[wirerat]

Looking to see in there are any recent attempts at this ongoing and who if anyone has performed this without incident.
Currently working on a 1992 YJ and will be performing the following tasks and wanted to ask what hangups I would hit.

1.) high beams relocate to dash off wire harness
2.) Indicator lights and hazards to aftermarket switch (steering column clamp or other) - looking for this part else to dash panel multi switch
3.) windshield wiper controls to dash (switch panel)
4.) slim steering column (aftermarket)
5.) all engine indicator lights and cluster panel reworked to HUD lights dash mount
6.) autometer gauges
7.) heater vent relocate - removal of complete plastic dash and tin dash mounting backplate
8.) ignition moved to Dash
9.) custom mounts for CB Radio, Ham Radio, radio

Thusfar the plastic has been removed and working on the steering column plastic and dash plastic around the column.
pulling out all wiring to the column and working it from the connectors off the harness to a remade connector bank (not changing the original wiring harness)
Knowns thusfar
Fuel Gauge tolerances will read 1 ohm empty from sending unit 88 ohms full

Dash customization being considered requires not to reuse old YJ tin pieces and is custom made
Pneu-Con Systems Inc.
P.O Box 5715,
Bend, Oregon 97708
541-382-2552
Contact Mike Garoutte
Gauges O am looking at are from auto meter
Auto Meter
413 W. Elm Street
Sycamore, Illinois 60178
815-895-8141

Any direction or comments / constructive pointers is highly welcome

 

[NHfireLJ]

You're kidding right? Tons of dashes out there and tons of write ups...

http://www.aqualu.com/jeep-dashes.html

Try the search engine...

 

[wirerat]

Appreciate the link.. i was not getting much on the searches beyond partial projects
Regards.....

 

[JeeperDon]

Way easier than hacking together something of your own, really fair prices, and full custom, go see Dan Dilner at DoubleDfab.

The top photo is my YJ dash on the bench before install. Dan made the main metal, full custom. Every item is exactly where Dan and I worked out for my needs. I added the full Autometer gauges and other items.

The lower photo is the dash in Dan's garage before boxing to ship.
:cheers2:

 

[Rebel442]

Ill give another vote for going with double D dash, takes awhile to get but prices are very reasonable.

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[superj]

that is badass!! /\

 

[cowboyup0280]

Way easier than hacking together something of your own, really fair prices, and full custom, go see Dan Dilner at DoubleDfab.

The top photo is my YJ dash on the bench before install. Dan made the main metal, full custom. Every item is exactly where Dan and I worked out for my needs. I added the full Autometer gauges and other items.

The lower photo is the dash in Dan's garage before boxing to ship.

JeeperDon I'm working on putting in my custom dash from Dan and was wondering if you or anyone on the forum might have a write up of the wiring

 

[JeeperDon]

JeeperDon I'm working on putting in my custom dash from Dan and was wondering if you or anyone on the forum might have a write up of the wiring

The wiring completely depends upon what you are using for gauges and how nice you want to make it. I wanted a nice clean setup, so I went to a junk yard and got some random multi-pin connectors, matching female/male pairs. I grouped the wiring into three parts, as you can see below.

 

[TallPaulYJ]

JeeperDon - Do you have these pics available still? I am looking to get a flat dash made for a 1988 YJ and I would love to see how yours came out. Thank you from a newbie!

 

[Towny72]

Photo Bucket has set us back years in Jeep repair!

 

[JeeperDon]

JeeperDon - Do you have these pics available still? Thank you from a newbie!

The cardboard dash was there for a month, while Dan and I worked in parallel. Those defroster vent things on the finished dash are open on top. Not shown in the photos is that I inserted some black window screen, bent to fill in that hole, to give the vents a nice flat top finished look (the old metal type window screen, not the plastic used these days).

 

[bruinjeeper]

Dragging one up here. It ain't too old.

I also find it cute how @JeeperDon tends to pop his head outta the bushes into any threads whose title includes any conjunction of the words "dash", "mod", "flat", "aftermarket gauges". Lol.

So, with nothing other than a Body Lift on my plate this year for the YJ... and in recently finding out SOA is not going to work for me this year due to logistic incompatibilities I am thinking of using the money I have saved to get something I have wanted to do for a long time. A custom flat dash and with it, aftermarket gauges. It evidently swayed to the end of my list as I focused on other aspects, alongside emergency repairs that pop up every now and then. Obviously, the daunting aspect of someone who is uneducated on the topic plays a huge role in pushing this down the list of mods. The daunting aspect of it as been eased a little as I have been researching everything on the topic. I plan to go through the PCM for tidiness and use the factory harness/senders. The only sender I will have to install and make a run for it would be a transmission temperature gauge.

I have already been in contact with Dan Dilner at DD fab and he is working on getting me a shipping quote from UPS up to Canada. Will be costly, but let's face it... after the first 10 or so entries into the jeep to be greeted by a custom plastic-free dash, I'll get over that quite quickly. The money has already been saved up as it was intended for the SOA plans, I won't miss it.

Curious on pointers... for my 1995, I have found some valuable information regarding wiring. I hope someone would be able to fill in the only blank I have (regarding speedometer wiring/colors). I plan to use Equus gauges for Oil pressure, coolant temp, trans temp and fuel level and Autometer phantoms for the tachometer and electronic speedo. I do not think I will be going ahead with a voltmeter as it is redundant due to the digital one in my overhead switch panel.

Below is some valuable information:
Main instrument cluster
Accessory +12v - Blue/White (x2). Illumination +12v - Orange.
Tach - Gray/Blue stripe.
Shift Light - Orange/Black stripe.
Check Eng +12v - Black/Pink stripe.
Left Turn +12v - Green.
Right Turn +12v - Tan.
High Beam +12v - Red/Gray stripe

Center Instrument Cluster
Ignition +12v - Blue/White (x2)
Ground -12v - Black (x2)
Fuel - Dk. Blue
Water Temp - Violet/Yellow
Illumination +12v - Orange (x2)
Oil Pressure - Gray/Yellow

The key to all this, especially for me as it is my daily driver and cant afford much downtime, is to getting as much information and input as I can. Once I start ripping everything out, I am going to need to get it all back up and together as quickly as possible. I am thinking sandwiching a weekend between a Friday and Monday off of work should be more than enough time start to finish. (Of course dash will be painted, finished and gauges will be properly wired and set up with multi pin connectors accordingly before that point).

This is quite an expensive venture, but a worth while one in my opinion... that said I am still trying to keep cost down as much as possible with the design i am leaning towards (no glove box. I literally have nothing in my current one ...maybe a pez dispenser, a cigar and a couple pens). It also provides some valuable space behind the dash for mounting something, anything (amplifier, etc etc).

Any pointers from people with experience on this type of project is greatly appreciated. Open to suggestions as well.

 

[Waternut]

It's all about what you want and what your goals are. My goal was cheap, easy to cut, and I had the materials on hand. I made mine out of fiberglass that I had laying around and then painted it the color I wanted. I've slowly added more and more stuff to it and fiberglass is much easier to drill than metal.

Hopefully the pictures show up outside of Tapatalk but I think I spent a total of about $20-$30 in materials on mine.

I used Jegs gauge set and have been really happy with them. Really love how they look at night too.

 

[bruinjeeper]

I dont mind giving the money to a guy that does quality work and works as hard as Dan from DD fabs does.

It's his type we should be supporting. At the expense of money, I see a virtue in it. I guess I'm just that type of guy.

Yours looks really good, always admired it.

 

[NHfireLJ]

It's all about what you want and what your goals are. My goal was cheap, easy to cut, and I had the materials on hand. I made mine out of fiberglass that I had laying around and then painted it the color I wanted. I've slowly added more and more stuff to it and fiberglass is much easier to drill than metal.

Hopefully the pictures show up outside of Tapatalk but I think I spent a total of about $20-$30 in materials on mine.

I used Jegs gauge set and have been really happy with them. Really love how they look at night too.

No problem w the passenger hearing the music.. :surprise:

I dont mind giving the money to a guy that does quality work and works as hard as Dan from DD fabs does.

It's his type we should be supporting. At the expense of money, I see a virtue in it. I guess I'm just that type of guy.

Yours looks really good, always admired it.

I thought about fabbing one, and said, you know DD makes great ones... If I did, I'd buy from him...

Have you looked at the Speed hut gauges? Completely customizable and what way better than to show off your dash... colors, graphics, lighting etc... Also a GPS speedo is pretty cool... (not that you need one...I did in my application, but in case you are considering eng swap later)

 

[Waternut]

I do like the DD dash kits. I just couldn't stomach the price. I know it probably takes him several hours to make it plus materials so it's not unreasonable.... I just couldn't talk myself into it at the time.

One thing I will point out with a GPS speedo... It works great when cruising but there is a 1-2 second lag when accelerating and stopping. When I drive a manual, I typically glance at my speed when downshifting to determine the right gear. Accelerating from a stop isn't a big deal but when I'm slowing for a red light and it turns green, I might feel like I should be shifting into 2nd or 3rd but my speedo was still reading 45mph. By the time I've come to a complete stop, the speedo was just passing 20mph. Not the end of the world but something to be aware of.

As for the speaker sound on my dash.... the lack of stereo sound is no where near as bad as you might think. Between the wind noise with no doors or top, a V8 with a throaty exhaust, and big mud tires, the fact that you can even hear music is a simple pleasure.

 

[bruinjeeper]

I have done some research on GPS speedo's... and actually have found some considerably cheaper than any autometer electronic gauge. It makes for easier hook up.

Just have not done any research on reviews.

I would certainly be down for one if they come recommended.

All that said, i would need direction in terms of mechanical or electric - i believe the YJs use all electric gauges (1995 anyhow), am i correct on that? I am okay with this - it isn't a track car and being off a wee bit is fine for a daily driver YJ - just need to know things are within tolerable range.

I assume with the dash i am leaning towards (posted above) the screw cup design gauges will not work, i suppose i can work with Dan on that and get the holes cut flush without metal protrusions.

My only fear with the GPS speedo is location/angle of the GPS/antenna unit. Our windshields are pretty much vertical and in the limited research i have done, i see it should be flat side pointed to the sky.

 

[Waternut]

Not sure I've ever seen an aftermarket electronic speedo that doesn't have built in adjustments. You install it and then enter a calibration mode where you drive a mile (usually) and then end the calibration. Once that's done, your speedo is correct. If you ever change tire sizes, you just do that again.

When I did the GPS speedo receiver, I used my same aftermarket gauges. I think the receiver itself was like $40-$50. I threaded the receiver through the cowl behind hood and just placed it where the wipers wouldn't hit when folding the windshield down. I still have that receiver somewhere but I hated it.

 

[NHfireLJ]

I have done some research on GPS speedo's... and actually have found some considerably cheaper than any autometer electronic gauge. It makes for easier hook up.

Just have not done any research on reviews.

I would certainly be down for one if they come recommended.

All that said, i would need direction in terms of mechanical or electric - i believe the YJs use all electric gauges (1995 anyhow), am i correct on that? I am okay with this - it isn't a track car and being off a wee bit is fine for a daily driver YJ - just need to know things are within tolerable range.

I assume with the dash i am leaning towards (posted above) the screw cup design gauges will not work, i suppose i can work with Dan on that and get the holes cut flush without metal protrusions.

My only fear with the GPS speedo is location/angle of the GPS/antenna unit. Our windshields are pretty much vertical and in the limited research i have done, i see it should be flat side pointed to the sky.

Mine sits on the dash. works fine..

As mentioned, if you think there's a swap in your future, a gps speedo is one less thing to tie in...

 

[bruinjeeper]

I have done some research on GPS speedo's... and actually have found some considerably cheaper than any autometer electronic gauge. It makes for easier hook up.

Just have not done any research on reviews.

I would certainly be down for one if they come recommended.

All that said, i would need direction in terms of mechanical or electric - i believe the YJs use all electric gauges (1995 anyhow), am i correct on that? I am okay with this - it isn't a track car and being off a wee bit is fine for a daily driver YJ - just need to know things are within tolerable range.

I assume with the dash i am leaning towards (posted above) the screw cup design gauges will not work, i suppose i can work with Dan on that and get the holes cut flush without metal protrusions.

My only fear with the GPS speedo is location/angle of the GPS/antenna unit. Our windshields are pretty much vertical and in the limited research i have done, i see it should be flat side pointed to the sky.

Mine sits on the dash. works fine..

As mentioned, if you think there's a swap in your future, a gps speedo is one less thing to tie in...

Definitely a swap at some point.

Yep. Sourced a GPS speedo. I am good on the gauges. Just waiting to hear back from Dan now.