Instrument Cluster Needles

[Cormanus]

Can anybody tell me how to remove the needles from the instruments so I can fully open the inside of the panel?

[Randy B]

Something like this tool.

https://www.amazon.com/Electronix-Chevro...569&sr=8-3

[pdedse]

Something like this tool.

https://www.amazon.com/Electronix-Chevro...569&sr=8-3

I could have used one of those a number of years ago. The needle on my KLR650 warped at the tip and curved to the speedo surface--to such a degree that it no longer moved because it was making contact.  I couldn't figure out how to get it off to see about a replacement, so I just cut the last 3/4" off.

[peterbaron]

I've never done this job, hope this link will be sufficient:

https://www.google.com/search?q=how+to+s...e&ie=UTF-8

[Cormanus]

You're a wonderful lot. Thanks for the help.

I wimped out in the end. With my ham-fistedness, there's at least an even chance that the operation would end in tears, and I was spooked by the recent discussion elsewhere on the forum about the rarity and awful cost of new instrument clusters. As I was able to find another way through, I decided not to take the risk.

The back story? Riding along the other day, I looked down and saw an ant on the instrument cluster. No, actually that wasn't right. It, and a good few of its mates, were IN the instrument cluster. I'm pretty sure they haven't been there long and I had parked the bike for a day with the left mirror touching a shrub at a house where the owners had been having trouble with ants. I kept an eye on it while I was away and one time at lest thought they'd gone. But, no, they were hiding. So, when I got home, I pulled the back off the instrument cover and found ...







Most of the cluster was easy to clean, but I couldn't get the circuit board off the panel without removing the needles. In the end, I loosened it enough to get a compressed air needle valve in and gave it a good blow out. I then left it sitting next to a bait (thanks rdprdp01) until I was satisfied there were no more ants in there.

I was very relieved when I reinstalled it, turned on the ignition and the neeedles swept normally around the dials.

I'd still like to know when they got in there. I've been on the bike a lot these past days and I didn't see them until 7 or eight days into it.

[pdedse]

I've heard of "ants in your pants" but in your harness, in your cluster? Just doesn't have the same ring to it.

[Gone in 60]

Wow, that is very unusual! Never saw anything like that.

[1973cb750]

pulling the gauges appart is a chore how or where where they getting in at? i had a mouse in my bike the other week he ate my charge cable ! got him with a trap same day

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pulling the gauges appart is a chore how or where where they getting in at? i had a mouse in my bike the other week he ate my charge cable ! got him with a trap same day

also i have repaired quite a few honda gauges and done smd led swaps where you have to de solder and solder new leds in cbr's and other bikes the needles arent bad to remove i typically use two spoons and equally press the needle out the trick when re installing them is to return them to the 0 position by turning them to the click spot and making the needle at 0

[pdedse]

[quote pid="272814" dateline="1770128374"]
...the trick when re installing them is to return them to the 0 position by turning them to the click spot and making the needle at 0

[/quote]
This little tidbit could be invaluable for someone.  Had it been me, I would likely have forced the needle on at whatever position, expecting it to automatically reset to zero.  

I can't count the number of times I read something like the above--on this forum and others--where someone casually mentions a tip, and then at some point I come across the very thing that was mentioned.

[1973cb750]

needle tips