Anyone successful with removing the tach and speedo with a full face dash cap in place? I need to remove the speedo to repair or replace. How about removing from the back instead of the front?

No, and no.

 

Sorry.

i've read posts where a thin strip of plastic or metal is slipped in between the speedo surround and the cap, as a ramp to get the speedo to pull through from the front, essentially stretching the dash cap rim a little to pop the gauges out. never tried it myself, but it sounds possible...

I have a feeling this is going to be a nightmare!

i found the post on hybridz:

 

"Find a thin piece of flexible plastic (coffee can or margarine lid), cut it in to strips about 2" wide and use them as ramps to get the gauge edge past the lip of the dash cap. Lubricate things with some soapy water and you might be able to get them out. Once the edge of the gauge is past the lip it will slide out pretty easily."

 

just a cut/paste from another forum, so no personal experience w/this but it's worth a try...

Awesome! I have plenty of coffee cans with the plastic lids. I will give this a shot hopefully within the next few days.

Mylar transparency sheet might work even better.  Thinner.

I second the mylar transparency suggestion. You should be able to find something at the craft store. I wouldn't cut it into strips though. I would try to find a sheet large enough such that you could wrap the whole thing into a full cone shape and stuff it down into the speedo hole to use as your ramp. This approach hasn't worked for me in the past, but it's been so long that I don't remember why. YMMV.

 

And as for pulling the speedo out through the back... It's a hard "No". Doesn't come out that way.

 

 

 

 

I will try a couple things and post what was successful or not for that matter. Thanks guys!

a heat gun to soften up the dash cap would seem to make sense - maybe make a little tinfoil heat shield for the speedo face to avoid cracking or damaging the lens.

 

i think if you get the cap edges softened up and manage to get over the initial lip/sharp edge you'll be home free. maybe get a sharp razor knife and very carefully scrape/trim down the outer edge/sharp lip of the cap to help you get up over it.

 

another approach might be some thin metal sheet - they sell very thin brass sheet at my local ace hardware, i've used it for little craft projects for my kids.   

 

i'm curious as to your success - i've got a cap on mine and at some point may need to do the same...

FWIW, in the long run I found it easier to just pull the dash. That isn't easy, but the benefits outweigh the cost in bruises and skinned knuckles. While you've got it out it's a fine time to clean up the gauges, change out the dash lights for brighter ones, check all your wiring for damage, and replace those old leaky heater hoses including, for you 260/280 owners, the rotted vacuum lines to the a/c. Just be sure to tag all the electrical and hose connections and take a bunch of pics for when it comes time to put everything back. Pull the seats, center console, shift lever, and steering wheel. Lay a padded furniture blanket down and go for it. I found it much less frustrating, and you are less likely to damage the dash or instruments. Also you will really know your Zed inside and out. Took me a half day to remove the first time, about 2 hrs the second time.

 

Cheers, Mike

Pulling the dash is out of the question. Seems like too much work to me. Iv'e opened too many "cans of worms" in the past with this car if you catch my drift. Before I installed the cap I did some of the things you mentioned Mike. So I'm good for now. I do how ever want to pull it someday to have it recovered so......

 

 

I almost damaged my cap using too high a heat setting on my heat gun while installing it. Will probably not do that again. Or if I do it wont be with a heat gun but rather a good hair dryer. 

Edited April 5, 20159 yr by rcb280z

I had to do this once in the shop to remove a Tachometer.  Not easy but I was eventually successful.  I ended up using a plastic sign (placard) like the ones you get from uLine - "Customers Not Allowed in Work Area" - "No Smoking", etc.  If the material you use is too thin, the edge of the gauge won't ride up over the edge of the dash cap.  The material needs to be thin enough to fit between the stock dash and gauge, strong enough not collapse as the gauge nears the edge of the cap.  Plus, it was long enough to go "full circle" around the hole. 

 

You'll still need a thin, relatively narrow, non-marring tool to help coax the edge of the gauge to come completely through the hole by running it around the edge as you work the gauge out.  You'll have to tilt the gauge a little and get part of the edge into the cap, then go around the circle and coax the rest of it.  (I'd get it out a ways, and then lose the opposite edge)  It'll take time and patience and steady pressure on the back of the gauge.  Hair dryer is probably a much better option than a heat gun in this case.  Honestly, I never want to do that again - but at least I know it's possible...

Edited April 5, 20159 yr by cgsheen1