Anyone know if Hummer H2 needles will fit/work...

KMeloney · August 6, 2003

Hey all,

On my ever-continuous quest for a completely custom-yet-clean interior in my '02 Tahoe, I thought I'd see if the red H2 needles would fit and work on my '02 Escalade gauge cluster. The red needles would look great in my application (they'd match one of the display colors of my Denon head unit perfectly), I'd think.

Specifically, I'd be concerned about the following:

- Would the needles fit on the posts properly?

- Would the LENGTH of the needles fit within the Escalade silver bezels? (My stock Tahoe needles wouldn't.)

Also, does anyone know if the glow cast on the bezels from the needles would also be RED? Or, are the fiber-optics that currently cast an ORANGE glow on the bezels (stock Escalade set-up) somewhere inside of the cluster itself? (I tend to think that the glow is cast from the needles, themselves, but I'm looking for confirmation on this theory.)

Thanks, folks!

-Kirk

hcvone · August 6, 2003

Kirk, if you buy an an Escalade and a Hummer think of all the spare parts you will have. ;) Talk to you soon my friend.

greyghost03 · August 6, 2003

I got these needles off of ebay and they might have come off an H2. The seller said they were off a Denali but from what I've seen, the Denali needles are white.

If my new red needles are from an H2, I can tell you that they are the exact same size as the factory orange ones.

Wether they will fit in the Caddy cluster or not - I don't know as I don't have one?

Hope this helps!

KMeloney · August 6, 2003

Greyghost -- Thanks for the reply! Now, from your pic, it appears that those needles are orange. Would you say they're orange, or are they actually red? Maybe I'm mistaken, but from what I think I've seen, I'd say that the Hummer needles are a realatively deep red (at least when lighted at night). How do yours look in person?

Anyway, thanks much for posting that pic. I appreciate it.

Carl -- Glad to see I can wake you from your slumbers with my how-can-I-make-my-Tahoe-more-like-Carl's-Escalade? posts here! Talk to you soon, bro'!

-Kirk

greyghost03 · August 6, 2003

Greyghost -- Thanks for the reply! Now, from your pic, it appears that those needles are orange. Would you say they're orange, or are they actually red? Maybe I'm mistaken, but from what I think I've seen, I'd say that the Hummer needles are a realatively deep red (at least when lighted at night). How do yours look in person?

Anyway, thanks much for posting that pic. I appreciate it.

Carl -- Glad to see I can wake you from your slumbers with my how-can-I-make-my-Tahoe-more-like-Carl's-Escalade? posts here! Talk to you soon, bro'!

-Kirk

My camera didn't really like the plastic cover on the cluster and kinda distorted the pics some. They are red. This is how they look at night.

KMeloney · August 6, 2003

Sweet, GG! Thanks for that night shot. Very cool-looking.

One last request from you, if you'd be so kind... Is there any chance you could measure the length of the needles? (I guess I'm looking for two measurements -- the large ones should be the same size as each other, and the small ones all the same size too, right?) I just want to make sure they're not longer than my Escalade needles (the stock '02 Tahoe needles ARE longer).

Thanks!!

-Kirk

vortec4800 · August 6, 2003

I got these needles off of ebay and they might have come off an H2. The seller said they were off a Denali but from what I've seen, the Denali needles are white.

Any idea where I could pick up some of those needles? I've got the stock orange ones with red bulbs and it looks a bit strange at night, red ones would be perfect!

greyghost03 · August 6, 2003

Sweet, GG! Thanks for that night shot. Very cool-looking.

One last request from you, if you'd be so kind... Is there any chance you could measure the length of the needles? (I guess I'm looking for two measurements -- the large ones should be the same size as each other, and the small ones all the same size too, right?) I just want to make sure they're not longer than my Escalade needles (the stock '02 Tahoe needles ARE longer).

Thanks!!

-Kirk

The larger needles are 1 7/8" long from the tip of the needle to the mounting post and 2 1/8" overall from end to end.

The smaller needles are 7/8" long from the tip of the needle to the mounting post and 1 1/8" overall from end to end.

The larger ones are the same size and the smaller ones are all the same size.

Thanks for the compliment! Glad to help!

hcvone · August 6, 2003

Greyghost -- Thanks for the reply! Now, from your pic, it appears that those needles are orange. Would you say they're orange, or are they actually red? Maybe I'm mistaken, but from what I think I've seen, I'd say that the Hummer needles are a realatively deep red (at least when lighted at night). How do yours look in person?

Anyway, thanks much for posting that pic. I appreciate it.

Carl -- Glad to see I can wake you from your slumbers with my how-can-I-make-my-Tahoe-more-like-Carl's-Escalade? posts here! Talk to you soon, bro'!

-Kirk

I was waiting for you to say the words.

KMeloney · August 6, 2003

Great! I'll take these measurements home and see if these puppies will fit within the Escalade bezels. Thanks a million.

So, GG, I take it you're pretty happy with the look with these needles? It sure looks good in the pics.

Incidentally, is it tough to remove and reinstall the needles "properly", as far as getting them on and off the posts, and in getting all of your gauges to read properly when done?

-Kirk

greyghost03 · August 6, 2003

Great! I'll take these measurements home and see if these puppies will fit within the Escalade bezels. Thanks a million.

So, GG, I take it you're pretty happy with the look with these needles? It sure looks good in the pics.

Incidentally, is it tough to remove and reinstall the needles "properly", as far as getting them on and off the posts, and in getting all of your gauges to read properly when done?

-Kirk

Yes, I am very pleased with the look of these needles and the white face gauge face overlay as I installed both of them at the same time!

Removal is not hard at all. My new gauge face came with a neat little tool to remove the needles but you could use a flathead screwdriver or even a butter knife to pry them off. Just start in the 12o'clock position and pry a little bit then move to the 6o'clock position and pry a little bit and repeat till they come off. Just make sure you pry them STRAIGHT UP and not at an angle so you don't break the mounting post off.

Installation is not too bad. Best thing to do is first thing in the morning, when the engine is completely cool, start the truck and let it idle down and either take a picture of the gauges or draw a sketch on a piece of paper to show where the needles are at when idling. Shut the truck off as soon as you are done. Remove the old needles - take the cluster out to do this. Plug the cluster back in and set ti on top of your steering column. Start the truck again, let it idle down and stick the new needles on in the same position as the picture or sketch you drew. You have to press pretty hard for them to go on and do it relatively quickly as the temp gauge will start to rise as the motor warms up. Best to do the temp gauge needle first! You can then shut the truck off, take the cluster back out, re-assemble it (put the plastic cover back on) then put it back in the truck.

You're done!

That's exactly how I did mine! Sorry so long!

KMeloney · August 7, 2003

Once again, thanks much, GG! On first inspection, it looks as though the tach/speedo needles of my stock cluster are the same size as yours here. I still have to measure the shorter needles to see if they're going to be too long for my Escalade cluster. If I remember correctly, there was no interference with the longer needles and the Escalade cluster -- it was the smaller needles that hit the bezels on the cluster when I looked into a stock-needle swap before.

Hopefully these Hummer needles will work. That will complete the look I'm after! (Well, as long as "complete" can last when we're talking about modding a vehicle... ;))

-Kirk