The plugs will fit and are universal on the trucks however, if your truck is a 4 cyl the computer does not have a driver for a tachometer. the 6 and 8 cyl computers do. And also if your speedometer is cable driven, youll have to find a cluster like that. I think they did that for only 88 and 89 (not 100% sure). But for sure after that, the speedometer is electronic. And you will not lose a seatbelt light there is a hidden one in the tach face.

 

Great! I have the 3.9-TBI (1988) and I know I have a mechanical speedometer because there is a cable that runs down to the floor and into the transmission. I do not have a tach though, and I have the V6, so I assume the tach driver does not exist in my truck? Sounds like if I did this I would be out a speedometer because I do not think you can put the mechanical guts into an electrical cluster but I may be wrong, and I'm almost certain there is no such thing as a mechanical speedometer cluster with a tach/new cluster style.

There is another thing in question though, the non-tach version does not have temp and oil gauges they simply have a light. How would this work if I swapped clusters does my 88' wiring support a variable signal or would the temp and oil gauges just read "all the way up OR all the way down" (light on/off).

I took some pictures last time I was in the junkyard of a 95' cluster but I have not seen the back of my 88' yet:

 

Here is a pic of a cluster in a loaded LE 1989. The speedometer looks different from mine. (mine is a 95) so I believe in 89 they used the cable as well. So there should be a cluster out there that'll work for you but it'll be harder to find. because the early years didn't often come with them. and the guages should just naturally plug in. Ive never seen a dashboard in a dakota ever without at least a temp guage, oil press guage, and volt guage and only warning lamps. and your computer should have the tach driver since its the v6. cannot say for 100% sure because i do not have the wiring diagrams for your year. I can try to look them up tho.

 

Well would you look at that, I thought your style dash only came in the 92'-96' with the rounder clip on the front.



Here is the front of that 95' cluster as you can see there are minor differences; the max RPM is now yellow, even 10 MPH increments instead of 5's but tops out at 110 now instead of 125, added fuel door light (or moved?).



Here is my sad *** cluster, with a huge gas gauge constantly reminding me of how much gas I don't have lol. The sorry thing tops out at 85MPH and I know I've done at least 100 in the thing on a straight away with my 3.9L-TBI(LA). I don't have a trip counter either...or an oil gauge and heat gauge! Judging by my radiator I probably have a burnt coolant bulb too:

 

Wow I've never seen that basic of a cluster. There is no service manual or wiring diagrams on this website for your year :-(. I think your best bet would be to try to find an 88 service manual book on ebay

 

Yeah it blows, this is my only manual I will look though it:

 

Yes I have that book as well. It has great wiring diagrams fro the computer and fuel injection system but not much else

 

Get that Haynes book and Chiltons and burn it, you'll get more knowledge from watching it burn vs reading it, they are junk.

We have the Full service manual in the FAQ which the mechanics cover all years. We have a 1990 Dakota wiring diagram in the FAQ that will cover most of 88-91. If you need more www.autozone.com has a good repair guides with early year dakota wiring diagrams.



When I think of pre 92 (Magnum) gauges that is exactly what I think of. I guess although I know not all came with them like that I can't see any early years having anything else but the simple kind in my mind.

 

Thanks! Yeah all I see are these old style clusters in pre-magnums but I'm sure there were some transition models.

 

I have a friend with a pre magnum 318. I think its a 90. And it has the full option cluster