View Full Version : Went to local shop...bad news!
redrider07
03-30-2007, 09:21 PM
Ok, I wanted to put on white face dials over my stock ones...ordered some of ebay. Took them to my local shop, the guy said he HIGHLY recommends against doing it. He said he is around it all the time, and "If of you even think about the needles breaking...they break", in his words.
He said another problem is sometimes the needles will catch, because the surface is now raised higher with the new overlays.
So...basically 120 bucks minimum to do it....with major risks! :(
adam337
03-30-2007, 09:29 PM
...no. your buddy and the shop is a fucking retard. you DO need to be careful with the needles. make sure they dont get stuck. or push them where they dont belong (empty gas tank to FULL for example) the needles breaking wont happen if youre actually careful. i just had mine open today for a different reason.. (replaced the bulbs) but yeah. its easy youll need a metric driver and thats it..
alerored04
03-30-2007, 10:23 PM
thats why you do things yourself, dont listen to half the stuff shop people tell you about stuff like this. All they see is the worst of stuff that other people break, they never see the ones that work fine. They are all prejudiced against anything aftermarket. Do it yourself, its easy, save money, and learn something too.
Satsuriku
03-30-2007, 10:53 PM
the only reason they dont hear about the ones that work is b/c the people DO do it themselves
chances are they were payed to do it b4 and THEY fucked it up so now since they apparently cant do it, its not a good idea..........screw him man! do it yourself, trust me, the feeling of getting something done yourself when it comes to car modding is a damn good feeling!!!! hence why car modding is addicting :)
redrider07
03-30-2007, 11:27 PM
I really want this mod done, so I might just do it myself. The other thing that worries me is mounting the invertor, so i will have to drill somewhere and connect the wires?
I will have to think about this for a while!
The shop guy also claimed I need special tools to remove the needels, which I think it bullshit!
***One thing I have thought of....I could buy a used Alero cluser out of a parts car or on ebay, and just place the dials on that...remove my cluser, clip the other one in***? Miles would probablly be different though?
jayson_waltz
03-30-2007, 11:45 PM
miles would be off w\ a new cluster. do it yourself, don't worry about breaking the needles, it should be pretty easy. the shop was overcharging anyway.
bratch15
03-30-2007, 11:46 PM
You wont have to drill anything depending on the inverter. When I installed mine, there was a gap in the front right of the dash where I took my cluster out, and it fit really nice in there. I have had mine on since last summer and I have had no problems. Most likely your needles will get stuck, so make sure you put lots of donut tape on the back of the gauges so they dont move, and pull the needles out a little bit so it has plenty of clearance. I just pulled every gauge out a little bit and they dont stick at all.
bratch15
03-30-2007, 11:49 PM
I just ran the color inverter out through the steering wheel cover and mounted the inverter with double side tape right underneath the steering wheel. You just have to figure out which color wire to cut to wire the gauges up to your night time lights. I don't remember which color but I'm sure someone on here remembers.
doubleN0alero
03-31-2007, 12:03 AM
Yeah, I've installed several sets of these things, just use some run of the mill scotch 2 sided tape and just slide the new gauges over the needles..you dont need to remove the needles. I did it once, the other sets, I never removed them and no problems. You'll just need to turn your car on and off several times to line everything up, that was the biggest pain.
Ghadsphi
03-31-2007, 03:03 AM
Toughest part for me was hooking up the wires, but that's just cuz I suck at soldering and had a crappy soldering iron. You don't need to worry about moving the needles around, just don't pull them off. Set them all back to 0 (since that's where they are when the car's off). I just threw one of those doublesided sticky squares on the inverter and slapped it up inside the center console area behind all the HVAC stuff.
Lining up the gauges wasn't too hard just slap some doublesided tape (There is an inherent design flaw in doublesided tape) on the back of the gauges, slide them over and leave them loose, plug in the gauge cluster and turn the key to on, line up the idiot lights, press it down nice and firm, and TADA!
doubleN0alero
03-31-2007, 10:06 AM
Dang man...ever heard of a wire tap? No need to solder anything. It just cliips onto the wires at the cubbly light and it clips onto the wire for the guages...piece of cake.
bratch15
04-04-2007, 04:41 PM
im still into the good old fashion electrical tape...works wonders with many things
billytheman1188
04-04-2007, 05:05 PM
lmao, damn. Just put them in yourself, its easy as hell.
And you said the guy said "sometimes they catch cause the surface is higher", well yes its true, it happened to me. You know what i did???
I pulled apart the assembly, and taped the gauges down. problem solved.
I really want this mod done, so I might just do it myself. The other thing that worries me is mounting the invertor, so i will have to drill somewhere and connect the wires?
I will have to think about this for a while!
The shop guy also claimed I need special tools to remove the needels, which I think it bullshit!
***One thing I have thought of....I could buy a used Alero cluser out of a parts car or on ebay, and just place the dials on that...remove my cluser, clip the other one in***? Miles would probablly be different though?
miles would be off w\ a new cluster. do it yourself, don't worry about breaking the needles, it should be pretty easy. the shop was overcharging anyway.
Why would the miles be off on a different cluster?
Mine were digital...are yours rotational?
troyertrain
04-04-2007, 06:39 PM
^^^ i think all aleros are digital, but isnt the mileage information stored in the cluster itself???
alerocar01
04-04-2007, 06:45 PM
^^^ i think thats right
strtrydr
04-04-2007, 08:30 PM
no ... the mileage is stored in the BCM ... there was a post about that yesterday.
p1mptress
04-04-2007, 09:00 PM
I installed my guages myself with no problems. And that was the first time i ever took apart my cluster. Very easy!! If i can do it anyone can who has an IQ higher than britney spears.
oh i thought yours was lower then hers...
Satsuriku
04-04-2007, 10:06 PM
oh i thought yours was lower then hers...
dude not nice!!!
was a nice burn though lol sorry kimmy :p
redrider07
04-04-2007, 11:08 PM
no ... the mileage is stored in the BCM ... there was a post about that yesterday.
According to a seller on ebay, the mileage is only stored in the cluster??
So, would I have to contact GM to know for sure?
was a nice burn though lol sorry kimmy :p
;o :ninja:
p1mptress
04-04-2007, 11:47 PM
oh i thought yours was lower then hers...
You know your parents are going to get mad if they catch you on here so late at night. :p
yea little kiddies like me and billy
Satsuriku
04-05-2007, 12:44 AM
yea little kiddies like me and billy
ya but if i remember right, billy's a window licker so he dont count as a kiddie.......special kiddie maybe, but still a window licker lol
adam337
04-05-2007, 12:48 AM
yea little kiddies like me and billy
im 15..am i considered a Kiddie?
antichrysler
04-05-2007, 01:30 AM
im 15..am i considered a Kiddie?
yes... i might even have to set you up with my sister lol
strtrydr
04-05-2007, 07:09 PM
According to a seller on ebay, the mileage is only stored in the cluster??
So, would I have to contact GM to know for sure?
Since when do you believe anything on eBay? Most of those people don't have a damn clue about anything they are selling.
adam337
04-05-2007, 07:14 PM
yes... i might even have to set you up with my sister lol
how old's your sister? ;)
how old's your sister? ;)
hey i want dibs!!!1!
billytheman1188
04-05-2007, 07:30 PM
dude, dont go to that mechanic again, hes a re-re just like me, beleive me i know them when i see them OR hear about them;)
fucking people cant put damn gauge overlays in??? too risky, omgggg there are too many people trying to be like me these days:(
nah but seriously, just put them in yourself, ive never heard of people bringing in their car to get gauges put in? lol, not being a dick, just saying ITS VERYYYYY EASY, just tape em down so they dont mess with the needles
antichrysler
04-05-2007, 07:40 PM
hey i want dibs!!!1!
lol pervs.... she's 17
adam337
04-05-2007, 07:41 PM
Pics and or Video clips.
Ghadsphi
04-06-2007, 02:36 AM
lol pervs.... she's 17
Gives us less than a year to get her ready then:coolio:
hey whats that mean im 18, age is just a number :scpimp:
Naich
04-06-2007, 07:42 AM
According to a seller on ebay, the mileage is only stored in the cluster??
So, would I have to contact GM to know for sure?
You believe an ebay seller?
GM would never make the miliage stored in the cluster. It would be too easy for ppl to just swap the cluster and say their car has lower miliage.
You believe an ebay seller?
GM would never make the miliage stored in the cluster. It would be too easy for ppl to just swap the cluster and say their car has lower miliage.
Thats what I was thinking. I was trying to figure out why any car manufacturer would want their car easily hacked.
If you do know of one then let me know so I can turn it in for trade with 500 miles on it after 4 years haha:lol:
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