Factory looking Tach install in 96 4cyl Tacoma

Hi all

I'm new with pics of my recent tachometer installation. Just thought of doing so because a factory tach for a 1996 4cyl Tacoma is hard to come by in my experience.

I got the instument cluster from a '96 2.7L 4 Runner. Yes, I said 4 Runner. I could'a installed just about any aftermarket tach with ease but I wanted a factory look. I had to use a 4 Runner because I couldn't find a cluster from a Tacoma of the same year as my truck on Ebay that had a tach for a 2.7L.

FirstI swapped my original cable speedometer in to the 4 Runner cluster that had a electronic speedo. Then I removed the upper mounting tabs from my Tacoma cluster to the 4 runner cluster. Finally I rewired all of the relavent circuts for my truck.

Oh yea. I found some chrome Toyota stickers to cover up the trip counter and reset hole. Also, I plastic welded the the Tacoma clear face to the 4 Runner cluster that originally had a hole for the trip reset button.

 

Good job man very clean

 

Nice job! Were the electrical harness hook ups the same?
Also, the speedometer swap, was the pretty easy, looks like you just had to cut out the hole a little bigger? I have wanted to do this to my 96 2.7, looks like it will be worth it.

 

The harnesses are the same but most the pins were in a differnet location. I think only the grounds were the same.

For the speedo, I cut out the hole for the cable drive. Drilled 2 holes for the mounting and 2 holes for the sensor thats inside the speedo. There was some grinding so that the face of the speedo sits down squarely on the locators. Dont screw the speedo down too tight so not warp the speedo itself otherwise you can make a pad the speedo sit on out of bondo. (If you use Bondo or even JB Weld make sure you grease up the back side of the speedo so it wont stick permanatley)

It was totally worth the effort. I've had my truck scince 1996 ...dont know why I didn't do this years ago.

The attached picture shows the holes that need be drilled for the non cable drive clusters.

 

Nice post! Does the speedo work/ read correctly? I've also had trouble coming up with a new cluster for my 96 and I've considered something like this

 

Very clean looking! most people wouldnt know it wasnt stock

 

I just did one no problem on a 96 that was a direct swap without modification. Just need to make sure you pull one from another truck with the same engine and tranny setup. I even swapped over my odometer tumbler so that the mileage was correct. But for the odometer tumbler swap you must check your state laws to see if it is legal. I am in California where the law only states that the correct mileage must be visible.

Here is one for an automatic 4cyl that will drop right in
http://www.ebay.com/itm/95-96-97-Toyota-Tacoma-A-T-Instrument-Gauge-Cluster-Tach-Speedo-196K-4cyl-/360854359957?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&fits=Year%3A1996|Model%3ATacoma&hash=item5404988f95&vxp=mtr

Here is one for a 5-speed V6
http://www.ebay.com/itm/95-96-97-To...1996|Model:Tacoma&hash=item4d0e4c143f&vxp=mtr

 

Im in California too. Mine still has the origonal odometer. I modded the electronic speedo cluster so I could install my original cable op speedo/odemeter.

The direct swap clusters are really hard to find. I would have gone that route but i couldnt find one.