if the lens is broken does it have to be replaced before repair?
Not necessarily. We recommend leaving the old plastic lens cover on when you send it to us, so the needles and faceplate are still protected. The plastic lens cover is removed when we dis-assemble the cluster and put back on when we are finished. You can replace the lens cover before or after we repair it, it doesn't really matter too much since that's mainly a cosmetical issue and entirely up to you.
Also, if you have a new plastic lens cover and don't feel confident replacing the old one, simply send your cluster in with the extra plastic lens and we'll install the replacement at no extra cost.