Dakota digital cluster
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Elder User
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 712
Likes: 1
From: Mesa, AZ
Dakota digital cluster
something like this:
Dakota Digital 1973-79 Ford Pickup Analog Gauges Carbon Fiber Red VHX-73F-PU-C-R | eBay
How hard is it to install one of these? Is any of the factory wiring retained, or do you start totally from scratch? After going through 4 different speedometers, I'm looking at different options, including one of these (drawback is big $$$), but I need to know if I'm in over my head in trying to get everything working on one of these clusters.
I have dual tanks...wonder how that works with the fuel gauge on this....
Dakota Digital 1973-79 Ford Pickup Analog Gauges Carbon Fiber Red VHX-73F-PU-C-R | eBay
How hard is it to install one of these? Is any of the factory wiring retained, or do you start totally from scratch? After going through 4 different speedometers, I'm looking at different options, including one of these (drawback is big $$$), but I need to know if I'm in over my head in trying to get everything working on one of these clusters.
I have dual tanks...wonder how that works with the fuel gauge on this....
Cargo Master
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 3,354
Likes: 48
From: Great American SouthWest
something like this:
Dakota Digital 1973-79 Ford Pickup Analog Gauges Carbon Fiber Red VHX-73F-PU-C-R | eBay
How hard is it to install one of these? Is any of the factory wiring retained, or do you start totally from scratch? After going through 4 different speedometers, I'm looking at different options, including one of these (drawback is big $$$), but I need to know if I'm in over my head in trying to get everything working on one of these clusters.
I have dual tanks...wonder how that works with the fuel gauge on this....
Dakota Digital 1973-79 Ford Pickup Analog Gauges Carbon Fiber Red VHX-73F-PU-C-R | eBay
How hard is it to install one of these? Is any of the factory wiring retained, or do you start totally from scratch? After going through 4 different speedometers, I'm looking at different options, including one of these (drawback is big $$$), but I need to know if I'm in over my head in trying to get everything working on one of these clusters.
I have dual tanks...wonder how that works with the fuel gauge on this....
Also, they are very versatile, with the ability to monitor a bunch of stuff, but require their senders for everything. The $800 to get started with the dash may be just the beginning.
I'm sure they work fine with dual tanks-probably pull the feed from the selector switch behind the dash.
I know you're sick of dropping the cluster to replace the speedometer. My uncle had his entire dash go out in his later model Chevy, and just runs a code reader from the ODB(?) connector. That's not an option, of course, but maybe a speedo app on your phone or GPS speedo is an alternative...
Thread Starter
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Elder User
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 712
Likes: 1
From: Mesa, AZ
No personal experience, but in my limited browsing, it seems everything runs through a terminal block with screw-down connectors-like on a thermostat for an a/c unit.
Also, they are very versatile, with the ability to monitor a bunch of stuff, but require their senders for everything. The $800 to get started with the dash may be just the beginning.
I'm sure they work fine with dual tanks-probably pull the feed from the selector switch behind the dash.
I know you're sick of dropping the cluster to replace the speedometer. My uncle had his entire dash go out in his later model Chevy, and just runs a code reader from the ODB(?) connector. That's not an option, of course, but maybe a speedo app on your phone or GPS speedo is an alternative...
Also, they are very versatile, with the ability to monitor a bunch of stuff, but require their senders for everything. The $800 to get started with the dash may be just the beginning.
I'm sure they work fine with dual tanks-probably pull the feed from the selector switch behind the dash.
I know you're sick of dropping the cluster to replace the speedometer. My uncle had his entire dash go out in his later model Chevy, and just runs a code reader from the ODB(?) connector. That's not an option, of course, but maybe a speedo app on your phone or GPS speedo is an alternative...
If I could find a GPS speedo that would look halfway decent in the hole, I'd just do that. There's big price swings in these things....lots of them in the $100 range, and lots in the $400 range, and little in between. I don't really know the difference.
Agreed, that Dakota digital seems like a pandoras box of connections beyond what I want to deal with. And the price is...well....too much.
The speedo isn't critically important to me since I have an aftermarket tach, but it would still be nice to have one.
FTE Legend
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 30,880
Likes: 4,117
From: Angier, NC
I have not done a gauge replacement of your year truck or with Dakota gauges to say what you may run into but.........
I have used Gauges, Custom Gauges, Tachometers, Speedometers, Shift Light, Pod Speed Hut gauges in place of stock 1970 AMC Javelin.
Some of the gauges, think water temp, oil & vacuum had it's own wiring with sender with weather pack plugs. Fuel I used the cars wire & sender, they program the gauge to work with your fuel sender.
Also used cars wires for turn sig, high beam to feed the Speed Hut gauges. Think Tach. had it's own wires also, been years since I did all this.
When I did this I did the wiring so if I ever wanted to go back to stock I could by using male/female plug(s) on the cars harness & stock cluster and plug them together and run stock gauges.
Link to pictures of the work I did, a few pages between start & finish so look them over.
70 Javelin Mark Donohue
Dave ----
I have used Gauges, Custom Gauges, Tachometers, Speedometers, Shift Light, Pod Speed Hut gauges in place of stock 1970 AMC Javelin.
Some of the gauges, think water temp, oil & vacuum had it's own wiring with sender with weather pack plugs. Fuel I used the cars wire & sender, they program the gauge to work with your fuel sender.
Also used cars wires for turn sig, high beam to feed the Speed Hut gauges. Think Tach. had it's own wires also, been years since I did all this.
When I did this I did the wiring so if I ever wanted to go back to stock I could by using male/female plug(s) on the cars harness & stock cluster and plug them together and run stock gauges.
Link to pictures of the work I did, a few pages between start & finish so look them over.
70 Javelin Mark Donohue
Dave ----
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