F600 panel questions

[69rangerman]

I purchased a panel with instruments last year but never got around to installing it. Here's my questions:

1. How do I go about bench testing this before installing? I have acess to a 12volt converter would that help?

Thanks for any help

[Dragon]

Yes that will help. Do you have the 600 dash wiring diagram?

[69rangerman]

No, I sure don't. I'm thick as a brick when it comes to electrical, so I'd be looking for a step by step on how to test everything.

I appreciate ANY help though.

Thanks

[fordman]

that cluster should pretty much plug rigth into your old harness. i think. i seem to hear abotu a wire that needs to be moved but then others say no wires have to be moved. i would just plug it in to your old wiring and start the truck and see which guages work and which ones don't

[Dragon]

If it is not a straight in swap I would worry about a Hot being tied to a ground and boom a short. The manuals just say unplug and plug back in but nothing about swapping between groups.

[69rangerman]

I'll get to it this week. I know the oil pressure won't work because I installed a mechanical underdash when I started up the rebuild. I know with a couple of fittings I can hook it up in addition though - still have the sender unit.

This is going to sound goofy but I bought the f600 panel because I messed up the woodgrain on my old ranger panel (it was pretty wore out anyway) and did a bad job painting it. I'm in the process of spiffing up the interior (new door panels, arm rests, headliner and some paint touch up) and either want a nice-ish f600 panel, or a new ranger panel.

Either way I'll plug it in and test it - at least I'll know if it works.

My f600 panel also has a toggle installed marked "lights" in one of the small left hand holes.

If you think of more "need to knows" - please let me know.

Thanks

[fordman]

sorry this is a modification so a manual wont say anything about it. i think it has to do with a purple wire. someone who has done this wap needs to stop by and give the correct info. its not going to be a hot to a ground.

[Thunderfoot]

Rangerman,

If you can take a picture of the back of the F600 panel you got so I can see the connector, there are a couple different types... The one I used for my Highboy was out of a newer truck that used the printed circuit board style connector and had to make an adaptor. The colors of the wires matched up though so it was pretty easy... but I might be able to help you with some of this.

[69rangerman]

Thanks Thunderfoot,

I'll snap a pic tonight and post later.

[69rangerman]

I found some old photos of the back of the cluster in the truck and compared wire colors. They all seem to match - though I can't quite make out the bulb wire colors.

Here's a photo of the f600 cluster and harness cut end.





Thanks again

[fordman]

the blue with red stripe is dash lights

[69rangerman]

Thanks fordman - I was wondering about the 2 blue/reds.

[69rangerman]

How do you get a tach and clock into the 2 large circles? Do you cut out those areas? How?

I always see finished pictures but I don't thing I've seen or read how this is done?

[Thunderfoot]

That one you have should just plug right in to your 69 wire harness

The ones that have the tach and/or vacuum gauge in them, they cut out the panel and mount them in. I'm sure that when it was done at the factory they had a nice big punch to cut it out with.

[Lar4t9r]

How do you get a tach and clock into the 2 large circles? Do you cut out those areas? How?

I always see finished pictures but I don't thing I've seen or read how this is done?

I cut a metal dash a few years ago with a metal cutting hole saw, I think it was used for cutting door knob holes in metal doors. It was in with a bunch of tools my dad left me, he passed, so I don't know where it was purchased. Maybe try Harbor Freight, Lowes, Home depot to start with to see if you can get the size you need for the tach and clock. Maybe someone else knows where you can get this. It worked great for me because, it was the right diameter for the gauges I put in.