Aftermarket gauges in center cluster

I've worn out the search button trying to find an example of how people are getting the 52mm gauges in the center stack. I found quite a few completed examples, so I know it can be done. There are three pieces in there, the white body housing, the black bezel, and the clear cover. I spent a few hours last night carving out the black bezel to get the gauges to drop in from the front. I got them in the bezel no problem, and carved out the back of the white body and it fits together just fine.

Here's the problem: When I go to put the clear cover on it hits the bezels of the actual gauges and won't sit flush on the black bezel like it used to.

How are you guys getting the cover to go over the aftermarket gauges?

What gauges? I did my AEM's a few years ago and don't recall the clear plastic being an issue? I'm assuming your new gauges are flush with where the stock gauges originally sat?

They are VDO gauges. They have a pretty small lip on them, I'm afraid to sink them down any further lest they might just fall through.

http://i491.photobucket.com/albums/r...psbb8e8dd6.jpg



This one you can see the gap that is quite large.

http://i491.photobucket.com/albums/r...psb9dcd4a3.jpg

What about taking the gauge bezel ring/clear cover off? There's no way the cluster cover will fit flushly over top of those it doesn't look like regardless of how much material you take out. Wish I would've taken pictures of mine before I installed them. :Doh:

I think the gauge bezel is the only thing there to hold them in. I'll explore that option when I get home from work though.

I was planning on writing up a "how-to" once I figured it out. I've taken a decent amount of pictures so far.

Here's mine, 52mm VDO also
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e1...3-13213525.jpg
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e1...3-13180813.jpg

It was a while ago when I did mine, but I'd say you've got to carve more out and get the gauges down lower in the plastic housing. I recall them being a very tight fit, so you might have to really jam them in there tight.

I have a spare set of center gauges if you screw up. But it looks good and I love the fact your putting them behind the lens.

With the help of Alan, we found the solution:

I ended up cutting into the lense itself. I used a sharpie to make it dark on the back side so that it doesn't look goofy. This was a spare test lense.

http://i491.photobucket.com/albums/r...ps956e4e92.jpg

For realz:

http://i491.photobucket.com/albums/r...ps72c2afc2.jpg

Wired and ready for install

http://i491.photobucket.com/albums/r...ps96a74219.jpg


Finished:

http://i491.photobucket.com/albums/r...psdb1bc7fa.jpg

Dannnnng!

Looks good.

Looks great!! I think I ended up doing the same thing with my AEM gauges. I also ended up taking the AEM bezel off with the clear lens and leaving them old with just the stock Mitsu lenses in place. Make them look more like they were supposed to be there. Good job!!

I was wondering how that turned out.

:)

I need a better day time picture. That will be a while though ha

I also replaced the HVAC light bulbs while I had the dash out. They've been burnt out since I bought the car, crazy to see them lit up!

I'll be doing this soon with AEM 52mm gauges. Anybody have pics and a write up for AEM so I don't have to reinvent the wheel?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by familyMAN

I'll be doing this soon with AEM 52mm gauges. Anybody have pics and a write up for AEM so I don't have to reinvent the wheel?

---

They are thin enough to go through the hole from the airbag, and you shouldn't have to pull the dash. That's how I did mine. I dremeled down the black part of the cluster until the AEM's fit in there with stock clear plastic pieces and I cant remember what I used to secure them, epoxy maybe? I kept the stock white housing as well and just dremeled it until the gauges fit inside it and filled it a small amount of spray foam to help keep them snug. And again I avoided pulling the dash at all costs and the hole for the airbag worked wonderfully.

Edit: I can't for the life of me find any pictures right now though.

I tried doing it without pulling the dash at first. It must take more patience than I have. Pulling the dash really isn't as bad as it sounds. Plus, I replaced dash vents while I had it out.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Uniuno

I tried doing it without pulling the dash at first. It must take more patience than I have. Pulling the dash really isn't as bad as it sounds. Plus, I replaced dash vents while I had it out.

---

I have to do the same thing. New dash vents on the shelf already.

I just finished up mine this weekend, did dash vents too.

White during the day...

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...10_1110341.jpg

Amber at night, when the other lights are on. This fuzzy picture doesn't do them justice,, they look great at night, they all look the same color, (not at all like this pic. where the temp looks super bright, and the oil pressure looks like it has a lot of Blue in it) definitely a brighter Amber than stock, but still, nice.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/..._201156-11.jpg

And the dash vents.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...09_2007311.jpg

looks like you used 60mm?

Mine are 52mm's

nice. did you take any pics on how you installed?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sinister1

I just finished up mine this weekend, did dash vents too.

White during the day...

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...10_1110341.jpg

Amber at night, when the other lights are on. This fuzzy picture doesn't do them justice,, they look great at night, they all look the same color, (not at all like this pic. where the temp looks super bright, and the oil pressure looks like it has a lot of Blue in it) definitely a brighter Amber than stock, but still, nice.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/..._201156-11.jpg

---

That looks great. Doesn't look like you used the oem lens. I was afraid it wouldn't look right but it seems you made it work.

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sinister1

Mine are 52mm's

---

Maybe I'm going blind, but did you put the clear plastic cover back over them? Doesn't look like it but it's hard to tell. Gauges look great though, nice job.

No clear plastic oem lense,, I tried to use them, but I didn't like the look of 2 lenses.. no offence to anyone who has, it just looked weird to me. I did use the other 2 pieces though. I dremeled out the Black piece to fit these in and still keep the hood part, and cut the complete back off the White piece, shortened it a bit so it wasn't so deep, and I was still able to use the stock mounting bracket. I made a new back for the White piece to secure them to. Let me see what pictures I have.

Here is a picture of the inside, like I said I cut the back off of this white stock gauge pod to gain access to the wires, and made a new back plate to run the bolts & wires through then screwed the new back into this White piece with a few of the old screw holes you can see in this picture to hold it all together. Again, this was so I could use the stock mounting brackets.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...128_190722.jpg

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sinister1

I just finished up mine this weekend, did dash vents too.

White during the day...

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...10_1110341.jpg

Amber at night, when the other lights are on. This fuzzy picture doesn't do them justice,, they look great at night, they all look the same color, (not at all like this pic. where the temp looks super bright, and the oil pressure looks like it has a lot of Blue in it) definitely a brighter Amber than stock, but still, nice.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/..._201156-11.jpg

---

What gauges are you using?

I'm using Depo Racing gauges, I've read mixed reviews. But mostly positive. I only wanted the one digital, (Oil Pressure) because I thought all 3 would be to bright, & the Oil pressure is the most important to me. Digital is about $10 more than the regular ones.

Deporacing