedometer (needle bounces and speedo cable gives out when i accelerate too fast). also thinking of converting my temp gauge to an electric one because the original hard line doesn't reach the front of the intake manifold (v8). so im having technical difficulties removing the gauge cluster unit. i take off the 3 screws in the front chrome bezel and im able to slide out the gauge cluster unit approximately half an inch then it wont come out any more. not sure whats holding it back behind the dash but it's hard to get under the dash to see whats going on even with a flashlight. i dont want to force it out because im afraid of breaking something. im hoping its something easy. any help would be greatly appreciated. -joe

just took mine out today for the first time! I know exactly how your feelin' ;-P and with seeing the prices of a new cluster, i about had a heart attack twice over getting it out.

Couldn't really "see" too much behind, but was able to feel my way through just fine.. I started out with the "bulbous" feeling bulb housings in the back.. just twisting them as i pulled them out, and they came out pretty nice.

then I moved to all the wires, which all came off pretty easy... the ones near the top though (give readings for top gaauges), scared me at first, but they slid right off. they feel rectangular and will pivot.

then I hit the speedo cable, which simply needed to be screwed off.

and once all the was out I was able to get the cluster out far enough to get an open ended wrench around the small, flared pipe fitting on the back side (think it's the oil? could be wrong)

and out she went!!

can't wait to get er' cleaned up and hopefully fully operational again... gonna talk to a local glass guy and see if he'd be able to make me up a replacement for the plastic face it has now.

Sure you'll get a lot better responses than my crappy attempt... BUT i thought i'd give it a shot i've got a 57' chevy 2nd 2 1/2ton, pretty sure it's the same cluster.

the only thing that really needs to be removed before the cluster comes out far enough to get a look in there is the speedo cable - the oil pressure gauge fitting may also restrict movement, but usually with care you can pull the cluster out far enough to get at that, or disconnect it from the engine so it can pull thru the firewall

Bill

first off you guys are the best, and i thank you for such a quick response. from what i am gathering there is no magical screw, bolt, clip, nor anything that is holding it in the dash other than the connections like the speedo cable, oil pressure hard line, water temp hard line, and some of the other gauge connections, right? i'm going to go ahead and disconnect everything from the back especially the oil pressure and water temp hard lines, as per what you are saying might be the culprit keeping me from pulling it out all the way. thanks again for the info, i was just afraid of breaking something by using force.
-joe