Hi everyone,

I'm thinking about updating my gauges and was looking at these
https://www.dakotadigital.com/index....rod/prd898.htm

Anybody body have experience with these gauges? how easy are they to install?
I know they are expensive but I really like the fact that they look like they could of come in the truck stock.

 

bump back up. Looking for anybody that's installed these gauges.

 

I think I saw a thread here once with these gauges in a high end build.

Lend me $800 and I'll let you know

 

I have no direct experience with them, but I have a friend that used a set of Dakota Digital gauges in his '65 Mustang build.
They looked very nice and seemed to work well. He was happy with them.

 

They sure look nice but because of the price I doubt you can find too many folks who have them. I would put them in my truck but I don't have that money laying around right now.

 

Dakota Digital does a good job of using a "bus" type wiring system for the data to get to the dash. So you take all the existing sensors and wiring, and route them to a coding box. The box then has an easy wire harness to the dash.

As a gauge cluster, it has a TON of add-ons and options. The features are great and the quality is great.
As a company, I haven't had too much interaction with them, but did have a MAJOR issue that never got fixed. Their customer service was responsive, but ran in circles. Long story short, I installed their Fan Controller to an electric fan. Controller failed to turn on the fans or would randomly blank out and caused the temps to get dangerous before I realized and shut the truck off. After SEVERAL calls, videos, and proof that I wired it perfectly, they just said, it has got to be something with my truck... I switched to an Edelbrock system and have never had a problem with the SAME wiring.

With that said, I think the VHX is nice, but the HDX is the real innovation. The iOS programming, audible cues, and the ability to interface to my Edelbrock EFI system is just worth it for the cool factor.

 

You can check out SpeedHut gauges too. You can custom order a set of round gauges, probably close to the same price. Just throwing other options out there for you.

 

No history with them and never will at that price. They look great. Tachometer and clock added on the bottom nice. They are bad-azz, but not $800 bad- azz IMHO.

 

I've sold their stuff for years and have installed several in Broncos, and "read along" with a couple of installs in '73-'79 trucks. I even have one of the old blue digital first generation clusters for my '79 but have not installed it yet. And ever time I look at the more recent offerings I get all blue in the wallet but want to spend the money anyway.

They are in fact very easy to install technically speaking, but fiddly and takes more time than you would think due to the sheer number of wires and options. And frankly, it's critical to find a good clean spot for the brains of the system so that you don't have to stand on your head while working with the small wires. With the round gauge pods for the Early Broncos and '61 to '66 pickups, sticking the control module to the back of the gauge cluster is the ticket for some. Since the back is almost perfectly flat, this works out well. Probably the same for your truck, but the shape of the unit might not be as conducive to a good mount. But there is probably some exposed floor/firewall area near the fuse box?
They come with all the sensors that are needed for the particular install, and are programmable to work with your existing fuel gauge sender. One of the last things you do is program the speedometer and odometer over a measured mile.

They're as accurate as we can expect these days from what I can tell, have proven to be very reliable too, and have a good warranty in case they don't.
Sorry you didn't have such a good experience with the part you got Pcmdub. I don't have any experience with that particular part, but we had a big problem with your Derale fan controllers at one point. It was more of an "application issue" than it was an actual fault with the individual units though.
So much so that the manufacturer now includes a warning in their kits that these are not to be used with Lincoln Mk and Ford Taurus fans. Apparently they don't like the big fat surge when they are first activated. Burns out the electronics.
Not sure why nobody ever suggested using relays to power the fan and the controller to switch the relays, but I'm going to try it anyway and see if I have the same problem.

Glad your other brand is working out for you.

Paul

 

Thanks for the input. I know they're expensive but they look really cool. I'm running out of things do with my truck.
I'm trying to keep busy while this quarantine is going on! California isn't going to open up anytime soon!