5 speed with no tach?

[GingerKid]

I went and looked at a 95 F150 earlier today with a 5 speed. I was mildly surprised to find that it didn't have a tach. How common was this? Would it be easier to swap in a whole instrument cluster with a tach or just add one on somewhere else? I'm very seriously considering this truck, but I hate driving stick without a tach.

[Sasquatch_Ryda]

Its actually more common than you would think.

Probably just easier to hook up an aftermarket tach if you want one.

[GingerKid]

I wonder what the logic was in doing that. My friend's 95 F250 with an auto has a tach, but now that I'm paying attention, I've noticed quick a few of these 5 speed trucks don't have one.

[Ditchdoc]

My 88 doesn't have a tach either I've found a gauge cluster in a junk yard I'm going to swap in, I'd prefer to have it in the dash cluster but if it becomes to much of a headache I'll just do an aftermarket one....

[GingerKid]

I can't imagine a junkyard cluster would be that much more difficult, either way you have to run the pickup to the coil. Unless there's more to this install than I know, which is entirely possible.

[GingerKid]

Apparently the wiring for the factory tach is already in place. All you need to do is find a cluster with a tach and swap in your speedometer and odometer. Found this simple write-up.

http://www.ford-trucks.com/article/i...Or_Bronco.html

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Yea, the wiring is already there, but some people would rather not tear their dash apart to swap it (some dashs are easier to take apart than others).

I'll never understand the logic behind it, I've seen more tachs in auto trans vehicles (where it's next to useless - the only possible use for it in an auto trans is to see if your trans is slipping) than in manual trans trucks (where it has far more utility).

I can drive a manual without a tach, I learned on a truck without a tach and I can shift by feel an sound if I have to. But when I'm trying to creep along slow (like trying to back a loaded trailer into a tight driveway or something), a tach would be nice so I can keep an eye on the rpms to keep from stalling.

My choptop I swapped the whole gauge cluster to get the tach.

My 00 Ranger got an aftermarket tach (and my F-150 will get an aftermarket before much longer). One advantage to an aftermarket tach is they tend to be a lil more accurate an flexible in mounting. I chose to tuck my tach right in the corner where the dash and A-pillar meet, that way if I'm trying to back up a trailer or something and need to watch my mirror an my rpms the tach is right there, about as close to the mirror as you can get without mounting it to the mirror on the door.

[GingerKid]

That is the exact same problem I'm having with no tach. I think I stalled the truck twice the first time I was trying to back up a trailer. Eventually I just gave up and put it in 2 low so I could creep more easily. It's definitely on my list of things to do.

I might have to look into the aftermarket tach option, but my biggest concern is cost. I'm a broke college kid, so if I have to sacrifice a little accuracy to get it for a fraction of the cost, I'm willing to do that. I haven't checked around to see how much a whole cluster is though.

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Not sure how it is around your area, around here Junkyards want around $60 for a cluster or more - for that price you can buy a lower end aftermarket tach from Summit Racing. I ran one of those for a couple years then it stopped reading right (wasn't one of the better vibration resistant models an such). So then I dropped around $100 buying an Auto Meter from them and been happy since. IIRC I got the 2 5/8" Sport Comp 8,000 rpm (atm-3708) but they offer a Z-series in the same thing for about 9 bucks cheaper.

Unless they changed things, the Auto Meter gauge that I got was made in USA, to me, that was worth the money.

I even rigged up a plug on the wires so I can swap it in any of my trucks and used a sort of super velcro to stick it on the dash.