hey i have a 99 with no tach and it bugs the crap out of me. if i get a cluster from a truck with a tach and hook it up will it work? and if not what would i need to do to hook up a factory tach? thanks.

 

1. PATS is in the HEC which is attached to the back of the gauge panel.
2. If you swap a gauge cluster, you need to remove the HEC from the back, and install it on the new gauge cluster ( by gauge cluster, I mean the dials part ).

I am trying to find from 2002 the threads on this topic, but if memory serves me correctly, it is not doable, without programming new keys into the system. A PATS locksmith could do this, following the erase and reprogram new keys procedure with a NGS PATS programmer ( think it is the NGS, not the WDS ).
Both the NGS and WDS have been replaced as of late, so they might have new equipment.
The NGS was replaced with a PDS.
The WDS was repalced with a IDS.

Either the new or old system would work just fine, keep in mind the HEC also contains the odometer reading, which is a return to factory reprogram if you want to keep the same reading ( like should be done ).

So the easy answer I can think of, from 4 years ago, is no it is not an end user remove and replace item. Maybe think of an aftermarket like the Autometer steering column Pod, with the tach in that ? There are 2 versions of it, one for the F-150 and one for the F-250, which seem to work the same on the F-150s ( for the '01 + so should be good with yours ).

Good luck, I'll post back if I find the threads, where Jeff went through the process ).