Taking apart guage cluster

[Guest]

Hey hade my guages off on my 83 1100 E ,so i'm trying to get apart to check the lights and clean the inside of the glass on speedo and tach. The small guages came apart but how do you get speedo and tach apart to clean the inside glass? If they do come apart what would you recommend to clean the glass with? Also how do you get the rubber light sockets out with out ruining them? Thanks

[Big T]

Somewhere on the site is a guide to prying the gauges apart

Sorry, I don't know where it is

You slowly pry that crimped rim off

[Road Rash]

Just did this. Wrapped the bezel a couple passes with electrical tape, then tightened a hose clamp over the tape (not too tight, though). This helps the bezel maintain it's shape. Now, using your tool of choice (small flathead screwdriver with blade bent seems to work well), slowly pry up the rear lip, working your way around the entire lip. Afterward, to even out your pry job, you can go back with a pair of needlenose pliers with the jaws wrapped in tape, to help minimize marring. The bezel and glass face should then separate from the gauge, allowing you to do what you need to do.

Hope this helps.

[Mad GS 750 E]

Thanks for the advice guys .My guages off a 83 1100 e and the bezel is plastic i really dont want to be prying much afraid to break it .has anybody done these guages with the plastic bezel? i'll try searching again. Thanks

[Road Rash]

An alternative method is to chuck a dremel cutoff wheel in a drill press, applying light pressure and going all the way around the plastic gauge body, cutting it open. Go slow and it should leave a smoothe cut with minimal material removed. Afterward, apply light amount of 5 minute epoxy to the surfaces and hold with electrical tape till cured.

[Agemax]

Thanks for the advice guys .My guages off a 83 1100 e and the bezel is plastic i really dont want to be prying much afraid to break it .has anybody done these guages with the plastic bezel? i'll try searching again. Thanks

they ALL have plastic bezels as far as i know. its not as hard as it sounds. just pry it gently all the way around until it pops off. much easier to refit afterwards again, by just crimping it all the way round.

to remove it i used a bottle top opener on my swiss army knife to gently pry it open. took about 10 minutes.....

[Mad GS 750 E]

Thanks to your advice i got my guages apart .Now that i have them apart my next question is are the lens made of glass or plastic? and what should i clean them with that wont harm them if they are plastic? got this far dont want to mess up now. Thanks again

[Steve]

Can't say for absolute certainty, but I think they are plastic.

To clean, I would use some wax and a microfiber cloth.

Be very sparing with the wax, you don't want to see where you missed a spot.

.

[chuck hahn]

Dish soap and a good water rinsing will clean both glass and plastic and cause no harm

[Mad GS 750 E]

Hey putting my guages back together and i'm wondering what u used to crimp the lens cover back on with? I pushed down in spots with a small screwdriver and tap it down all around it seams to be on pretty good but don't want to find out after i ride the bike that its not and it vibrates loose. Thanks for all the help.

[Road Rash]

That's what I did. Just went all the way around with a flatblade and pressed it back down, rolling it slightly to ensure a tight fit. Took a while and I had to re-shoot the ring once I was done, but it's on there and I'm confident it's not coming off.
Anybody, by chance, know where we can buy new rings? If I ever have to take her back apart, I'd have to imagine I'll have to replace the trim ring. Unbending and rebending is probably a one shot deal.