DIY: Brighton Tach

[JordanIsHere]

I thought it would be a good idea to make a thread for Brighton owners to share DIYs. I have had a bit of trouble finding solid facts about a few things, so maybe this thread will help other Brighton owners in a similar situation. I will start off by posting everything I know, and poise a few questions that hopefully others can answer. I don't know how many Brighton people are out there, but hopefully this will help someone.

TACHOMETER INSTALL:

This is probably the most important, if you have a M/T like me. I couldn't find a solid answer as to wether it was already wired for a tach or not. So I decided to just rip it apart, and yes, it is indeed plug and play, no wiring necessary.

First you need find a used instrument cluster from eBay or a junkyard. Odometer mileage doesn't matter since you will just be taking the tach out of it. MAKE SURE YOU GET ONE SPECIFIC TO YOUR MODEL YEAR! This is very important! I bought a cluster from a '97 for my '99 on eBay and the gauges are black instead of dark gray. I'm not sure what color other years are. Follow Wiscon_Mark's awesome DIY on how to remove the instrument cluster here (https://sl-i.net/FORUM/viewtopic.php?t=1123&highlight=interior+lighting). Once you have it out you'll need to pop out the Subaru Legacy logo plug, and screw in the new tach from behind. Put it all back together and enjoy your revs.

Day shot of mine (note the incorrect color of the tach):
http://img335.imageshack.us/img335/764/gaugedayzg7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Night shot (CEL, Oil and airbag lights glow bright yellow instead of red, due to the '97 being different I think. Also the left side of the tach is a bit dim. I'm not sure why, I'll have to take another look inside).
http://img436.imageshack.us/img436/4604/gaugenightcb9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

As you can see, it looks pretty hack. Once another gauge cluster pops on eBay from a '99 I'll get the right color in there. If anyones interested in buying this tach when I replace it just shoot me a PM.

[Wiscon_Mark]

Your assumption about rear speakers is probably right. Does the door panel (interior) have an opening? It's probably all pretty easy to swap over if it isn't.

There is a smaller bulb on the left side of the tach that's out, causing that lack of light, easy enough to fix.

[blackgtbeauty]

haha i have the same bulb out on my dash, but i'll fix that when i do mark's super duper red mod.

nice write up, the more the better.

[JordanIsHere]

Your assumption about rear speakers is probably right. Does the door panel (interior) have an opening? It's probably all pretty easy to swap over if it isn't.

There is a smaller bulb on the left side of the tach that's out, causing that lack of light, easy enough to fix.

Here's the panel:

http://img57.imageshack.us/img57/7758/dsc0065lg4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

There's sort of an indent where a hole would be, so I'm thinking it may be possible to just cut that out and get some OEM plastic covers to cover the hole. But if not I think it should be easy to swap the door panels like you said. I'm gonna tear it apart tomorrow or Sunday and see what wiring I find.

Thanks for the tip on that bulb.

[EJCJ]

I have a 98 Brighton with an auto and just did the same mod. Mainly because I cound't stand looking at that dead space anymore :smile: .

[JordanIsHere]

I have a 98 Brighton with an auto and just did the same mod. Mainly because I cound't stand looking at that dead space anymore :smile: .

Yeah the tach is certainly nicer to look at.

I didn't have time to take a whole door apart this weekend, but I pulled the panel back a litte and peeled of some plastic covering to reveal some wires :smile:. Anyone know what size the rear speakers are off hand? I have some Pioneers from my junked hyundai that just might fit back there.

[Huffer]

Anyone know what size the rear speakers are off hand? I have some Pioneers from my junked hyundai that just might fit back there.

Should be 5.25" or similar.

[Wiscon_Mark]

Anyone know what size the rear speakers are off hand? I have some Pioneers from my junked hyundai that just might fit back there.

Should be 5.25" or similar.

6.5" but 5.25" also work with the stock plastic mounting bracket.

[Huffer]

Night shot (CEL, Oil and airbag lights glow bright yellow instead of red, due to the '97 being different I think.

Nah, they're supposed to be yellow - same colors as on my 98 GT.

I've read this thread more closely (thanks!) and I'm now adding Brighton wagons to my possible shopping list.

[JordanIsHere]

Yeah man Brightons are where it's at! I still need to get off my rear and some speakers in though...

[PJ2277]

Thanks for the thread..!!! very useful.. I spent 40 bucks on a different tach that didn't even work.. To then spend a total of six bucks for this one and have it work right off the bat.. Now would it have really been that expensive to install a tach the first time..?

[Reason]

I have a 98 Brighton with an auto and just did the same mod. Mainly because I cound't stand looking at that dead space anymore :smile: .

thats weird, anyone have pics of the cluster?

[EJCJ]

I don't have a picture of the cluster, but it's the same cluster used on the other legacys. The only difference is the tach hole is blanked off. Out of habit I would look at this tach shaped space only to read the word Subaru instead of the RPMs. It became really annoying. (Youd think I'd learn to stop looking (':roll:')
) I won a 98 OB gauge cluster on Ebay. The tach seperates from the cluster and plugs right in. The left side of my tach is dark also. I check the OB cluster to see what could be different. Nothing. The OB cluster is missing a bulb in the same spot. The socket is there on both, just no bulb. Sometime, when I feel like it, I'm going put a bulb from the spare cluster in that socket.

[JordanIsHere]

Here's an update on the speaker situation. My bro got me the oem premium speaker set + tweeters for xmas. He got the speakers for $50 and the tweeters for $15 from allsubaru.com (I'll find the links for them). They are meant for the 05 legacy but they are plug and play, you only have to solder 4 wires for the rears. The wires on the brighton are all back there already with plugs, but for some reason the rear speakers I got didn't have the plugs on them. No problem, I just cut the harnesses off my old fronts and soldered them to new rears. I plan to get new door panels eventually but for now I just cut holes along the line in the above pic with a dremel, looks kinda hack but it'll do for now. The only other thing you need for the rear are the black plastic mounts that screw on to the speakers and then into the doors. I bought some from Shane's part-out, just waiting for them to arrive and I'll be all done! I will be sure and post pics when that moment arrives.

They sound great, huge noticeable difference over stock. You can do the whole setup for about 80 bucks and have a huge improvement over stock. Much cheaper than after-market stuff, maybe not quite as good but still pretty awesome!

[StatGSR]

w00t! just got my tach installed, seriously the best thing i have done to the car, now i feel like i have to relearn how to drive it now that i actually know how many rpms the engines at.

[TRUBLU]

So what was the idea behind the Brighton? Just a simple basica car or something like that?

[StatGSR]

^ yea, just make it as cheap as possible really... it comes with nothing really... only option on mine is AC..

[TRUBLU]

Crank windows?

[StatGSR]

crank windows, manual locks, front speakers only, drum rear brakes, single piston front brakes, no ABS, 14 inch steelies, no roof rack(for mine), no tach, tape player only. thats pretty much sums it up.. i think

[TRUBLU]

lol, come see me! Got something that would make an awesome project car!

Raymond
Miller Hill Subaru

[StatGSR]

what do u mean? i have no moneys.... :-(

[TRUBLU]

too bad, we have a really cool 96 Legacy LSi Need some paintwork but otherwise it's a hot little rocket. I almost layed down the cash myself for it.

[StatGSR]

i dont have problems with paint work, im planning on painting my wagon this summer anyway. is it a manual? how many miles? body style?

nevermind LSi's are autos, that just wont do....

[captain_kirk]

Question on the rear door speakers. I was doing this one also, had some extra speakers out of a Saab I was parting out, problem I ran into was if the speaker was too big, you'd hit it with your hand rolling down the window. Got one put in, it looked hacked, then realized the speakers I had are just tweeters. So one is in and it's small so your hand doesn't hit it, just need to find the same size in real speakers not tweets.

I'm going to do the tach mod now that I know it's so easy. Maybe put some guage overlays in too.

[massdrewski]

The Brighton's were originally created as a way to get people into a Subaru who just wanted AWD. when I was in Sales at a Subaru dealership the sales woman who had been there since the early 90's said that Subaru dropped a lot of weight just to make some sales and boy did they. Basically you get a great little AWD wagon for $2k less. personally I would have preferred the extra perks but there was a need and want for cheap AWD wagons.

[bangedlegacywagon97]

I got a cluster off of craigslist and I have a tach now!! Thanks for the write up. I need to get to the speakers. Anybody know an easy way to remove the window crank??

[StatGSR]

^ yea take a needle nose behind the handly and pull out the pin (more of a clip really) and the handle will fall off...

[massdrewski]

Or if you have a friend who works at a dealership, there is a "special" tool to use. really easy. Im sure you could borrow one from autozone or buy your own for like $10. Just don't loose the retainer clip! been there, done that....

[massdrewski]

I did this last night at my friends house. Came out perfect!

[jakeb]

Did this and it only took 20 minutes. Unfortunately I have a different colored Tach. opposite problem if the original poster. Works Flawlessly

[JoshP]

I cant believe they sold manual brightons without a tach. We have a brighton in the family :smt021

[chromehorn]

I have a '98 Brighton wagon. Do all second gen clusters work? My current cluster goes up to 180, there's one at the junkers from a '96 that goes up to 220. Would this one work? Also would it matter if it were a 2.5L? There's an outback there as well. Also I need to take my door cards off again. I guess I halfassed it when I checked for speaker wires in the rear doors. Didn't bother looking under the plastic sheeting.

[1997subaru]

I have a 97 brighton and I can't find the tach wiring

[StatGSR]

^ there isnt wiring, the 3 screws that attach the tach into the cluster complete the power and signal connections.

[1997subaru]

Thanks I will do that

[jockstar]

Anyone with a brighton done a drum to disc rear brake swap? interested myself, just not real sure how to do it. Any info would be greatly appreciated, im mechanically handy so i might just tackle it.

[StatGSR]

^ i should be doing one this summer. i already got the parts from a first gen L.

[jockstar]

what parts are needed? i looked up conv kits and its like 2000$ :smt017
cause i def. want to do it, i heard that there might be a little premature braking due to the internal set up of having drum brakes in the rear.

[captain_kirk]

Just did my tach install in my Brighton. Found a cluster at the wrecking yard for $17, good practice pulling used one before pulling the one out of my car. Install was easy but here's a tip, in the Brighton cluster there is a bulb missing behind the 0-1-2 area of the tach. I noticed the dim spot after I had reinstalled everything back together. Grrr... I hate doing something twice. Anyways, tach up and running.
Then I did the bulbs that were out on the HVAC unit. Dash is shaping up nicely.

[davewilson]

I also yanked the dash out of a legacy at the wreckers for my brighton wagon after reading this thread. I just replaced the whole unit and it's been the best maintenance I've ever done!.. the 15 minute swap took over 32,000 kms off my odometer!! Hahaha, makes me wonder if people ever do this to get more moeny for their used car??