LUVTruck.com

Hi all, I was wondering if someone could tell me if a '79 gauge cluster (round gauges) will connect up to a '76 model (oval gauges) without modification? If not, can someone tell me how straight-forward it is? I've got some iffy components and need to replace it, just not looking to spend all week-end soldering, again.

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1976 2x4 LUV: 4-speed, 32/36 Weber, desmogged, 3.42 gears

My '76 LUV and Impulse 5-speed for sale:
viewtopic.php?f=8&t=24576

My guess is that if they both use the same fat round connector, they would be. The factory schematic is one of the least readable I have ever seen and other books have a worse copy.

It does have the same connector so we'll assume it will hook right up. Now I just how I don't make an ass of myself. lol

I mean, the worse that could happen is having to cut and move a couple of wires around. Thanks!

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1976 2x4 LUV: 4-speed, 32/36 Weber, desmogged, 3.42 gears

My '76 LUV and Impulse 5-speed for sale:
viewtopic.php?f=8&t=24576

So I finally got my cluster in the mail and it turns out that the circuits on the back are completely different.

Here is how it's setup:

Old (1976 Cluster - two ovals)
1 Fuel +
2 "C" +
3 Thermo +
4 "O" +
5 "O" -
6 Illum +
7 Bright +
8 Illum/Bright -
9 R. Blink +
10 L. Blink +
11 Seat Belt +
12 Brake +

New ( 1978(?)+ three circles)
1 L. Blink +
2 R. Blink +
3 Bright +
4 L. Illum +
5 R. Illum +
6 Fuel +
7 Gen +
8 Thermo +
9 Brake +
10 Brake -
11 Heat +
12 Seat Belt +

Some of these items I'll just have to remember what the indicators actually mean. I know "C" comes up if you unplug the voltage regulator, so I would just route that to the GEN light. I guess "O" means Overheating, so I would just route that to the HEAT. The rest is simple.

I want to find some male/female pins so that I can just create an adapter plug and not butcher the plug harness. Anyone sourced these before?

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1976 2x4 LUV: 4-speed, 32/36 Weber, desmogged, 3.42 gears

My '76 LUV and Impulse 5-speed for sale:
viewtopic.php?f=8&t=24576

Trailer connectors work:
http://www.burnstines.com/automotive/trailer-connectors

These require some specific tools to make the connectors:

http://www.repairconnector.com/

http://www.connectorsupply.com/catalog/fuses-c-33.html

http://www.waytekwire.com/automotive-connectors.htm

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I installed a 80 model in a 76, you just have to study the wiring diagram and make it work. I pulled the pins out and relocated them.

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Certified pilots, looking down on people since 1903.

Radio Shack may have some DIN plugs.

I think 'O' is oil pressure

Kind of makes more sense, feel like a goof for that one.

I think I'm going to cut the wires and solder on spade connectors so I can swap the wires around as needed and revert back if I have to. This will eliminate trying to match the pins to the cluster and they're super cheap at the parts store.

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1976 2x4 LUV: 4-speed, 32/36 Weber, desmogged, 3.42 gears

My '76 LUV and Impulse 5-speed for sale:
viewtopic.php?f=8&t=24576

Sounds like a way to go. I also like what they call the bullet connectors. I guess if you cared you could wire up a separate light for the oil pressure switch, that looks like the only thing your new gauge cluster doesn't have.

I agree. You don't need to cut any wires. Just move them around appropriately in the female plug.

See this thread for how I converted an 82 harness to fit the 75 cluster.

http://forums.luvtruck.com/viewtopic.php?f=33&t=20960

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'75 body with '82 diesel running gear
My build thread.

Radio Shack or Fry's will have the tool to push out the pins from the connector, it will be the cleanest way to do it and you can reverse it back to the stock way if needed later down the road.

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Certified pilots, looking down on people since 1903.

Well, I read this a little late, I've already cut the wires and put spades on them. It's really a 'six of one, half dozen of the other' situation. The pin relocation would have been a cleaner option, though.

Me and a buddy spent about 2.5 hours trying to get it wired up, but we took a wrong turn at albuquerque or something.

We would get the blinkers working and then the fuel gauge was reading backwards, hooked the bright light indicator up and the the blinkers would both come on and stay on, would get the back illumination working and when you hit the brights it would go dark.

The cluster is from a 79+ with the 4x4 indicator. I'm obviously not thinking about the circuit flow properly or something.

Also, the speedo only goes to 80 mph whereas my stock one goes to 100. Will it even read properly?

_________________
1976 2x4 LUV: 4-speed, 32/36 Weber, desmogged, 3.42 gears

My '76 LUV and Impulse 5-speed for sale:
viewtopic.php?f=8&t=24576

Just to update this thread, finally got back around to working on the gauge cluster.

The cluster I have is from an 82 model I believe and it will not work. The fuel and coolant temp gauge read way off because the ohms are way too different. You would need to change the sending units to match the vehicle it came out of.

I'll be in the market for a double oval cluster with a functioning odometer to bypass this nonsense. The triple circle cluster I have I'll be posting up in the for sale section.

_________________
1976 2x4 LUV: 4-speed, 32/36 Weber, desmogged, 3.42 gears

My '76 LUV and Impulse 5-speed for sale:
viewtopic.php?f=8&t=24576