2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Arghhh.....hung up installing my guages

[marksmith]

I installed all my underhood stuff for my guages and ran all the wires into the cab. Now I am at a loss for how to get the wires to the pillar so I can finish it off. I have taken the lower part of the dash off and still can see no "hole" for the wires to be pulled through. Can anyone help me???





Thanks in advance

Mark

 

[Whitmore]

Mark,

Take a coat hanger and straighten it out , shove it down thru the corner where the base of your A piller mount goes and follow or guide it thru your fuse panel and out the bottom then tape all the wire ends to it and pull them up thru and wala, there you go

 

[RBSOB]

Whitmore is correct....

... run your wires behind dash, over to fuse panel area then up thru gap between A pillar{not your A-pillar cover}and dash. No drilling, I didn't even remove lower dash. Your pillar mount covers all wiring, looks Professional . You can also get your power and light taps from #5 and #8 fuses, if memory serves. Have Fun, Jim G.

 

[46mech]

Mark,



I started on the other end. I installed the gauges in the pillar mount and put about 5 or 6 feet of elect. wire to each terminal on the gauges, then I used the "coat hanger" trick to fish the leads down along the pillar; just like Whitmore said. It wasn't easy because there's not a lot of room; especially the connector for the pyro gauge. I thought it would be easier to go down the pillar rather than up. I piggy backed whatever wires I could (i. e. , gauge lights) and then tapped into the fuse panel for their power. Turned out to be a real clean set-up.



Joe

 

[Whitmore]

also if you have cab lites you can tap the feed wire right there in the piller for your lite source.

 

[marksmith]

Whoohoo!!!! First BOMB complete

I think this is going to be addictive. :-laf I ended up taking the vent tube loose next to the pillar and then running my wires, then squishing them between the two vent tubes. Thank you all for your suggestions, it helped tons.



I now have two more guages to look at and three other things to keep track of. As of right now, my FP is 18 at idle and I can't beg it to drop below 12 WOT (that is under load), I figure that is pretty good. My boost is only 20, is this right??? I cant get the EGT to go above 1,000 degrees, and I have my 800 lb fourwheeler in the back. (I am sure when I tow something I might be able to make 'er warm up a little )





Anyways, thank you for all your help and suggestions,



Whats next... ..... Edge Comp Box and a RipRook 4" exhaust. Oo. Oo. Oo.



Man I love having a real truck, Just to think that I was about a half hour away from a Chebby. I should be kicked for admitting it. lol



Thanks again

Mark

 

[CJ Lagos]

If you get your lighting source from the cab clearance lights they won't dim. On my old truck I had them not dim and on my new one they do, much better when they do.



CJ

 

[46mech]

I agree, tapping into a source that allows them to dim is much better. I just plugged into the fuse for "illum. "

 

[Ron Bissett]

/////////// Do all above but disconnect the battery's before putting the coat hanger through to fuse panel you could fry some thing . Push wires behind foam strip near end of dash by wind shield and they disappear. Ron in LOUISVILLE KY

 

[marksmith]

I didn't mention that I located a power source so my guage lights dim with the dash lights. If you take out the headlight switch the brown wire on the bottom of the plug for the little dial to dim the lights is the one I used for my light source, now they dim with the dash.



As for the coathanger and batteries, well... ... ..... I found that out. The hanger got really hot really quick, just glad I didn't have it all the way into the cab and was able to yank it out before it did any damage.



Once again thanks for the input



Mark

 

[Kalaehina]

Weekend project will be gauges next on the agenda, I was wondering if any of you had problems with a lighted gauge on the A-pillar? What I mean is did the light become a distraction at first? Like did it make you double take as if you thought it was a cars headlights in your perifial vision? Or is it not that bad and you'll get used to it? I'm probably going to have to install a switch to turn off the lights on the gauge so when my dad drives it he doesn't get distracted, he doesn't like any unusual lights or reflections on the windshield when he drives, which probably is why he hardly drives my truck .

 

[MarkF]

I just added three guages on the a pillar a few weeks ago. The lights are not distracting at all and if you get the guage lights from the popular ash tray light so they will dim you will eliminate the need for a switch, just dim em. But they really aren't distracting at all.