easier gauge upgrades?

[bagpiperjosh]

I read a tech article on someone who upgraded their gauges. I would like to do that in the future, They are hard to see in the dark, the previous owner moved the oil pressure gauge under the hood because the dash one apparently stopped working ( why under the hood is beyond me). And I would like to get a Tach at some point. The tech article i read looked VERY difficult. is there a company that just uses existing wiring harnesses to add new gauges? I dont mind taking out the old cluster, but the article I read was WAY more involved than i care to get.

 

[rhkcommander]

Its not hard but it isnt a super easy job either. Mechanical gauges are more accurate ive heard but also are harder to hook up and have the risk of leaking oil/coolant if they are that type.

Finding a tach setup is probably the hardest. Our sensor is very basic and is similar to what some tractors use apparently. Finding a gauge affordably that works with that has been hard for me. Some people adapt a more generic tach to the vehicle, using magnets off the pulley.

There is a company with an electronic gauge cluster... Forget their name but itll come to me eventually.

Do you want to replace all or just add a few..? Wont be cheap for speedo w/ odometer, Tach, oil pressure, coolant temp, pyro & boost (if turbo), trans temp (auto), volt meter, fuel gauge(s), and so on

 

[redneckaggie]

which tech article did you read?, AFAIK there are no plug and play gauge kits for these trucks, all will need thier own wiring and mounting solutions worked out by you. Do you want better gauges or just better visibility. If you read the tech article about fiberglassing in your gauge pods you dont have to fiberglass the pods in, You could just add aftermarket pods wherever you like.

 

[bike-maker]

The 83-86 dashes have a great place to put 4 aftermarket gauges IF your truck doesn't have AC. If you have dash vents on either side of your gauge cluster, that makes things more complicated.

Finding a tach for the 83-86 dash is pretty hard; I looked for almost 2 years (I'm also cheap and wasn't willing to pay $100 for one on ebay).
I gave up and modded my dash to fit a speedo/tach out of a bricknose - definitely not the easy way to go.

There are aftermarket diesel tach kits that are run off of the alternator.

 

[bagpiperjosh]

which tech article did you read?, AFAIK there are no plug and play gauge kits for these trucks, all will need thier own wiring and mounting solutions worked out by you. Do you want better gauges or just better visibility. If you read the tech article about fiberglassing in your gauge pods you dont have to fiberglass the pods in, You could just add aftermarket pods wherever you like.

i would like better gauges and better visibility. I dont want to just fiberglass anything on top of the dash, im too short as it is, and it would make it worse to see in front of me

 

[bagpiperjosh]

also, the oil presure gauge seems pretty straight forward. looks like you just run a hose into an oil line..

Im assuming there might be a easy digital way to do the water temp. im not sure.

Fuel tank gauge I have no idea.

Tach as someone mentioned could be installed on an alternator i guess.

voltage gauge, unsure

speedo, not sure how easy that would be

am i missing anything?

 

[riotwarrior]

also, the oil presure gauge seems pretty straight forward. looks like you just run a hose into an oil line..

Im assuming there might be a easy digital way to do the water temp. im not sure.

Fuel tank gauge I have no idea.

Tach as someone mentioned could be installed on an alternator i guess.

voltage gauge, unsure

speedo, not sure how easy that would be

am i missing anything?

The only two gauges hard to deal with would be speedo and tach

You can hunt around for aftermarket gauges, electric versions if you like and slowly get a complete set.

get a dash pod/cluster from a wrecker for either GAS or diesel truck similar year to yours and as was done here

http://www.oilburners.net/forums/sh...ustom-gauges-my-journey-from-stock-to-usefull

Customize your own dash...by removing the stock cluster...you will have to wire in the guages themselves with their own sending units and wiring. It's about the same level of work to install electric as manual gauges just you won't have to worry about oil pressure feed line breaking and leaking oil into cab.

You could use any combination of gauges you want it's entirely up to you.

If you find the seating too low, you could always add an inch or two to the mounts under the seat and lift it up a bit too btw....


I for one...like mechanical gauges but I"m willing to use proper (read expensive) fluid isolators for oil and fuel pressure gauges... most wouldn't!



JM2CW but I think your best bet is narrow down what you want, what your willing to do, how much your willing to spend, and begin the process of gathering the said parts...

 

[bagpiperjosh]

The only two gauges hard to deal with would be speedo and tach

You can hunt around for aftermarket gauges, electric versions if you like and slowly get a complete set.

get a dash pod/cluster from a wrecker for either GAS or diesel truck similar year to yours and as was done here

http://www.oilburners.net/forums/sh...ustom-gauges-my-journey-from-stock-to-usefull

Customize your own dash...by removing the stock cluster...you will have to wire in the guages themselves with their own sending units and wiring. It's about the same level of work to install electric as manual gauges just you won't have to worry about oil pressure feed line breaking and leaking oil into cab.

You could use any combination of gauges you want it's entirely up to you.

If you find the seating too low, you could always add an inch or two to the mounts under the seat and lift it up a bit too btw....


I for one...like mechanical gauges but I"m willing to use proper (read expensive) fluid isolators for oil and fuel pressure gauges... most wouldn't!



JM2CW but I think your best bet is narrow down what you want, what your willing to do, how much your willing to spend, and begin the process of gathering the said parts...

Well i want to get an oil pressuregauge working( either the factory one) or an aftermarket one. Id also like a tach.
I suppose i could see if i could replace the green bulbs in the existing cluster to brighten it up some, that would probably be the least expensive route

 

[riotwarrior]

Well i want to get an oil pressuregauge working( either the factory one) or an aftermarket one. Id also like a tach.
I suppose i could see if i could replace the green bulbs in the existing cluster to brighten it up some, that would probably be the least expensive route

Stock oil pressure gauge is little more than an idiot light with a flapper arm attached...it does not indicate pressure like a regular gauge would/does. I'd still suggest an aftermarket one along with a coolant temp gauge. Honestly those are the simplest solutions. Add an A pillar pod then for two gauges...use electrical for simple routing and not having to have oil in cab.

As for tach...watch the Marketplace here and check ebay and auction sites for one. Simplest solution again!

All in all if the stock gauges had calibrated readings...rather than yes...oil pressure...no...oil pressure...I'd maybe trust them.

Good luck!


Al

 

[justinray]

Since I don't want redundant gauges, I'm sketching out a project for next yr. I want to replace the dash with a full metal dash with cutouts for the vents, radio, and ac controls, and recess all aftermarket gauges and toggles. We'll see what happens.

 

[bagpiperjosh]

Since I don't want redundant gauges, I'm sketching out a project for next yr. I want to replace the dash with a full metal dash with cutouts for the vents, radio, and ac controls, and recess all aftermarket gauges and toggles. We'll see what happens.

Yea i dont really want 2 gauges for the same thing either, i dont know if i'll have much of a choice though

 

[justinray]

When I get the time to do it, I will post pictures and may offer duplicates if time is available.

 

[riotwarrior]

Yea i dont really want 2 gauges for the same thing either, i dont know if i'll have much of a choice though

Sure...remove the stock gauges and associated sending units...replace with aftermarket...or cover the stock gauges you replace with something else...clock...compass something...idiot light????

Just saying you have all kinds of choices...just up to the imagination to come up with something you feel comfortable with and can afford.

 

[bagpiperjosh]

Sure...remove the stock gauges and associated sending units...replace with aftermarket...or cover the stock gauges you replace with something else...clock...compass something...idiot light????

Just saying you have all kinds of choices...just up to the imagination to come up with something you feel comfortable with and can afford.

Yea, as long as i can easily keep my turn signal lights and other indicator lights up top, ill be good to go. That laminated wiring thing in the back looks like a pain in the butt

 

[redneckaggie]

You might want to do a little more searching around as to what guages and different ideas on how to mount them, You are only limited by how creative you can be and your budget. I to would like to do away with the retarted plastic dash and put in a full sheet metal dash but that would require a killer amount of time. Do a lot of research and see what you are in for.