How do you fix a shift indicator?

[Fraser Beatty]

I need to know how to get at and fix the little orange tab that indicates what you're in on the shift pattern with an automatic transmission. In my 83 C10 it just sits there over on the left, and doesn't move at all. I've never repaired one of these before, so can anyone tell me the basics of getting in there and fixing it? Is it a simple matter of the tab has come off the actual part that moves, or do I need a whole new assembly? Thanks for any help you can give.

[chevymotocross]

I'm curious as well, I actually broke my orange indicator trying to remove the instrument panel for a stereo installation. What I do know is, the instrument panel is removed (pretty straight-forward). There is a spring that attaches to the indicator and the steering column. Take a peak in there, usually the spring is broken or just not in the proper tabs. I'd like to get a new indicator but I don't think the little orange piece is sold separately. It's annoying when someone else gets in my truck and is like am I in overdrive, drive, or what lol.

[Fraser Beatty]

Well hopefully someone can chime in here and help us out. I need to get my indicator fixed so it can get through safety. That and the turn signals, electric choke, emergency brake, door locks...man i wish they would let the little things slide

[old Rusty C10]

there is a spring on it that you attach to the shifter part of the column and that moves the orange doohickey to tell ya what gear youre in i will look in the basement for mine and take pics of it if i remember

[Fraser Beatty]

Okay thanks that should help me along!

[old Rusty C10]

string i mean that has a clip i just reread my post

[Rooster's82]

Go to the junk yard and pull one out of another truck, you have to take the the gauge bezel off...and maybe a few other things. If all you are getting it that little orange piece they shouldn't charge you much. The beauty of getting one from the junk yard is you will learn exactly how to remove/replace it with out messing up your truck...just get in there and start taking stuff apart, by the time your done you will be an expert and will be able to install it in no time!

Good luck!

[Fraser Beatty]

I'll be lucky if I can find one in a junk yard...the two local junk yards are pretty small and lack variety. Plus around here there aren't too many old Chevy trucks left. With the current price of scrap there are fewer and fewer every day as more and more meet their death in the crusher.

[babyJay]

After you remove the guage bezel I think there are just two screws that hold that whole dohicky to the guage cluster. You shouldn't have to remove the whole instrument cluster if I remember correctly. There's a thin piano type wire attached to the orange piece and the other end to a clip that just clips onto the rotating part of your steering column. Not sure if any of the board venders sells them, but you can order on here ($35 plus ship.). http://www.lmctruck.com/ICATALOG/CC/full.aspx?Page=133

[smashingchuck]

i's a clip and a piece of string. Very easy to adjust.

[us111]

got one off ebay 4 mine for 5 bucks,once u get
bezel off you will see how it works,pretty simple
fix.

[Kixwy2]

Yup, it's a pretty easy fix. Mine didn't work either when I got the truck. Take the dash bezel off. There are two 1/4 inch nuts that hold the indicator on the dash. Take those off.

There should be a spring on the indicator that attaches to wire, that attaches to the steering column with a little clip. My steering column's cutout was busted and the clip was long gone.

I fabbed up a new wire with some picture hanging wire and drilled a 3/32 hole in the steering column plastic to run the wire through. Adjusted the tension, tied it off, and tested it. Works great.

While I had the bezel out I cleaned the plastic gauge cover with some scratch-x stuff. It took the yellow right out of the plastic and makes it much easier to see the gauges.

[Fraser Beatty]

Ok so I finally got around to taking the dash bezel off and checking out my problem. The two little wires that run from the orange indicator thing to the clip on the column snapped out of the little press fit holder on the clip. Problem is the holder is damaged so I can't just press em back in. Since I've got nothing to lose I was thinking I'd try to solder the wires to the clip. If that fails then I'll just get a new wire/clip assembly. Is soldering a good idea? Any other ideas on what to do?

[dswancutt]

If that doesn't work, go to your GM dealer and ask for part # 25016378 which is the part number for the cable assembly. It should be around $13.00. That way you don't have to screw with trying to fix the old one or one out of a junkyard. According to GM parts direct, the part is still available so don't let the idiot at the parts counter say he can't get it.

[thebrown83]

mine is broken on my 83 3/4 ton. One day while putting it in drive i heard a snap and then a little white plastic piece dropped out from under the dash and my indicator doesn't work now. My dad said it was part of the guage pannel that the wire runs around, and if we could not glue it up there we would have to get a whole new guage pannel. I have not taken anything apart yet to check out the problem though. does anyone know what i will have to replace if the plastic piece can't be glued back? has anyone had the same thing happen to theirs? i might be able to get a pic of the plastic piece if want to see what broke.

[Fraser Beatty]

If it is indeed just broken plastic and the plastic piece can't be glued back then you can just unhook the spring it is attached to on the left hand side, remove it, and get a new one. You wouldn't have to get a whole new guage panel.

[dswancutt]

To answer your question, yes you will at least need a good cluster. You can reuse you gauges. I am in the same boat, the part that guides the cable broke off. I have several instrument clusters so changing it is not a big deal. If you have the piece that broke off, you can glue it with a glue such as Tenex 7R or Ambroid pro weld. This is a glue used for plastic model and can be found at a hobby lobby or good hobby shop. It actually fuses the plastic together. I did this on one cluster, but have not checked to see how it worked.

[mark69]

I fixed mine with fishing line, spider wire to be exact, stolen from my fishing rod and it has been working for over a year.

[Fraser Beatty]

Well, I seemed to have fixed it...I managed to pry back the one good tab on the little press fit holder, insert the wires, and squeeze the holder back together. I then soldered the whole thing in place. We'll see how it holds up!

[520CheyenneK10]

Originally Posted by thebrown83

mine is broken on my 83 3/4 ton. One day while putting it in drive i heard a snap and then a little white plastic piece dropped out from under the dash and my indicator doesn't work now. My dad said it was part of the guage pannel that the wire runs around, and if we could not glue it up there we would have to get a whole new guage pannel. I have not taken anything apart yet to check out the problem though. does anyone know what i will have to replace if the plastic piece can't be glued back? has anyone had the same thing happen to theirs? i might be able to get a pic of the plastic piece if want to see what broke.

This what also happened to me and now I have taken the old one and snaked it around the right edge of the Shift Indicator part itself and kinda notched the thin metal to guide the wire. So far so good. I'll track it and if it goes bad then I'm off to the AZ-U-Pull for anew cluster frame.

[Tx Firefighter]

I fix broken pointers with spray can nozzles and epoxy.







Not perfect, but fifty bucks cheaper than new.