HOWTO: Chrome Speedo Rings Fitting

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sym

MB Enthusiast
Joined
Mar 2, 2003
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Location
North London
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W204 C220CDI Sport
HOWTO: Chrome Speedo Rings Fitting - W202

OK - here's a quick tutorial on how to fit Chrome Speedo Rings.

Step 1 - Remove Instrument Cluster. The easiest way is with the correct tools . . following instructions ......

Here

If you don't have the tools, you'll need to remove other Panels and push the cluster out from behind (I'll leave this tutorial to Shude!)

Anyway - if using the tools - the cluster slides straight out - you may need to compress the top of the steering wheel a little in order to allow it to pass over the top, and then lift carefully upwards, and to the left of the wheel.

There are two connector plugs on the rear of the Cluster. you'll need to remove these in order to remove the cluster from the car. Just lift the grey bracket on each and they will slide out.

They are different fittings, and will only fit in one of the sockets, so no need to remember which one goes where.

Once the cluster is out, you need to unclip the front housing, from the back, which contains the dials. There are 3 clips on top, and two on the bottom. Here's the one at the top in the middle.

topclip640.jpg


They are easy enough to unclip - no tools needed - but just ease the housing slowly away from the back. You will find that the two small plastic lens cover inserts which cover the bulb arrays on the left and right are not held in by anthing apart from the two parts of the cluster being compressed together, and hence may fall out when you have unclipped the cluster.

You will then be left with the back

clusterback640.jpg


and the front.

clusterfront1640.jpg


You can see that I have already applied one of the chrome rings to the front.


....and here's the finished article with all 3 rings attached.

clusterfront2640.jpg


Now for the trickiest part - putting it all back together. I found that resting the two plastic lenses on the back before re-applying the front did not work particularly well, as they kept flying out . . so the best way is to lay them on the front, and then apply the back piece very gently until the clips re-engage.... the lens pieces will then be held firmly in place.

Make sure you get no dust or finger marks INSIDE the front piece, or on the dials !!

clustercomplete640.jpg


(Yes - I know the outside of the plastic is filthy and I need to clean it !!)

To fit back into the car - reverse the first couple of steps - make sure that when pushing the cluster back into the instrument panel, that it engages properly, and you hear a series of clicks on each side to ensure that it doesn't fly out while you are driving !

I'll post a picture of it in the car properly tomorrow, when I have removed it and taken it apart again :eek: , as the lens cover on the right is very slightly out of alignment, and I'm going to have to put it back together a little bit more carefully !

S.
 
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Excellent HOWTO! It was about time someone else experimentally ripped their car apart and wrote down how to do it for us all to enjoy! After pics are needed, post ASAP :D
 
Originally posted by Shude
Excellent HOWTO! It was about time someone else experimentally ripped their car apart and wrote down how to do it for us all to enjoy! After pics are needed, post ASAP :D

Agree with Nick, great post sym :D Heh one of these days I might summon up the courage to take apart my 'cherished' I just don't know if I can get it all back together as it's meant to be :rolleyes:

I certainly enjoy reading the "HOW TO" posts, one day...

S.
 
Originally posted by GDC200
cheers sym.well done! I havent got those special tools though....

140 589 02 33 00

(you will need two of them !!)

See if the stealer will sell you some. If not, there is always eBay . . . .

S.
 
Have a banana for the most excellent tutorial Sym:bannana:
While you had it apart, you should have fitted some of the blue plasma guages:p
The rings look well good. Now I've got to do the same to my car, but not having the removal tools, looks like some more skin's gonna be coming off my hands:crazy:
 
Install Complete

Here we go . . .all cleaned up, nicely aligned, and back in the car.

The plastic inserts can be inserted / slid in from the bottom of the cluster - AFTER it has been re-assembled, and they will then locate in exactly the right place . . . I knew there had to be an easier way to do it !!

By the way, if you have a digital clock in your cluster, you will need to reset it after re-connecting the cluster . . seems like the time info is stored in the cluster, whereas everything else is stored . . . elsewhere (!) as it all re-populates when you plug it back in . . mileage / assyst / trip, etc.

clusterindash.jpg


:bannana: :bannana:

S.
 
Re: Install Complete

That looks great! Nice to see the finished project :)
Originally posted by sym
whereas everything else is stored . . . elsewhere (!) as it all re-populates when you plug it back in . . mileage / assyst / trip, etc.
nope, all stored in the dash! :)
 
Nice job! really makes a difference. Do you have part numbers for chrome rings and whats that pointy hooky tool called?
 
agriff said:
Nice job! really makes a difference. Do you have part numbers for chrome rings and whats that pointy hooky tool called?
Sorry - no part numbers :( They are not OEM :eek: :eek:

PM GRAV888 and see if he can help you with some . . . otherwise try German Ebay (www.ebay.de)

The "pointy-hooky" tools are otherwise known as Instrument Cluster Removal Tools, and are available from your friendly stealership - part numbers are posted elsewhere on this forum - try a search - mine are in the garage at the moment and I don't have them to hand to check the part number !

S.

**EDIT** A 140 589 02 33 00 is the part number for the tools - you will need two of these. They should be relatively cheap !
 
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Thanks for your help. Once I get the bits I'll try to summon up the courage to do the job.
 
I have just bought some of these, along with white dials for my 124, so I will be needing these instructions soon.

Thanks for a great HOWTO :)

--
Antony
 
Antony, will you let me know how you go on as this is something I have been toying with for a while but have not had the courage to undertake.


Ian
 
Ian . . . fear not - if you have the courage to do things to your Engine (which I certainly don't at the moment !!), then you will find this one a doddle. The only problem may be removing the cluster WITHOUT having to remove the steering wheel ; unless your steering wheel is adjustable like mine, and its possible to pull it out far enough to ease the Cluster out. Otherwise, it may be a wheel off job.

S.
 
Steering wheel off is a breeze, its the hand up the back of the dash that worries me, knowing my luck and "expertee" with electrics something is going to screw up big time :D
 
Ian B Walker said:
Antony, will you let me know how you go on as this is something I have been toying with for a while but have not had the courage to undertake.

Ian

Sure, no problem :)

As a point of interest, my dash cluster just pulled out by hand without the need for tools or any kind of gentle persuasion. In fact, it virtually fell out!

I am due to receive white dials and chrome surrounds by the end of this week, so I will drive over to Shudes and construct a howto. Also need to unify the 4 shades of orange by painting the needles a single colour, such as red or black.

Taking the wheel off couldn't be simpler on non-airbag models. Get a big fat allen key and something to pry the Mercedes badge off. Putting the wheel back correctly and properly aligned, however, took a little more work.

Photos to follow I would imagine :)

--
Antony
 
Seeing as the pics are "broken links" here, i thought I'd add to this thread in case anyone needs to do this mod...

Remove the Negative Terminal from the battery if you will be disconnecting the speedo wiring. Otherwise you'll have to pay for an SRS reset !

If you don't have the cluster removal tools then...

If you have an adjustable steering wheel, then pull it out as far it will go.

Follow this Steering Wheel Removal guide to get the underneath cover off. If you have an adjustable steering wheel, then pull it out as far it will go and ignore the bit about acutally removing the wheel. With the steering wheel pulled out the cluster has enough space to come out.

Now you can put your hand up behind the dashboard and use your finger strength to push the cluster out. It will need a fair push. I would do rightside and then leftside. The cluster will eventually just pop out.

Then follow this Instrument Cluster Removal guide to help get the cluster out and strip down.

Hope this helps :)

P.S. I took my cluster out to clean the glass from the inside but it looks like it marked and not cleanable. I'm going to have to replace it. When I do, I'll do the chrome cluster mod at the same time and takes pics for a updated guide.
 
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You can get the cluster out past a fixed steering wheel if you are careful.

As long as you resist the temptation to put the key in the ignition you can remove the cluster with the battery connected.
 

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