"Two Spoon Method" and Needle Questions

[SilverGlow]

I'm thinkin bout changin my LEDs and am worried about removing the needles to repaint them. What's this "two spoon" method i keep seeing, and can't plain metal tweezers work just the same? You guys have any hints, or things I should be careful of? I searched the board and didn't quite see the answers I was lookin for. Thanks for the info.

Pike

[Mistrimeat]

Place one spoon under the needle center and pry up. Heat up the second spoon with your breath and place it on your nose.

Tip: Dont break the needle.

[TRD StreetRacing]

inventive:thumbup: :applaud:

[Chris25NJ]

wouldn't a fork work even better?

[chameleon]

I think that the two spoon method that you are talking about is where you pry the needle off from the needle's center with a spoon one each side. That way, you are applying even force on either side of the needle. If you only use one spoon and pry from the side, you will be putting some horizontal force on the needle, as well as vertical, so there is a greater chance of breaking something off.

[Mistrimeat]

Originally posted by Chris25NJ
wouldn't a fork work even better?

No, because you must the one spoon on your nose or the procedure will not - I REPEAT - WILL NOT work. Trust me on this one.

[baNanA_ryCe]

haha....well why do you need to take the needle off anyways? i didn't. i simply got a q-tip to rub on the bottom of the needle and to remove the orange. its THAT simple. really, no need to take out needle.

[chameleon]

He probably wants to repaint the needle a different color, thats what I did.

[nate22]

what color?

[buckeye23]

Wedge a spoon under each side of the needle. Make sure the needle pointing at you. I'm assuming you're right handed, so use the left hand with the spoon as resistance and roll your hand with the spoon away from you. That way when the needle won't be pushed againt the gauge cluster and possibly break.

[Mistrimeat]

good luck

[ludatic]

won't this screw up calibration on the needles if u dont put it back in correctly.. i know lotsa ppl screw up their gauges when they install indiglo gauges, cuz they didn't know ur not supposed to remove the needles. or are toyotas different?

[buckeye23]

You just have to recalibrate the needles. Plug guages in, start car, let car run for 10-15 sec so the guages calibrate to 0, put speedo needle on at 0, celica idles at roughly 700-800 RPM, so take your best guess as to where that is.

[baNanA_ryCe]

that's really dumb...re calobrating is kinda stupid. just get a damn q-tip like i say all the time and rub it on the needle...you don't..i repeat..you don't hafta take outthe damn needle. it just causes problems.

[SilverGlow]

Thanks for the info everyone. Not taking my needles off :D

[00CericaRuss]

recalibrating them isn't that hard.. just takes a little practice