When you say the speedo cable is free do you mean that you've found the cable end unscrewed from the rear of the cluster or that it appears free because you have 3-4" of slack and the cluster has moved that distance forward?

The speedo cable is attached by a serrated screw collar to the cluster at its center rear. Its unscrewed counter clockwise. Then the round multi-pin connector of the left hand rear side of the cluster needs to be unplugged. With those things disconnected you can get to the other things easily.

You should have already telescoped the steering column out or rearward as much as possible to give you the clearance between the dash's upper overhang and the wheel.