Dash Cluster Swap and Questions

[jarmerson]

So I have totally gutted a 98 Legacy Outback - everything (lmk if you need anything lol).

 

I would like to swap the dash cluster in favor of the updated style but when I got to taking to all the wiring (and I mean all of it) I noticed a few things.

 

I'm taking the outback bumper cover and want to use the OEM style fogs so I took the switch and the plug all the way to the harness deep within the dashboard that I tore off. I wired up the plug going for as close a setup as is factory but of course my 95 doesn't have pins in the harness plug for the lights so I took them out of the donor and pinned them in I know I will still have to re-route whatever I do but the switch is in and I went so far as wiring to the harness plug - then I noticed two of the five wires lead to the dash cluster from the donor.

 

So I think the donor dash cluster has indicators / lights etc for stuff my L sedan doesn't actually have and I'm wondering what it will take to incorporate all the indicators / lights if I swap them.

 

I know the Outback has the car graphic that indicates what door is open. Then there's the fog switch that has leads to the cluster. I'm curious what else? How difficult would it be to swap? How would I swap the odometer?

 

I recently replaced the cv joint axle and when buying the part was asked if I had ABS. The guy showed me a picture of what one looks like if I did and if I didn't. Mine didn't match the picture with ABS however today I learned that it does indeed have ABS something front PS behind the headlamp. This is where two plugs (in my L) meet whereas in the Outback which certainly has ABS (pulled all that wiring too) has the same kinda setup but four plugs and the ABS something front PS behind the headlamp but it's a little larger. I didn't look under the dash on my L to see if the harness has the ABS box thing but I will.

 

Keep in mind I have all the wiring literally removed from the donor. It probably stretches for miles...

 

And the last questions... Is the ABS system worth anything? What about the airbag and all it's components?

 

Thank you much

[johnegg]

there is no real value in the ABS or SRS equipment.

there are so many cars in the parts yards and thy never fail, unless flooded,

the parts are pretty cheap.

but what does it cost to try and sell them, nothing?

 

ABS does not matter to the cv axle.

at least not in the 95 - 99 years.

at some point in the 00 - 04 years they move the ABS sensor and changed the axle.

 

the 98 instrument cluster should plug in with no issues or wiring.

if the speedo connector fits it will work. try it.

but the face plates on the speedo are different.

95 goes to 140 mph.

98 goes to 120 mph.

this means you will be driving faster than the speedo shows.

about 16% faster, or 81 in stead of 70.

 

you can swap the face plates and reset the needle, i've done it.

but it is not worth it.

it is complicated and dangerous.

to get it accurate at 70 mph,

you have set the needle when driving 70 mph.

very dangerous.

 

the odo is easy to change to match your existing mileage.

 

fogs was not an option on the 95 L, or brighton.

it was standard on the outback and LSi,

and optional on the LS.

so depending on your model, the wiring may be there,

but probably not.

 

there not any real diffeerences in the instrument clusters.

they both show that the doors are open,

one shows which door,

one only shows any door, i think.

i don't know if this is a cluster difference or a wiring difference.

but i would never swap the harness just for that.