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Stuck gauge bezels

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drooartz

drooartz

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I'm trying to get my speedo and tach apart for a little cleaning, and to replace the little red dots covering the warning lights. I can see how the chrome ring is supposed to twist so it will come off, but mine don't want to budge. Any secrets here? Don't want to break anything.

-Drew
 
The "trick" (if there IS one) is to get the dried up seals to release. I've used all sorts of stuff but the best I've found is (and DON'T laugh!) PB Blaster. SMALL amount, preferably applied with a small paintbrush instead of just spraying it all ove everything. Let it "wick" into the seal all the way around the circumference of the bezel both at the glass edge and the "can" side. Keep the gauge "face down" and let it sit for a day, reapplying the Blaster periodically. One of the kitchen "jar lid" opening pads made of thin rubber helps grip the bezel too, when you try to turn it. Keep the "overage" to a minimum with that stuff... it MAY be nasty enuff to dissolve the paint, I've never let it get close enough to the dial faces to find out.

HTH!
 
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/iagree.gif
 
I gently bend the rim tabs with a screwdriver, twist it off and run a razor blade around the glass to break the dried out rubber seal. Works everytime.
 
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/iagree.gif.....yep, tiny screwdriver...bend them just a tad, twist bezel off
I'm real cautious spraying anything up inside there...I've seen the instrument faces bleed...

oh, don't forget to bend them back over once you've put everything back together.
 
I don't advocate spraying it! A BRUSH, man. #0 sable (as long as Herself doesn't catch me pilferin' her "stock.") /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
 
When dealing with these gauges, there are 2 rubber seals, correct? One bezel-to-gauge, and one gauge-to-dash. Are these the same type, or different styles? I want to make sure I've got all the parts handy before I dig in.
 
Think they are the same, use the square O rings.
 
For the guage-to-dash ones I use the O-rings from oil filter cannisters: cut to length and super glue.
 
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