How To: Binnacle Removal and Bulb Replacement

[Byrne H&A]

129821298312984Binnacle Removal

Tools Needed: 7mm deep socket
13mm deep socket (seat removal)
Socket screw driver
Small pliers
Small point, six inch shaft Phillips screw driver
Blue painters tape
Flash light or fluorescent light
Container for screws and nuts

Apply painters tape to dash around binnacle to protect dash from scratches. Remove seat
and disconnect speedometer cable from Lambda counter at base of steering column. A few inches of cable slack will be required. (I had removed driver knee pad but determined not necessary)
Had removed the six 7mm nuts; one from each side of steering column, two attached to brackets near center of unit and two more about two inches down from bracket screws. All are symmetrical to the opposite side; picture provided. The outer four screws have large washers. Lifted the unit and only the steering wheel side raised about one inch. The dash side held firmly connected. Researched “Binnacle Removal” on both forums and emailed several owners. Each source provided useful information but nothing about resistance to lifting. Decided to offer up my favorite prayer (Hail Mary) and was inspired to insert putty knife between side edge of binnacle and edge of dash. Found coating had bonded the two surfaces together about three inches.
(The PO had recoated the dash and binnacle). Now able to lift one side and see underneath to the opposite corner being held down by threads of one of the long screws caught in opening of the hole. Inserting a long screw driver and pushing against the threads, the binnacle lifted straight up about three inches. ‘What a relief’. I thankfully expressed my appreciation to Our Blessed Mother.
Caution, lift the binnacle from the sides and not the bottom edge.
The speedometer cable is held in the unit by a tension clip and there are two electrical connectors held by dog ears. Caution, the connectors are fragile. There is also a fragile printed circuit along the entire underside of the unit; picture provided. Be careful when lifting. Do not pull the speedometer cable out of dash.
Turn the unit over on a work bench to access the 16 instrument cluster light bulbs; picture provided. Note particular location of ten black sockets with #161 bulbs and five green sockets with #194 bulbs. Note, the high beam light indicator bulb is replaced with #194 bulb and reinserted in black socket.
To remove sockets, press sockets in and make a one quarter turn. Bulbs pull straight out of socket. Bulbs are available from Autozone. Order 10 #161 and 6 #194 bulbs.
My binnacle lens had residual coating along outer edges and so decided to replace with 1/8’’ Plexiglas from Lowes. The OEM lens is three dimensional. The flat Plexiglas lens can be adapted by drilling all holes at 45 degree angle. The installed lens looks identical to the OEM lens.
Installation: Gently reconnect the two multi terminal electrical wires and test bulbs before installing speedometer cable.

[ccurzio]

I've been searching for a nice step-by-step guide to do this and yours looks to be well written. Thank you for this.

[Henrik]

... decided to replace with 1/8’’ Plexiglas from Lowes. The OEM lens is three dimensional. The flat Plexiglas lens can be adapted by drilling all holes at 45 degree angle. The installed lens looks identical to the OEM lens.

All of my interior bits are at a reupholstery shop and today the called me to say that they are weary about is how to remove the lens from the binnacle.

a) Can you (or anyone else) share your recommended process for removing the lens? The non-desctructive method is of course preferred.
b) Really - plexiglass from Lowes works?
c) I am curious what you mean by the OEM lens being 3 dimensional.
d) I am also wondering about drilling the holes at a 45 deg angle. WHich holes? Can you pls elaborate?

Thanks,

[DrJeff]

Once the instrument cluster is out, removing the lens itself is easy. There are obvious screws that hold the lens on (IIRC 4 or 6 screws). About the only potentially confusing bit is removing the trip reset stalk. It has a small retaining screw at the very end of the stalk (you can see the screw head right at the end of the stalk. A small screwdriver from a glasses repair kit is perfect. Once undone the body of the stalk slips off and the lens can be removed over what is left. The trip reset stalk must be removed before the lens is removed.

If you mean they don't know how to replace the lens, that's more involved...

[Henrik]

Thanks, but I think we are talking about two different things: I need to know how to surgically remove the lens from the binnacle (not from the instrument cluster). It appears that Byrne H&A has successfully don't this - ref. 3rd pic in the first posting above.

[DrJeff]

The lens is mounted to the front of the instrument cluster. The instrument cluster backs out of the binnacle with just gentle pressure. I don't recall there being anything holding the instrument cluster in the binnacle other than the foam- like internal surface on the binnacle.

[Henrik]

See picture. I am talking about the lens that is attached (by press fit or maybe even glue?) to the inside of the binnacle.15161

[ccurzio]

That's exactly what everyone else is talking about though. Since last night I've been re-reading this thread trying to figure out what you're talking about, and it's the same thing everyone else is talking about. :)

[Henrik]

Maybe I am just confused, so let me ask you this: Would you agree that there are two sets of lenses: One that go on the instrument cluster and one that goes inside the binnacle?

[ccurzio]

Nope. One lens - the big clear plastic piece that stands between the driver and the gauge needles.

[DMCMW Dave]

There is a black plastic frame that goes in front of the lens and is attatched to the binnacle housing, whereas the lens itself is attached with screws to the cluster assembly. From the outside looking in it may appear that the black surround is part of the lens but it is not. I'm guessing that is where the confusion stems from.

[Ron]

+1
...and hopefully someone hasn't glued it in because it started warping :swear1:

[dmc6960]

Are either of those two binnacle's you posted pictures of yours? I cannot tell if there is a lens in them or not.

There is only ONE lens, and it is screwed into the instrument cluster, which unscrews from the binnacle out the back like several have already said. Is your cluster separated from the binnacle yet? If not then there is no problem, just unscrew and remove. If the cluster HAS been removed but the lens is still in the binnacle; just say screw it, bash it out and get a new one from DMC. Someone could have wedged a generic lens into your binnacle as they had been unavailable for a long time until recently.

[Henrik]

OK y'all. It's time for me to fess up.:blush: I went to the reupholstery shop yesterday and once I saw the binnacle I realized that I had been wrong all along. All it had was the black plastic frame mounted to it. No lens or nothing. Just like everyone had taken turns explaining to me. :notworthy: So - yes - I was very wrong. I apologize.

So, since the reupholsterer was unsure how to get the black plastic frame out (so they can tuck the vinyl in underneath it) I took the binnacle home and with a long bladed razor I was able to cut the frame out very easily. This project is now back on track.

Again, my apologies.

[ccurzio]

No worries.

One thousand Hail Marys, and I want you to hit yourself. Right now.

[dmc6960]

Be aware that the black plastic frame may not go back in so well with the added material being put on. The DMC vendors to not reinstall it when recovering their binnacles, or else they just cover strait over them. I did read about someone who cut their frame in each dimension, glued it back together, sanded and painted it to the new size required by the recovering. That'll be a lot of work to get it to look right.

[Henrik]

Be aware that the black plastic frame may not go back in so well with the added material being put on. The DMC vendors to not reinstall it when recovering their binnacles, or else they just cover strait over them. I did read about someone who cut their frame in each dimension, glued it back together, sanded and painted it to the new size required by the recovering. That'll be a lot of work to get it to look right.

Yeah, I've been thinking about that. With the new vinyl being somewhat thicker (and there will be some of that heavy stitching too) there is of course the possibility that it won't fit right. So I will have the shop test fit the frame before they do the final glueing of the vinyl to make sure it is fairly close. Then I will resize the frame if/as needed and attach it myself.

[eagle-co94]

Just an update for those looking to do this on their own, I pulled my first binnacle last week (slightly different process) but I took a clean approach today to pull one from a car with a clean interior. I didn't need to pull the seat out. I used the following tools:

1/4" drive socket wrench
two 3" long 1/4" drive extensions (could have used a single 6" but I was already in there with a deep socket and 3" extension and it wasn't working for me).
1/4" drive universal joint
7mm 6-point socket (standard length).

Had the cluster out in under 10 mins. If you don't like laying with your back on the doorsill you may want to remove the seat, but I've never removed a seat to do anything under the dash of a car except for when I converted my Impala SS from an automatic to a 6-speed.

[Ryan S.]

Thanks for sharing. I plan to tackle the dash LED project next weekend. 10 min sounds great. My time will be more like 30.

[eagle-co94]

Just don't forget to reconnect everything upon reinstall. I forgot to clip the speedo cable back in and didn't find out until I bumped it when tightening the 6th screw...and it fell out. Install takes a bit longer trying to get the washer in place and then a nut on it with the limited space.

[Timebender]

Just an update for those looking to do this on their own, I pulled my first binnacle last week (slightly different process) but I took a clean approach today to pull one from a car with a clean interior. I didn't need to pull the seat out. I used the following tools:

1/4" drive socket wrench
two 3" long 1/4" drive extensions (could have used a single 6" but I was already in there with a deep socket and 3" extension and it wasn't working for me).
1/4" drive universal joint
7mm 6-point socket (standard length).

Had the cluster out in under 10 mins. If you don't like laying with your back on the doorsill you may want to remove the seat, but I've never removed a seat to do anything under the dash of a car except for when I converted my Impala SS from an automatic to a 6-speed.

Did you use a screwdriver as well to remove the screws, or did you not need to?

[eagle-co94]

Ah, yes, I did use a Phillips Head screwdriver. The main thing was not removing the seat and not needing a deep well socket. I was using a Craftsman socket so other brands may be more shallow.

[Ryan S.]

Thanks

[Jeff K]

I have to pull my seat anyway today, so I'm doing this. I bought LED' a year ago.. finally putting them in.

Does anyone know how to determine positive and negative? LED lights have a polarity I read. I'd hate to do trial and error.

Thanks
Jeff

[Bitsyncmaster]

I have to pull my seat anyway today, so I'm doing this. I bought LED' a year ago.. finally putting them in.

Does anyone know how to determine positive and negative? LED lights have a polarity I read. I'd hate to do trial and error.

Thanks
Jeff

If they are not marked, then they must have a diode to protect them if installed backwards. So you could just wire each one up to a battery and mark them when they light.

[Chris 16409]

This is unrelated to all the LED discussion, but I wanted to report how I've made it easier to install and remove the binnacle. Instead of using standard nuts, I've converted over to wing nuts. Now I can undo all the nuts without using tools and diving into the foot well. The wing nuts really simply the whole process. The nut specification is M4 with a 0.7 thread pitch. I found the wing nuts at Ace.

[Ryan S.]

I replaced dash lights with LEDs. Thanks to the detail write ups, I was able to remove dash in about 20 minutes or so. I bought some wing nuts from Homedepot for $0.25 each. I could only use wing nuts for three bolts. Other areas were too difficult to use wing nuts. Entire project took about an hour but my back and neck are killing me. Need a chiropractor service after this.

I used red LEDs but it was not very bright. Plus, green head light indicator was way too bright. I need to get a brighter red LEDs and/or less bright green LED. Overall, I am not happy with the result.:frown:

[Bitsyncmaster]

I used red LEDs but it was not very bright. Plus, green head light indicator was way too bright. I need to get a brighter red LEDs and/or less bright green LED. Overall, I am not happy with the result.:frown:

That's what I find. I'm waiting for the design of RED LEDs to improve someday.

[Jeff K]

If they are not marked, then they must have a diode to protect them if installed backwards. So you could just wire each one up to a battery and mark them when they light.

Good call.. thanks!

[Timeless]

That's what I find. I'm waiting for the design of RED LEDs to improve someday.
Super bright LEDs red bulbs are pretty decent. Ive had good luck with their 194 bulbs.

[CFI]

I’d like to add that I removed my binnacle today and 2 out of the 6 nuts holding it were 8mm. I didn’t remove my seat but I could see how that would make it easier. Also, I plan on reinstalling the binnacle using wing nuts because getting a tool back there was a pain in the but.