1970s-80s Ford fuel, oil pressure and temperature gauges shown front and back with white Blue Truck Parts screw retainers installed, plus four new retainers

Gauge Screw Retainer Repair - 70's and 80's Ford Trucks and Cars

Starting in the mid 70's Ford began using plastic screw holders on the back of their instrument cluster gauges. Over the years the plastic has become brittle and cracked. This allows the gauges to rattle inside the cluster. In extreme cases the screw, which also is used to conduct the gauge signal, can touch the gauge body and cause a short or worse.

Identification

Ford seems to have standardized their gauges across all vehicles and lines through most of the 70's and the first half of the 80's. Their fuel, oil pressure, and temperature gauges are all roughly the same design with minor variations of needle width and direction of operation. They all have a round metal housing that is roughly 1 3/4" in diameter. Two screw posts spaced 1 1/8" apart hold the gauge in place and conduct the sensor signal into the gauge internals. The posts are 3/16" diameter, or #10 screw size. The amp gauges are similar, but have a thicker metal housing.

Drawing of a gauge screw retainer with two 3/16 inch (#10) screw posts spaced 1 1/8 inch apart
Gauge screw posts spaced 1 1/8" apart

The gauges are held into the cluster using thin speed nuts. Typically the clusters have a plastic housing and a flexible circuit board.

Back of a 1986 Ford F150 instrument cluster showing the red flexible circuit board and gauge mounting nuts
Example gauge cluster from an 86 F150.

The gauges were used in almost all (if not all) Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury vehicles from the early 70's through the mid 80's. Some of the more popular vehicles using this style of gauge are:

  • 1973-1979 F Series Trucks (F100, F150, F250, F350)
  • 1980-1986 F Series Trucks (F100, F150, F250, F350)
  • 1978-1979 Bronco
  • 1980-1986 Bronco
  • 1974-1978 Mustang
  • 1979-1986 Mustang

Repair Process

Start by removing the gauge cluster from the vehicle, then disassemble it and remove the gauges from the cluster. Use caution when removing the nuts holding the gauges in place. When the plastic holders are badly cracked the posts can spin, breaking the attached wire inside. You may need to use pliers to hold the post while removing the nut. Also be very careful working with the gauge. The needle on the front is easily bent, destroying the gauge.

Back of a Ford gauge with arrows pointing to cracks in the original plastic screw holder
Inspect the gauges. The image above points out the cracked screw holders.
Small screwdriver prying up a metal tab that holds the plastic screw holder on the back of the gauge
Use a small screwdriver to pry up the metal tabs holding the screw holder in place.
Broken plastic screw holder removed from the gauge, with the screw posts pushed down into the gauge housing
Gently push the screw posts out of the broken holder and inside the cluster. Remove the broken holder. DO NOT pull the posts out of the gauge. Be very careful, the wires connected to the posts are very delicate and easily broken.
New white screw retainer placed over the gauge's screw posts and metal tabs
Place the new holder over the screw posts and metal tabs. The holder should be installed with the flat side out and the thick rings inside the gauge.
Screwdriver pushing the gauge's metal tabs back down over the new screw retainer
Use the screwdriver to push the metal tabs back into place.
Screw posts pulled up and seated into the back of the new plastic retainer
Gently pull the screw posts up and seat them into the back side of the plastic holder. Be careful not to spin them.
Nut driver tightening a gauge nut over a small washer to draw the screw post up into the new retainer
Use a small washer and one of the gauge mounting nuts to pull the screw post up until it's fully seated in the new holder. Again, be careful not to spin the screw post.
Both screw posts fully seated in the new retainer, threads visible above the holder
Verify the screw posts are fully seated. You should be able to see the end of the threads and just barely see the post knurling just inside the screw hole.
Blue Truck Parts GSR gauge screw retainers for 70s and 80s Ford trucks and cars in the retail package

The gauge screw retainer parts are available for sale at the Blue Truck Parts online store.

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