95.5-2004 Tacomas & 96-2002 4Runners 4th gen pickups and 3rd gen 4Runners

Where to mount aux gauges?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 04-17-2005 | 11:35 AM
  #1  
Silver_Truck's Avatar
Thread Starter
Contributing Member
 
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,817
Likes: 0
From: B'ham, WA
Where to mount aux gauges?

I'm going to be putting in a new oil pressure and water temp gauges in my truck as the stock ones that are in the cluster are fried. So my question is where to put them? I don't have the room under the sterio head unit anymore and a-pillar is out of the question. its just a regular 2 gauge pod. thanks
Old 04-17-2005 | 12:58 PM
  #2  
Racer944's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 905
Likes: 0
From: Birmingham, AL WAR EAGLE
you could mount them in front of the guage cluster. It may get in the way, but it's a possibility to bracket them and align them over the fried guages
Old 04-17-2005 | 06:18 PM
  #3  
DudeBud's Avatar
Contributing Member
 
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,871
Likes: 0
From: WA ,monroe
on the windshield pillar that what i would do but seems like you don't want that. what if you could build some box like the incline meter in 4runners and mount it on your dash. about what size gauges are you thinking about using
Old 04-17-2005 | 08:05 PM
  #4  
Silver_Truck's Avatar
Thread Starter
Contributing Member
 
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,817
Likes: 0
From: B'ham, WA
I'm not sure what they are off the top of my head, I'll check out in the garage when I go out there for some food I think they are like 2" or 2.5"
Old 04-17-2005 | 09:11 PM
  #5  
Silver_Truck's Avatar
Thread Starter
Contributing Member
 
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,817
Likes: 0
From: B'ham, WA
They're 2", and I have them in a 2 gauge pod but just not sure where to mount the pod...I like the idea of putting it in a box like the inclinometer
Old 04-17-2005 | 09:19 PM
  #6  
William439's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
From: Starkville, Mississippi
Sounds like you have them together in a single unit, and since you don't want to mount them under the stereo I am going to have to go with making something to go on the dash to house them, kinda like DudeBud suggested. Course unless you find some sort of premade thing, you are going to have to fabricate something to go there. If you do decide to fabricate my suggestion would be fiberglass, bondo, and paint. I would have gone with the A-pillar myself, but if the unit has the two gauges stuck together then your right an A-pillar is out of the question. And since they seem to be together you can't buy single mounts for the dash either. So ya, I think fiberglass is what I would go with.
Old 04-17-2005 | 09:23 PM
  #7  
Silver_Truck's Avatar
Thread Starter
Contributing Member
 
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,817
Likes: 0
From: B'ham, WA
I can take them out of the housing they're in...just would prefer not to because the mount they're in is really clean looking. What kind of single mounts are there for the dash? I'm just not a big fan of the a-pillar pod...too street racer for me. I'd be all for putting them under the stereo but thats where my new deck is and above it is a monitor for the nav system I'm putting together.
Old 04-17-2005 | 09:56 PM
  #8  
jimbo74's Avatar
Banned
 
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 6,590
Likes: 0
From: Nor*Cal
well i say if its actually functional the a pillar is fine..... and it isnt too ricey as they are small, not a 6" tach on an automatic tranny car.....
Old 04-17-2005 | 10:07 PM
  #9  
sefus's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 126
Likes: 0
From: Spokane, WA
the dash is as good as spot as any. Ive been tinkering withteh idea of putting some in the panel above the glovebox.
Old 04-17-2005 | 10:12 PM
  #10  
DudeBud's Avatar
Contributing Member
 
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,871
Likes: 0
From: WA ,monroe
tomorrow I will take some pics of what I did with the inclinometer there is enough room to mount 3 2" gauges
Old 04-17-2005 | 10:30 PM
  #11  
Bob_98SR5's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 10,036
Likes: 5
From: Los Angeles
Originally Posted by Silver_Truck
I can take them out of the housing they're in...just would prefer not to because the mount they're in is really clean looking. What kind of single mounts are there for the dash? I'm just not a big fan of the a-pillar pod...too street racer for me. I'd be all for putting them under the stereo but thats where my new deck is and above it is a monitor for the nav system I'm putting together.
hey silver,

i dont like the street racer look either, but i did get the lo-tek dual a-pillar mount. look at this pic from our trip to death valley:



now admittedly, it *has* the potential to look rice rocket-ish IF you stick in neon indiglow gauges. i put in autometer z-series gauges (i still have to put the vaccuum gauge in) because they match the trd boost gauge---and it is NOT ricey either

bob
Old 04-17-2005 | 10:34 PM
  #12  
sefus's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 126
Likes: 0
From: Spokane, WA
yes a boost guage is not rice...as long as it reads above 0 every once in a while
Old 04-18-2005 | 07:27 AM
  #13  
EnolaGaia's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 300
Likes: 0
From: SW Ohio
The 'cleanest' (minimal surgery) install would be to mount them on your steering column forward of the wheel.

Though you don't see 'em much anymore, there are such things as pedestal mounts out there. You could use those to mount the gauges atop the dash if you're willing to cut it.

The central console is also a popular place to put extra gauges, though visibility becomes an issue with that location.

There are a variety of pods out there, and I have no idea what kind your gauges are currently housed in. Is it one of the 'frog-eye' rounded pod units? Or is it one of those under-dash panels?
Old 04-18-2005 | 08:29 AM
  #14  
William439's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
From: Starkville, Mississippi
If you go to the summit racing site they sell single gauge mounts for the dash, and you can get several different variations of them.

Summit Racing Mounts

If the link doesn't work just type in gauge mounts in the search option. I still would go with the a-pillar mount just because it is going to be easy to see and install. These single mounts are cheaper though, so once again it is all up to you.
Old 04-18-2005 | 10:00 PM
  #15  
EnolaGaia's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 300
Likes: 0
From: SW Ohio
Check out the VuMaxx 52mm (2 1/16") gauge mounting kit sold through eGauges (www.egauges.com). It's basic, cheap, and offers you the ability to do a lot of different mounting schemes....
Old 04-19-2005 | 10:20 AM
  #16  
Silver_Truck's Avatar
Thread Starter
Contributing Member
 
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,817
Likes: 0
From: B'ham, WA
cool thanks guys I'll look into those. I'll take a pic later today when I get home of what they're in now.
bob: that a-pillar actually doesn't look to bad...how much did you pay for it?
Old 04-19-2005 | 07:47 PM
  #17  
midiwall's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 9,048
Likes: 2
From: Seattleish, WA
Originally Posted by Silver_Truck
bob: that a-pillar actually doesn't look to bad...how much did you pay for it?
I've also got a lo-tek A-pillar mount:

(click for larger pics)


It was $44.99 plus shipping. That's their $19.99 boost gauge as well - works great.
Old 04-19-2005 | 09:41 PM
  #18  
Silver_Truck's Avatar
Thread Starter
Contributing Member
 
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,817
Likes: 0
From: B'ham, WA
thats a crazy A/f and EGT gauge you've got there...It would be nice to have something that would register on the boost gauge so it wouldn't be sitting there doin nothin all street racer like thanks for the pics guys...sorry for lack of picture on my end just got home and im too tired to go all the way to the garage to take a picture of it
Old 04-19-2005 | 10:13 PM
  #19  
midiwall's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 9,048
Likes: 2
From: Seattleish, WA
Originally Posted by Silver_Truck
thats a crazy A/f and EGT gauge you've got there...
Thanks! It was a solution to a "problem" of not wanting to mount a triple pod in there and yet still keep an eye on three things.

For reference, it's a Westach 2DC2-56 gauge: http://www.frostalarm.com/cat/p10.html
(don't be mislead by the funky catalog webpage, they're great gauges)

I found the best service/support/prices on Westach from Sky Sports. They were awesome to deal with - the gauge was just $75. The downside is that it was a 6 week custom order from Westach.


It would be nice to have something that would register on the boost gauge so it wouldn't be sitting there doin nothin all street racer like
Ummm, the truck wasn't running when I took the pic.
Old 04-20-2005 | 05:18 AM
  #20  
EnolaGaia's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 300
Likes: 0
From: SW Ohio
Westach gauges are reputable, if not fancy, and are very common on aircraft. Their dual and quad gauge setups are a good way to get the most instrumentation in the smallest space. The only other manufacturer I know to offer a wide product line of dual gauges is SPA Technique, who have a line of dual 52mm (2 1/16") digital gauges.



All times are GMT -8. The time now is 05:52 AM.