GENERAL DISCUSSION: DASHBOARD POINTERS ASSEMBLY

[ELAB014]

Hi mates,

None and again after I make a job in a dashboard I have some problems with the pointers.
I use to put them back in the dash and mostly of the times I can switch on in bench.
Then, I put the pointers in the initial position.

The problem is that in some times when the dash is back on cars some pointers are not in the propper position.

How could I do to put the pointers properly in bench???

THX TO ALL EVERY INFO WILL BE HELPFULL :burnout::burnout::burnout:

[88diablo]

Gently turn needles anticlockwise to the stopper position and then photograph before removal then you have reference point for when you put them back on. If they are tricky ones I put small drop of vasselene on shaft before putting needle back to aid positioning. I also take photo of needles in car with ignition off, on and car running with new ones ive not seen before removing cluster.

[Rerouter]

These are 4 different movements i am immediatly aware of,
1. Sin/Cos coil with end stops
2. Sin/Cos coil with no stops
3. Stepper motor that self zero's
4. Servo motor movement

The main ones to watch out for are the coil with no mechanical zero stop in the movement, the only way to get these right is to twist them past end of range while powered and see where they sit, generally its about 15 degrees past the end stop, but that will give you the right idea where it needs to be,

other clusters where you have the pinouts noted, if you know say its 33Hz at 60km an hour for the speedo, you can feed in your signal and place the pointer where it should read, this generally also corrects the manufacturers offset,

similar to 88 diablo, if I'm not confident on a cluster i will note in some way how to reposition the pointer when i am done. a photo costs you almost nothing, and you dont want a customer running out of fuel because you set the pointer too high.

[claudio35]

As in the photo, pencil and paper

[Apolo29]

As in the photo, pencil and paper

I do it just like Claudio except with Sin/Cos coil with no stops instruments, in which i connect them in the bench or in the car and then i put needles to cero

[ELAB014]

In some pointers like water temp or fuel level, once I remove the pointer, It losses its position
A mate told me that he removes a bit the pointer to pass the dead end and let it moves. Later he marks like claudio said.
In speedo and rev i put back same than removed before, and for now works fine enough

[claudio35]

eg old nissan, passing the needle over the top, pencil and paper when you stop moving the needle, mark