[rshadd]

Disclaimer
The community here at 355nation.net urges you to please use caution and seek professional assistance when performing modifications to your vehicle. Before attempting any modification it is advised that you refer to your Colorado or Canyon service manual or contact a certified mechanic as not all GMT355 trucks are the same. The staff and the associated members are in no way responsible for any damages, injuries or other harm inflicted to your vehicle or yourself which may result in attempting these modifications. The posts and content presented on this site reflect in no way the views of 355nation.net or it’s ownership.

A 355nation How To presented by
rshadd

Project Name
How-to replace the orange cluster pointers with red pointers

Project Description
This a quick and easy mod to change your cluster pointers from orange to red.

Skill Level
Easy

Project Vehicle
Make: Chevrolet
Model: Colorado
Year: 2009
Engine: 5.3L
Power windows: Yes
Sun Roof: Yes

Parts Needed
2002-2006 Silverado Trailblazer Envoy Red Pointers.

Tools Needed

• Fork
• Dremmel Tool
• Drill and Bit (.040")
• Nut Driver (7mm)
• Torx Driver (T10)
• Trim Removal Tool

Project Time
1 hour

Project Cost
I picked up a set of red pointers on eBay for $40 shipped.

Here's how I did it...

1. Begin by following Blurred's how-to on removing the instrument cluster.
   
   
2. Using a small fork, carefully pry up on the existing pointers to remove them.
   
   
3. The red stems have a longer stem that needs to be shortened. Use a Dremmel tool with a cut off disc to trim the stems on the new red pointers so that they are the same height as the factory orange pointers (approximately 1/8").
   
   
   
   
4. The Dremmel tool tends to melt the plastic and clog the hole for the gauge pin. To fix this, drill a a very small hole in the red stems to match the pins in the gauge cluster. I used the smallest bit (.040") I had. Be careful that you don't enlarge the hole too much. You want a nice tight fit.
   
   
5. With the orange pointers removed, replace them with the newly modified red pointers.
   
   
6. Plug the cluster connector back in
   
   
7. Re-calibrate the pointers. To recalibrate your pointers follow these steps:
   
   
   
   • Switch your ignition to ACC with the cluster plugged in and none of the pointers in place, the "pointers" will all go to zero.
     
     
   • Turn the key back to off. Now that they are at zero, carefully align the pointers to zero and press down.
     
     
   • Start the truck and see where they sit. If you press them down too far, they wont move.
     
     
   • If they aren't aligned correctly, pull them back off and try again starting from the beginning.
   
   
8. Re-install the clear plastic guage cover.
   
   
9. Re-install the cluster in the dash.

This is a pic of the finished instrumentation cluster with the red pointers installed. It's a subtle change, but one that complements a red truck very nicely.

This picture shows the difference between the orange and the red pointers. The temp and fuel gauges are red, while the speedometer and tachometer still have the factory orange pointers.

 

[brewer15650]

Re: How To: Replace your Orange Guage Pointers with Red Guage Pointers

Great How To....Keep up the good work!

 

[Koda22]

Re: How To: Replace your Orange Guage Pointers with Red Guage Pointers

is there any way to do blue? I mean do yall know of a vehicle that has blue ones that would work...this is pretty cool...looks good

 

[brewer15650]

Re: How To: Replace your Orange Guage Pointers with Red Guage Pointers

is there any way to do blue? I mean do yall know of a vehicle that has blue ones that would work...this is pretty cool...looks good

GAUGE FACE KITS | DESIGNER KEY FOBS | REPLACEMENT CLUSTERS | BADGING / CHROME LETTERS | CNC MACHINING | US Speedo 810-244-0909

Same thing just trim the stems down. I have the red ones and the look great untill I had led's put in the cluster and now the red looks transparent in some spots because the leds are so much brighter.

Note these are clear needles with transparent paint on the bottoms....where the ones rshadd installed are transparent red plastic. The colored plastic ones are better but I never seen blue ones.

 

[pschrags]

Re: How To: Replace your Orange Guage Pointers with Red Guage Pointers

is there any way to do blue? I mean do yall know of a vehicle that has blue ones that would work...this is pretty cool...looks good

you could use H3 needles, they are white/clear, when my blue leds show thru the neddles look blue

terrible pic :ugh:

 

[jrbyers96]

Nice writup. I need me some red pointers now!

 

[Aquivarious]

Question! I have the cluster with the chrome rings too, but are they part of that trim piece or glued on?

 

[rshadd]

Question! I have the cluster with the chrome rings too, but are they part of that trim piece or glued on?

I'm not 100% positive, but I think that they're glued on. I just looked throught all my pics and I don't have a shot that shows how their attached, but I'm pretty sure that the chrome rings are removable. Whatcha thinkin' of doing?

 

[edvocho]

awesome!!!

 

[Aquivarious]

Thinking of taking out the trim, removing the chrome rings, painting trim to match (match the blue of my interior pieces and my truck), and reapplying the rings.

 

[rshadd]

Thinking of taking out the trim, removing the chrome rings, painting trim to match (match the blue of my interior pieces and my truck), and reapplying the rings.

The trick's gonna be removing them without fucking them up.

 

[Freewood]

Re: How To: Replace your Orange Guage Pointers with Red Guage Pointers

you could use H3 needles, they are white/clear, when my blue leds show thru the neddles look blue

terrible pic :ugh:

Your picture through a CEL :lol:

 

[pantera]

I'm having some trouble aligning the pointers correctly. The tac will not align right no matter what i do. Guess i'll have to keep trying. Anyone have this problem??

 

[jwhittington7]

Re: How To: Replace your Orange Guage Pointers with Red Guage Pointers

GAUGE FACE KITS | DESIGNER KEY FOBS | REPLACEMENT CLUSTERS | BADGING / CHROME LETTERS | CNC MACHINING | US Speedo 810-244-0909

Same thing just trim the stems down. I have the red ones and the look great untill I had led's put in the cluster and now the red looks transparent in some spots because the leds are so much brighter.

Note these are clear needles with transparent paint on the bottoms....where the ones rshadd installed are transparent red plastic. The colored plastic ones are better but I never seen blue ones.

has neone tried these or know of a place with blue or white plastics

 

[Blue15ColoradoLT]

Re: How To: Replace your Orange Guage Pointers with Red Guage Pointers

has neone tried these or know of a place with blue or white plastics

I haven't tried these but I made my own with H3 needles:
H3 cluster needles

 

[DustinJ88]

Can just the chrome trim rings be bought some where? I'd like to add those to my cluster when I do my needles

 

[Martin_the_great]

I just tried this conversion and it did not work for me. I found that it was very hard to push the needles onto the pins. I did not want to break anything so I found a drill bit slightly smaller than the hole in the orange needles. They went on a lot easier that time but when I pushed them on, it seemed that they were dragging and not moving. I calibrated and turned the truck on... needles did not move at all.

 

[ripmrichie]

I like the blue

 

[daltoneious]

are the red needles you recommend from silverado's and trailblazers the same that are in an xtreme cluster? i've found several sets on ebay that say they're from an xtreme. any difference?

 

[birshking]

i have extreme and i have red needles already in my cluster...i would how ever like to know how folks are changing the odometer screen to blue or red. find it dumb on my cluster all red needles and red trim no red screen(ORANGE) what gives