Pulling gauge cluster out of 85 yota

Where am I going wrong? I have the upper column cover, the "fascia" or beauty panel, but the actual gauges don't have any slack to get behind them and pull them out. What can I do?

probably your speedo cable. i remember having that same problem the last time i tried to get it out. the only way i know how to get it undone is to somehow snake your arm up under the dash through all the bs and undo it from the rear of the cluster..... or i just now thought about this.. is to undo it from the transmission and push the slack up and through the firewall enough to pull the cluster out to undo it.