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Change Centech Cluster Light Buckets to Stock?

techlaf

Contributor
Sr. Member
Joined
Jun 28, 2008
Messages
691
Centech wiring harness comes with plastic housing for the gauge cluster lights that I read somewhere pops out all the time on the road.

Also, each plastic light bucket has two wires running to it: a power wire and an individual ground wire. It definitely adds to a spaghetti feel with 2 wires each. The old stock ones only have one power wire and got ground from the cluster housing.

Should I cut these off and solder the old ones on or just keep it the way it is?

*Another consideration is I moved the cluster to the right of the steering column and the wires don't quite reach as the harness is so I'll probably have to extend wires anyway.
 
OP
OP
techlaf

techlaf

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Sr. Member
Joined
Jun 28, 2008
Messages
691
Those look like a great solution. Thanks for the help!
 
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techlaf

techlaf

Contributor
Sr. Member
Joined
Jun 28, 2008
Messages
691
I ordered the autometer 2359s and soldered them into the centech harness. The fit into the gauge cluster is perfect, nice and snug, but the wire it comes with is really light gauge. 22 gauge I think which is unfortunate, but I decided new thin gauge was better than 40 year old crusty whatever gauge.

If I were to do it again, I would have just used the original metal sockets, but changed the wire. I didn't realize you can order the little mushroom caps the are crimped and soldered on after you slide the wire through. Oh well, next time.
 

DirtDonk

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 3, 2003
Messages
47,275
While I've heard the same thing about the sockets, I've never personally seen or heard of any of the ones I've worked on coming out any more than a stock one.
And in my opinion, the better ground of the dedicated second wire is worth it.
Unless yours actually has an issue that is. Otherwise, I wouldn't go to the extra trouble.

Theoretically, the extra ground wires don't need to have anything done with them. Attaching them to the cluster housing isn't a bad thing. Just not necessary I don't think, as the Centech harness already has a dedicated ground to the housing.

Paul
 
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