[soybean (R.I.P.)]

On subject of the dash wiring, this brings up a question I've been meaning to ask. Has anyone rewired their dash? When I say rewire, I have two instrument clusters on the table now and both have the insulating rubber deteriorating around the angled plug ins. Any ideas on how to repair, or better yet, to replace these items and eliminate the rats nest that is there now? I have a couple of ideas, but I am curious as to whether anyone has redone theirs. Thanks, Jarrell

 

[baronbors]

YUP- As I teach 8th grade, I have my summers off. Got tired of the intermittant shorts and intermittant gauges working when ever they wanted to. So- I took my front panel out- sat it in the kitchen and for three weeks replaced every dang wire on it- even did some changing around, modified and inproved some wiring. Used liquid rubber on the wiring ends with the new slide ons. Wrote all the changes down in my service manual and did some fancy wire wrapping so it was easier to trace if need be. Am I glad I did it? Very much so as it fixed all my problems. Would I do it again? NEVER!!!
Shouldn't have to.

 

[69grngt]

Insulators

An easy way to replace these insulators is to simply replace it with heat shrinkable tubing. The tubing comes in many sizes, thickness and several different shrink ratio, 4-1 ect.. Tubing is also available adhesive lined - but this in hard to find as is usually used in special appps, ie mil spec wiring harness. Most auto parts stores will care a limited selection but should be able to get most other sizes from specility wireing suppliers. Don't know the cost as I still have a small supply left over from my wire company days.
Roger

 

[soybean (R.I.P.)]

I'd like to do a combination of what you both said, "changing around, modifiying and improve the wiring", but I'm having a hard time trying to find the angled plugs. The liquid rubber was one thought I'd had, but you're still left with the old angled plugs. bonbors, did you keep your angled plugs, or change them to straight plugs? My concern with straight plugs was the lack of depth behind the dash. Heat shrink tubing was the other thought, but again, the angled plugs thought came back and how would you heat shrink tubing around them? Thanks, Jarrell

 

[baronbors]

bonbors, did you keep your angled plugs, or change them to straight plugs?

It's Baron Bors- BARON BORS not bonbors. If you knew how many years of bruises and sore muscles it took to get that title along with having to beat the crap out of a bunch of 18 year old martial arts student on steroids, you'd understand why I am sensitive about getting the name right. Medieval fighting is the best thing in the world to keep the old 59 year old ticker going strong.
I bent the new slip on connectors into a right angle after soldering the new wire in. Then put a the new female connector into a male ( sounds kinda kinky) , dipped the whole thing into the liquid rubber. Let it set up, ran a razor blade where the male and female connected and then separated them. worked perfect every time and it took a bunch of time to make them

 

[Future AIrman]

Yeah I'm doing the same thing right now. Most of the wireing is fine but tubing some of it up will really help declutter. Also looking into rigging up some brighter guage lights. Anyway the dash is currently under my bed... I figured I needed to sleep on it.

 

[soybean (R.I.P.)]

Baronbors, I'm sorry about the misspelling of your name. My typing is not very good at the best. Your idea sounds very good though, and solved the question that was in my other thought of how to keep the liquid rubber out of the inside of the female end, (that sounds bad too) Sorry again, ,but thanks for the info.

Future AIrman, I've been trying to figure out whether some type of LEDs would work. Jarrell