How to: Mountaineer Cluster installed - Pics, problems, fixes, walk-thru WARNING! 35 pics!

[Uafan]

Wow, great write up. Thanks!

 

[XtremeRanger]

Thanks guys!

 

[Tylers02]

Im bumping this thread because I just ordered a mounty instrument cluster but after looking at the pics a little closer I realized the gear selector had been removed. Im hopeing the one from my ex will work with the mounty gauges but I dont want to tear my dash apart to find out it wont work. I know the needles will be a tad diff. but im not too worried about it as you can hardely see it, as long as its not a huge differance. Anyone know if it will work or should I just go ahead and order a gear slector for a mounty.

 

[XtremeRanger]

I just got ur PM, they are the same for both...itll work fine...

 

[Tylers02]

Sweet thankyou man I appreciate it, and thanks again for this write up.

 

[Tylers02]

There is no mountaineer with 4WD high and low they were all AWD or 2WD so there is no chance to get one with the correct dummy lights. I am going to try the swap into my explorer and just have to remember that AWD lock is really 4 wheel high and if I am towing with 4 LO i just have to remember to switch it out. Does anyone know if when you turn the explorer off does it revert back to 4 auto or does it have a memory setting with the 4 wheel drive system.

I just got the mounty guages and to my surprise the one I got has 4x4 high and 4x4 low. I dont know what the deal is on it as like everyone else stated there is no mounty with 4x4. It came out of an 02 with the message center and the part number on the back is 1L2F-10A855-AC

 

[rocket2ya]

i have an extra set of mounty gauges if anyone is interested PM me for details.

 

[tonydp]

are these not avaliable in KPH?

 

[XtremeRanger]

I just re-red my write up...i must say i did i great job..lol

 

[Jaysin2719]

I love the silver cluster. Is there a catch for swapping? Like I have an 04 X would I need an 04 Mounty as well or how does that work. I had some Euro gauges in my old ricer and while they looked bad ass, they royally messed up my dials. Gas gauge was off, speedometer and tach were fine as I could calibrate them electronically through the built in computer...fyi driving down the highway with the cruise set at 65 while trying to pin the needle on was SUPER fun. So while I would like to change the look of my cluster, I would rather NOT go with the overlay style again

 

[jdmcb3si]

This looks like something Id be interested in doing to give the dash a little more appeal. Anyone figure out whether any of the mounty clusters had the correct dummy lights so all id have to swap out is the message centers (03 XLT)?

 

[BigRondo]

I just re-red my write up...i must say i did i great job..lol

You're right, you did. I fixed my LED Display today and used your write up for removing the instrument panel. Thank you sir.

 

[tecraptor]

Sorry to bump this. I've re-read it almost ten times now. Did you have to re-calibrate the needles? Or did you leave the needles on and just swapped out the circuit boards and LCD readouts?

Thanks!

 

[JoeyNoodles]

Just swap the board and the led display.

 

[chitown1211]

GREAT write up and I hope you dont take offense to what I am about to post.

On ebay right now someone is selling actual white face gauge overlays for the stock 3rd gen clusters. First time I have ever seen them. I think the mounty swap would look better, but overlays seems much easier. And the biggest bonus is keeping all your lights functional.

Only downfall I see is the gauge needles. They would have to be painted or swapped to create a better contrast.

I didnt post the link because I dont want anyone to think I work for these people. Just passing on info.

 

[Got2bneo]

Does anyone know if i will have to do anything special if i buy a used instrument cluster for a manual transmission from an automatic?

 

[nygbrad]

Does anyone know if it matters if the Mountaineer is a 2WD or 4WD? I'm thinking about doing this and want to be sure before I pick one up. I have an 2WD 05 Ex with the message center.

 

[Kazer]

Are there any gauge lights on the left of your cluster where the 4 hi and 4 low lights would be on a 4wd? If so those lights would illuminate the 4wd symbols instead of their usual function. If there's nothing there then you shouldnt have a problem

 

[nygbrad]

I don't have a cluster yet but you have a good point to just remove the bulbs. I don't know why I put the 2wd vs 4wd question because what I was really wondering was will a V8 cluster work with a V6 vehicle?

 

[Kazer]

To my knowledge, that shouldn't matter at all because your really only using the dummy parts of the gauges, the circuit board and message center will still be from your v6. I can't confirm this but I've had two mounty clusters in my ex and idk if they were from v6 or v8 models but both worked