Dakota Digital

[fizz]

Anybody install the rally guage direct fit gauges yet? Look OK, possably get rid of some wiring clutter and repair and calibration heartache.

[comet_666]

Not yet but I plan on it.

[myk]

I'm definitely considering them, kinda pricey though.  I'm tempted to just cut some sheet metal, squeeze in some Autometers and call it a day...

[fy469rtse]

Was looking at it recently too, I like the way it fits stock dash without modifying anything ,
Emailed them with a couple questions,
To do with the wiring with out hacking into loom ,
And I wanted to know how the factory speedo cable is connected , apparently not ,
Accessory speedo drive , not by them needs to be purchased and then wired in ?
To there credit   They did email me back though , just not clear on things

[fizz]

Its a electric speedo, isn't it?

[fy469rtse]

yes electric,
so i asked do they the required parts to sort out the drive part for our cars ? duh, no you have to source that elsewhere

[fizz]

Their website says it comes with the pulse generator for speedo. I will have a buddy that lives near by stop their and see what the scoop is. Having to make mods or additions to a 900 dollar set of gauges is a no sale

[John_Kunkel]

The digital dash conversions come with a VHX control box, all of the inputs from the various sensors hook to this box and the box connects to the dash with a single flat ribbon cable.

The pulse generator for the speedo goes on the end of the speedo cable under the dash or on the trans. You're required to install two pushbutton switches (SW1 and SW2) within reach of the driver, these switches are used to calibrate the speedo either by driving a known distance or by driving at a known speed.  

[fy469rtse]

thanks John,
do you by chance know how the wiring thats supplied connects into standard wiring ,
dont want to hack into factory loom ,
they claim in another add , connects to factory loom ? plug in   

[John_Kunkel]

In the link below click on the "installation manual" PDF to the right, you'll see that all of the wires hook individually to the control box.

http://www.dakotadigital.com/index.cfm/page/ptype=product/product_id=939/prd939.htm

[comet_666]

Anyone planning on using this cluster along with a Ron Francis or Painless kit?

[fizz]

Got my set last week. SOOOO easy, so far. Fasten face plate and switches to new panel, even has h/l indicator, turn signal and low brake pressure lights. Ron Francis wiring kit should be here in a day or so, picked their kit so I can terminate wires at the fuse block, and have the ability to tidy stuff up when I get done routing wire. Speed generator looks like it fastens to transmission, but havn't verified that. Ecu with gauges looks like the ticket, can remotely mount it from the guage panel. Under dash unit from classic air is mounted, pretty smooth, only issue was had to rebend the line from the unit to the dryer to get a good mounting point for the dryer. This also has a little ecu, so one wire from fuse block to heater/ac ecu and then use the wiring harnesses supplied(neat). Condensor and lines off the condenser are well thought out and neat. That is as far as that is going to get until engine/trans gets built. I think I can break wiring into engine/front lighting/wiper/rear lighting harnesses fairly easily and neatly 

[fizz]

fy469rtse, it absolutely does not plug into existing harnessess

[comet_666]

Did Ron Francis tell you to use the XP-777 harness? That is the one he told me to use...

http://www.ronfrancis.com/prodinfo.asp?number=XP-777

[fizz]

They started with that kit but because I wanted to be able to terminate at the fuze block we went with the bare bonz kit. I have wired 2 vehicles, one with this kit and one with a painless kit. The painless kit had wires preconnected at the fuze block that you ran out and terminated at the assessory. Not as neat at the fuze block. Note to them that you wont be needing the gm switches, and they will delete them. I ordered their shrink sleeve, it looks nice.

[Rolling_Thunder]

Anyone planning on using this cluster along with a Ron Francis or Painless kit?

I plan on installing them on mine...   I ran a painless kit....     I'll be ordering them while I'm overseas

[fizz]

Small update, while trying to figure out where to place the fuzebox from Ron Francis (much bigger than stock), the ecu's for the Dakota Digital gauges and the Classic Auto Air, I decided to use the glovebox. I made a metal glovebox liner 5 1/2 deep by 5 1/4 tall by 18 1/4 wide. This gave me just enough room on the back for all three. added some grommets on the top and bottom so I have a couple places to get wire out other than just the left side.

[comet_666]

Pics please!!!!!

[fizz]

Next week when my kid can post them for me

[comet_666]

Thanks, I am going to pull the trigger on this setup in the next week or 2.

[fizz]

I not using stock wiring harness, this is incredibly easy, and I hope works as advertised. I think it would be a mess to retrofit to stock harness.

[comet_666]

pics yet?   

[fizz]

For WIW, bench wiring my dash. Lots of redundancy in wiring aftermarket fuze panel to Mopar ignition switch. I sent an email to Ron Francis after spending a weekend wiring everything that was obvious. Chris that works there spent about an hour going over the switch terminals and fuzebox terminals sorting it out. Good on Ron Francis?

[comet_666]

And so it begins...
RF XP-777 wiring and Dakota Digital cluster

[myk]

Freaking sexy...