New Gauge Cluster

[johnsonic]

Just got a Dakota Digital gauge cluster custom printed to look more like the factory gauges and have normal ranges for a GW. Didn't even think this was something one could do, really, really, superduper impressed by the way they turned out.

Pic is here, can't figure out how to embed it: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/...8264.jpeg?dl=0

Unfortunately it's going to take a while before I get time to install it, but will definitely post "after" pics when done.

[Distordera]

Thats really sweet!
Is that bolt on or do you have to dio some work?

[TexasJ10]

Who did it for you? They look great. Any night shots? That is when stock gauges are worthless.

Btw, if you do a search on how to post photos on this forum you can get it to embed

[Heavy_Metal_Thunder_81]

That's pretty slick! I wonder if they could do the '73/'74 style cluster with 120mph speedometer.

[johnsonic]

It's this cluster here, but I worked with Dakota to have my art used & they reprogrammed the sweeps ranges to match the lower 85 MPH top end and 5 MPH start, also narrower RPM range.

http://www.bjsoffroad.com/Dakota-Digital-VHX-Series-Dashboard-1973-1985-FSJ_p_1775.html

I love that they look mostly analog, but there's a whole host of other features available and I don't need to go crazy modifying my truck to get them.

TexasJ10 - I won't be able to install them for a while, but will definitely post night shots when it's in.

HMT - the sweep was originally 120MPH so it may just be designing some art for it.

[Woodchomper]

Did you have a particular person at Dakota Digital that you worked with? Those gauges are nicest I've seen so far. It would be really cool if we had some artwork that we could use to choose the desired gauge ranges from.

Thanks for your effort and sharing this is a great option!

[8man]

Nice work, they look good.

[Lustysonfire]

Wow those are impressive

[johnsonic]

Thanks guys!

Woodchomper - I worked with Scott... was really awesome to work with. I can't say enough.

~j

[Frank Ziebert]

Thanks guys!

Woodchomper - I worked with Scott... was really awesome to work with. I can't say enough.

~j

Good info. Thanks for sharing.

[babywag]

That's pretty slick! I wonder if they could do the '73/'74 style cluster with 120mph speedometer.

Yep, gotta love the funkadelic script Jeep used.

[johnsonic]

Man that type is AWESOME! With some time I could totally recreate it. I want to know that font regardless.

It very likely was hand-lettered and silkscreened from there, so recreating would just be finding a commercial font that's close and going with it, or reproducing it by tracing in a digital file.

I think the board the gauges sit in cost a lot to recreate for the style I got, so you'd have the quadrant gauge on the right and tach on the left. Idiot lights too are in certain positions, but can be programmed to whatever you want them to represent. And sweep ranges can be programmed as well.

Just got my engine swap fired up today (!!!) so am going to put the hood back on and just enjoy my ride for a bit before digging into dash harness & instrument cluster, but will post back with photos when it's in.

[johnsonic]

Got them installed! LOVE THEM!!!

Here's the followup I promised.

It's nice having a tach, it's doubly nice to be able to reliably see my gauges. You can set a daytime and night time illumination level - mine are set super low but they can get super bright. Nighttime illumination isn't controlled by the dimmer switch, it's just a user customizable preset. You can get a knob to handle it, but I don't see the need.

Also running an Innovate LM-2 for wideband airfuel ratio. Dakota has a BIM module that can take the output signal for that and display in the LCD readout below the tach or speedo gauges. It's helpful seeing my mixture to tune my carb for different temps / elevations / etc.

There are two momentary switches to control the LCD readouts - I mounted them in the glove box. If you do get this unit, you can run it with the factory lenses in place, but after trying that I would up popping them out and was much better - closer to the bezel and fewer weird reflections.

Another bonus is that you have an option of retaining your existing turn signals - they are converted to LED lights and you can't tell the difference once installed.

The unit also keeps track of quartermile times, speeds and high RPM.

Will also give you warning via the LCD readouts when something is out of a range you set... I had a ground disconnect from the brainbox (see longer leads note above) for oil pressure and the LCD started flashing with the current low PSI.

Wiring was fairly easy if you go about it the right way. Was a bit frustrating getting the box wired since I cut a few lines too short and had to do it in the dash. Doing it again I'd probably splice / solder / shrinktube longer leads so I could hook everything up outside the dash, then ziptie everything into clean harnesses before velco-ing to the firewall. Will clean it up when I redo the dash harness after the summer.

For stuff like 4x4, cruise, and parking brake indicators it's helpful to look at the old cluster's solder traces to know which wire from the circular connector to hook into the brainbox. Also did the ammeter bypass (I'm pre '86) at the same time to run a voltage signal which doubles as constant power - I just used the yellow wire from the ammeter through a 3A fuse. For nighttime illumination it requires a 12v signal - I wound up just modifying a butt connector and shrinktubed it so it's not dangerous and inserted into the headlight switch.

Would definitely recommend installing. All in probably a weekend of work, you get a better, more accurate picture of what's going on, and adding wideband AFR is awesome.

Here is the unit installed:


And a link to a video of the startup / illumination: https://www.dropbox.com/s/4ozmqwnmz5frw0p/IMG_2461.MOV

[Lustysonfire]

Awesome. I can't wait to get one...