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R Gauge Install...(photo intensive)

18405 Views 51 Replies 16 Participants Last post by  Mika
20
Once I realized that the R cluster (from a 2004) won't function in the T5 (2001), I wasn't going to waste a perfectly good cluster. Last night I decided that I was going to swap out the parts from the R cluster into the T5 and see what happens. From what I know, the only other person to do this was S60Evolve from Sweden. This install is not complete but the majority of the work is done. I still need to change out the LED's from the yellowish colored ones to brighter white ones, or possible blue. I have not decided yet. On to the pics and descriptions!
http://********************/smile/emthup.gif

1) A side by side comparison of the clusters.



2) The outer bezel and plastic cover are all held by clips around the cluster. Just use a screwdriver to carefully pry them loose.



3) Once the shrouds are removed, this is what the clusters look like inside. Still look pretty much the same.



4) In order to remove the gauge faces, the needles need to be taken off. Be careful with this step as the guage face itself can be scratched by whatever tool you use. I chose a fork.




5) With the needles off, 2 screws hold the face of the gauge on. When removed, the faces can be removed from the cluster.



6) When the front of the face is removed this is the piece behind it (T5 shown). The center part that looks like an orange square is wrapped in extremely thin copper wire.



7) These are the R gauge faces installed in the T5 cluster.



8) This part of the R shroud needs to be cut away before clipping it back into the T5 cluster. I broke a clip trying to get it to fit before I realized that this piece was keeping the two from fitting together flushly.
On the R cluster, this just acts as a channel for the upper lighting wires.



9) With the shroud installed.



10) With the plastic shield installed.



11) The lights on top of the cluster. I have yet to figure out how to power these, which is where I need someones help that is good with wiring.



12) This is the connector that comes off of the lights. I am assuming it just needs a 12 V power source but I am unsure of what I need to do to ground it or if any relays will be needed.



13) This is when I first reinstalled the cluster and tested the lights. Everything works, but the lights are more of a yellowish than white. Due to the nature of the bulbs, there is a HUGE bright spot in the cluster and I am unsure of how to remedy that without major work. I think once I get the front illumination working it will not show as bad as it is right now. S60Evolve had the same issue, except he used blue LED's instead of white. I am unsure of which ones I will try.



14) The needles need to be adjusted. WHen I was driving they weren't reading quite right, so I think I may have pushed them down a little too far. I will check it out when I take it apart again this weekend.



15) Quick day shot I just took while at work...kind of dark but they look nice.



16) Just a quick shot while I was out there of the aluminum mesh door blades that I put in last week.



So this is where I stand right now. I am going to order some bulbs today to replace the stock lighting. I need help with the wiring of the top lights if anyone has any experience with wiring and can help me out, I would be very grateful. So comment/criticize/flame away. Thanks for checking this out! http://********************/smile/emthup.gif

-Adam

Modified by S60Driven at 8:37 AM 7-12-2006
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I changed my LED readout lights to blue, as well as swap my gauges for the r guages. They are led bulbs that can be accessed from the back. Easy to change. Once the whole cluster is removed they are the bulbs along the bottom
Re: (S60 t5er)

I'm also interested in replacing the dim bulbs in my instrument cluster with LED especially living down in FL where the intensity of the sun tends to wash out the dash light. Can any of you please share how to disassemble the console to assess the instrument cluster. Thanks in advance!
Re: (volvofla)

I am want to do this swap in my 04 V70 T5-M. Should work the same way, correct? The pictures aren't showing up for me; are they "expired" or is there a way to get them back?
Re: (855turbo95)

As an update to anyone looking to do this install, I apologize but the site hosting the pictures (hostdub.com) went down about a year and a half ago and the admin for the site just up and vanished. Thousands of peoples images were lost with supposedly no back up being offered. Unfortunately for me, shortly before this happened I had a hard drive failure on the computer that had all the images and they too were lost.

I no longer have the T5 otherwise I would just take new images but if anyone is trying to do this install, feel free to PM me or send me email and I will do my best to walk you through it.

-Adam
Re: (855turbo95)

The 04 is a little different, in that it has LED lighting instead of the bulbs. The rings and faces still fit the same way without any issues though.

How I did it.
-Removed cluster from car.
-Removed clear cover and grey face plate cover.
-Removed old dial faces and needles.
-Installed blue dial faces and needles.
-Trimmed plastic in bottom center where the triangular riser is (reduced the height approximately 5 - 6 mm using a pair of wire clippers).
-Replaced the grey outer cover (minus the 04 crome rings).
-Placed R shroud with LED top lighting onto cluster (soldered a power wire to the back 1st)
-Reinstalled cluster in car.
-Checked needle accuracy
-Replaced clear plastic cover (dust shield)
-Connected power wire to accessory power (I wired the LED top lights to a rheostat to be able to dim them).
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Re: (ss60)

Thanks for the write up ss60,

I'll follow these instructions, but I am unclear as to why the entire cluster can't just be switched out. Why isn't it just a simple "unplug old then plug in new"? Thanks
Re: (855turbo95)

The cluster can't be swapped because it's one of those stupid CAN bus computers (DIM) that just don't like to be swapped. The R-cluster is different enough that it can't even be programmed to work with the '01-'04 non-R models. If you just swap the cluster it just wont show any signs of life.
Re: (Mika)

Quote, originally posted by Mika »
The cluster can't be swapped because it's one of those stupid CAN bus computers (DIM) that just don't like to be swapped. The R-cluster is different enough that it can't even be programmed to work with the '01-'04 non-R models. If you just swap the cluster it just wont show any signs of life.

But you can swap the dials and needles onto your existing cluster, and it looks the same cosmetically (which is what is described in my previous post and by the OP)
Re: (ss60)

Quote, originally posted by ss60 »


But you can swap the dials and needles onto your existing cluster, and it looks the same cosmetically (which is what is described in my previous post and by the OP)

Right... Which I also mentioned having done a few posts above in this thread...
Re: (Mika)

Mika, I looked on your mods website and read the post about the gauges in your car. Did you wire up the front upper LEDs or are you running the S60R faces w/ just backlighting? Thanks.
Re: (855turbo95)

I wired it up like shown in this thread. You gotta have the front light with these faces.
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