Need help pulling out! 1982 rabbit caddy speedo removal?

[Timmysdiesel]

Hello all, I need to remove the speedo from my 1982 rabbit caddy pickup. I have removed the dash cover by taking off the light knob and cold start knob and the dash is very exposed. I cannot figure out how to get the speedo through the opening in the dash. The opening in the dash seems too small no matter how much I jiggle the speedo and also the speedo has a big ridge on the top that gets in the way of pulling it out. Help?

[bscutt]

Not sure why you can't get it out but you do need to disconnect the speedo cable first. I can get to mine less some skin by going up from under the dash. have not found a better way. Haven't pulled mine out in a while though. I assume you pulled the dash bezel/facade off (wood grain) already.

[82vdub]

X2 on the speedo cable. I've found that I can pull my speedo cluster about 1" before the speedo cable limits it's movement. I think I reach in and blindly release the cable from the head.

[wmasscaddy]

We're talking about the whole dash cluster, right? Speedo and clock/tach and lights? There is a bulky plug back there that powers everything in the dash, I think it just pulls straight out towards the firewall. And unscrew the outer ring on the speedo cable clockwise (lefty loosey from behind). And the 4 small screws, 1 at each corner of the cluster. And you have to tip the cluster forward or backward to get it out of the opening. If you put your head on the floor and look up you can see most of what's going on up there. I put some milk crates outside the door so I don't break my spine. Or take the seat out.

[vwtyp133]

Some speedos use a pinch-to-release clip rather than a threaded collar to hold the cable & housing in place at the back of the cluster.

[Fatmobile]

The rabbit should have a screw-on speedo cable.
Sometimes the steering wheel needs to be turned

[vwtyp133]

Westmoreland, PA, USA Rabbits were assembled with whatever parts were sent & available, and some sources have mentioned that those parts varied from time to time. Sorry, can't remember if our own '77 (German) & '80 (Westmoreland) Rabbits had the same speedo connectors in back of the cluster, however, the '79 Dashers used a threaded collar, while the '80 & '81 Dashers have the plastic pinch clip-style of connectors. Those Dashers AFAIK were made in Emden, Germany.