TheSamba.com :: View topic - Gauges

Sun Jan 09, 2022 6:45 pm

For those of you using three Speedhut gauges, or who have deleted the center stack of LEDs, are the lights in the gauges a suitable replacement for that stack? My question is specifically in regards to my understanding that the Speedhut lights require programing in order to establish triggering parameters. So if say the main battery dies or is disconnected, will this require all of those lights to be reprogrammed?

I'm building a three gauge cluster to replace the entire center section of the stock dash in a client's Club Joker. I don't want him to be stuck with a situation down the road when he swaps out the battery and then his lights will no longer function as a suitable replacement for the factory idiot lights. Obviously the low coolant, and glow plug lights need to be separate, but will the battery and oil pressure lights function without programming?

The gauges I ordered are similar to the above, but the fuel gauge replaces the oil temp in the four gauge set on the right side. Note that there is a single low or high parameter light associated with every gauge in that set. The lights in the speedo are for turn signals and high beam, which I'm sure won't require programming.

Mon Jan 10, 2022 8:59 am

i think youll be fine, the cals should be stored independent of battery power to the gauge. itd be really annoying if they werent given the kinds of hobby cars these usually go in.

the reason im 99.9999% sure thats the case is that i set up all of my cals on the bench, unhooked the gauges from my benchtop supply and walked them to the inoperable van. where they sat for some time before being used, without issue.

you can easily try it on the bench to confirm also

the only time i had to reset the cals was on the quad gauge, after sending it back to speedhut to extend the fuel level filter constant.
which if you havent read about, i think i covered in my build thread but is a must before using it in the van given the tank/sender layout.

Mon Jan 10, 2022 10:10 am

Excellent feedback! I'll revisit your thread when the gauges finally arrive. I bought that decade box based on your recommendation, so I should be prepared.

Fri Feb 18, 2022 1:12 pm

I found this housing while searching for something else...Won't work for my setup but it's a novel approach to mounting accessory gauges in the locker panel spot (2wd or non locker, I mean):

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1032933408/custom-vw-...M3EALw_wcB

Fri Feb 18, 2022 3:12 pm

Interesting locaation, but for gauges which don't need constant monitoring, probably OK. But since the housing drapes over the footwell air plastic, it might be a pain to deal with.

Duncan

Wed Dec 14, 2022 11:38 am

I thought I had already posted this, but apparently I forgot. Anyway, here's my scratch-built gauge cluster as part of a general interior remodel:

https://intrepidoverland.com/up-cocking-the-pit/

Wed Dec 14, 2022 12:59 pm

I like the industrial LT look of that cluster.

Wed Dec 14, 2022 1:28 pm

tencentlife wrote: I thought I had already posted this, but apparently I forgot. Anyway, here's my scratch-built gauge cluster as part of a general interior remodel:
https://intrepidoverland.com/up-cocking-the-pit/
Very trick!

Wed Dec 14, 2022 4:44 pm

tencentlife wrote: I thought I had already posted this, but apparently I forgot. Anyway, here's my scratch-built gauge cluster as part of a general interior remodel:

https://intrepidoverland.com/up-cocking-the-pit/

there's so much i like about this ... the retention of idiot lights, increased area and gauges, a smaller tach, fan control, and the overall look. i'd like a rubber mat interior without any carpet.

one thing i've really come to like is the the $25 current meters with a current coil on the negative batt lead. it gives such a granular indication of the amount of current going in/out of the battery and it's state of charge acceptance. can really see when batteries are topped up vs just maintaining an even charging voltage.

Sat Dec 24, 2022 11:36 am

Zeitgeist 13 wrote: I like the industrial LT look of that cluster.

Thanks. Yeah as the mockup was coming together I noticed the similarity as well. Not surprising, both are purely utilitarian, and when fancy isn't the goal, what you get is straightforward and simple.

I plan on some followup blog posts on aspects of those projects, such as certain wiring details, adapting a distributor Hall unit for a speedo pulse genny, adding custom armrests to aftermarket seats, a whole bunch of stuff.

Unfortunately, I post new stuff less and less often because every time Wordpress updates they do what all the so-called "tech industry" does, which is to make their products harder to use, more buggy and less efficient. It's their world, assholes all, we're just forced to live in it.

Sat Dec 24, 2022 5:03 pm

The gauge cluster I did for a client's Joker Syncro turned out similarly bereft of embellishments. My personal van has that same steering wheel and I love it. I'll bet it works better than stock with that gauge layout, as the tops of my original gauges are lopped out of sight.

Sun Dec 25, 2022 8:28 am

Well as I mention in my article, I had long intended to build a custom cluster, someday. Then when I put in the the 4-button wheel, its smaller radius blocked my view of the top of the stock gauges, so that was the goad to get on with it.

I modeled it up as accurately as I could including setting a rod as my estimated sightline, plus a cutout simulating the wheel rim, to sight down to be sure the critical sections of all the gauges would be visible. So I found that the two temp gauges could be in the median positions in the top row where the lower half of the dials is blocked, cuz I have no normal need to see cold temps, whereas oil pressure, fuel and clock needed to be in the lateral spots because I need to see the full scales on those. Similarly the speedo's barely left of center so I can see it all, and the tach is nudged right because the working range is all along its left side. And so on.

No substitute for a full physical mockup on something like this where the details will make the difference between elegant functionality and just another horrid hack-fest.

Sun Dec 25, 2022 12:06 pm

tencentlife wrote: I modeled it up as accurately as I could including setting a rod as my estimated sightline, plus a cutout simulating the wheel rim, to sight down to be sure the critical sections of all the gauges would be visible. So I found that the two temp gauges could be in the median positions in the top row where the lower half of the dials is blocked, cuz I have no normal need to see cold temps, whereas oil pressure, fuel and clock needed to be in the lateral spots because I need to see the full scales on those. Similarly the speedo's barely left of center so I can see it all, and the tach is nudged right because the working range is all along its left side. And so on.

No substitute for a full physical mockup on something like this where the details will make the difference between elegant functionality and just another horrid hack-fest.

Clock? Where is the clock?

I agree that obstruction is a biggie and unacceptable. My gauge replacement started with not liking the squarish factory cluster pod. First I ground the corners down to soften them and subsequently decided to go with a whole different look with black on white for a retro look. During the process, I changed to a larger non power steering wheel which gives a better look at the dials and I like the comfort with the bigger diameter. All the center urethane was removed and the diameter of grip reduced.

Still a working mockup 3.0. Mockups, in my opinion, as you did, are the only way to go to insure satisfaction.

If a fella averages 50 MPH for simple figuring, and drives 10k a year, that is 200 hours behind the wheel looking at it. Why would you begrudge a few hours with a mockup to make sure you get it right?

The final version will have slightly larger gauge diameters. I have fuel and water temp in the middle because the cast iron brake hydraulic wad is behind it and not much room.

The sight lines are all unobstructed thanks to messing with it. Look forward to the day it's all finished with the 17th coat of varnish on. Because I wanted to design my own dials and decide on their finished diameter, I opted to mod the factory instruments. Lots 'o work and disappointments, but I'll win in the end. Getting the black on white odometer wheels was interesting.

Duncan

Mon Dec 26, 2022 2:34 am

That had to take a ton of work!

Mon Dec 26, 2022 7:24 am

davlance01 wrote: That had to take a ton of work! A ton of fun!!Work on a T3 is when it needs a job done. Mods and improvements are the desert in the dinner of something we'd rather not eat, but mom says we have to.

Duncan

Mon Dec 26, 2022 8:32 am

DuncanS wrote: davlance01 wrote: That had to take a ton of work! A ton of fun!!Work on a T3 is when it needs a job done. Mods and improvements are the desert in the dinner of something we'd rather not eat, but mom says we have to.

Duncan

I always remember it this way.

Would you rather have more dessert than desert? (More 's' in dessert.)

Mon Dec 26, 2022 12:11 pm

Not to derail the subject, but thank you Dave . . . Always nice to have a trick up the sleeve when it comes to spelling.

Mon Dec 26, 2022 12:33 pm

Cawt agein with my crapie speling.

When I play Scrabble, I'm lucky to get "cat".

Never can figure it out. Planning a board through my plainer, 'er can't miss the planing board meeting?

I desssssssserve correction for all the double and single letter mistakes I make.

Duncan P.S. And while we're at it, why is Christ's Mass spelled with a single s at the end? Didn't they get that wrong?

Tue Dec 27, 2022 1:35 pm

rmcd wrote: Here is a recent picture.

Cool gauges! Where'd you find them? I searched on ebay only to find what looked them for $250. Is that about right?

Thu Sep 05, 2024 2:13 pm

I wanted to add some gauges to the dash without invasive cutting or protruding out of the cover and wanted a clear line of sight. So decided to mount them on the steering wheel cover - makes it easy to run the harness too. I made a gauge pod using standard 2in PVC drain pipe. Turns out the glowshift 2 1/16 inch gauge are a perfect friction fit. The mounting leg is a 1/2 cut pipe glued onto the bottom of the gauge pipes. I found a desk? 'grommet' that fits perfectly into the back of the pipe to seal off the gauge pipe. Still playing with height, but this location works well - angled to the driver and not blocking any of the current dash; included that stupid clock.