Yup, mechanical odo and trip, both on the display. So I read your post silver. If I got a better cluster, it should hook up, just the mileage will be off then? Can any dealer rep or mech tell me whether it is for sure adjustable at the dealership or not? Has anyone else seen my cluster, mechanical odo and no tach?

 

Wow that kinda bummed me out. I was looking forward to seeing a million miles on my Rams odometer someday. [sm=boosign.gif]

 

The service manual doesn't seem to indicate that the mileage can be changed. I would bet it probably can't, probably illegal to do so. Since yours is a '97 with mechanical odometer, i'm not sure if you could even use a cluster from a 99-01 with the Vacuum Fluorescent Display(VFD). If you can, you might just need to search for one that has mileage close to yours.

 

Called the local stealership "Lithia" They said I would likely need a new PCM as well to make the cluster function properly, even if I got one from the the same model year. Guess I8 will just buy an aftermarket tach and install that.

 

That doesn't sound right to me, but whatever. I'm going to try to get that cluster I mentioned for mine, and see if it works. I'll let you all know how it goes in a few weeks.

 

hey silver,,, you could just swap in the cluster then if you sell the truck..swap in the old one or just tell the new owner what had happend..

and IIRC its a federal offense to tamper with vehicles odometers... felany i belive... could be wrong tho

 

my 96 used to have the speedo/giant fuel guage. i swapped it with guages from a 94 that had a tach. just hooked it up and it all worked, 100%. i am now 14000km over what the truck actually is.

 

Well, I guess I better find out for sure about this before I do anything. If that is true, that sucks. I hate how aftermarket tachs look, I was hoping to stick with the stock look.
I might take my gauge cluster out this weekend and see if it would be possible to transfer the odometer circuit board to the new gauge cluster. That way, I have not changed the odometer on the truck, only the gauges around the odometer.

 

When we order NEW replacement clusters, we have to initial a legal document disclosing the actual miles on the vehicle.
Then the factory ships out a new cluster with that mileage programed into it.
There is no way to change this.

 

I see. Ok. Would you do this for a customer who just wants to change to a different gauge cluster, or will you only do it if something is actually wrong with the original cluster and it must be replaced? What is the ballpark cost of this?