aftermarket gauges install ????'s - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

rodstored-72 · 12-07-2007, 09:34 AM

well guys i am ready to start working on my gauge cluster & i have a few questions. i am going to run A.M. gauges with a alum. bezel (you know the typical setup) & i have a new dash harness installed. i want to know how you guys have hooked up your gauges?

i have heard that there are pin connectors that can be used to connect the wires from the gauges to the harness, is that what most people do?? i really do not want to "ruin" my new $285 harness. i am not sure how all the gauges are connected???...

any help & explainations, as well as pics, would be very much appreciated!!

thanks!!
rodstored-72

c10addict · 12-07-2007, 09:59 AM

I wired mine basically stand alone.. The only wires I used out of the factory connector was the turn signal and high beam indocaters... I used the AM senders and ran wires from them to the gauges not using the engine harness.

smoky02 · 12-07-2007, 10:41 AM

Really? Can that be done with factory style gauges as well?? Cause I thought the temp. and battery ran through the wiring harness

Putter · 12-07-2007, 10:45 AM

I go to the local stereo shop for cars and grab a male & female harness for newer model GM vehicles and make my own. I have not been able to make any connector that will simply plug onto the factory harness. I will attach pics to give you a visual.

smoky02 · 12-07-2007, 11:00 AM

LOL...damn...so I'm gonna need some help...LOL

smoky02 · 12-07-2007, 11:01 AM

Not trying to hijack your thread...I'm just doing the same thing when I get back from the desert

c10addict · 12-07-2007, 11:16 AM

nice approach with the plug... Mine is hard wired... Figured once in if it is coming back out I have much bigger problems..

jorgensensc · 12-07-2007, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Putter

I go to the local stereo shop for cars and grab a male & female harness for newer model GM vehicles and make my own. I have not been able to make any connector that will simply plug onto the factory harness. I will attach pics to give you a visual.

So pretty..... like diamond rings..... but for men.

smoky02 · 12-07-2007, 11:42 AM

Lol

rodstored-72 · 12-07-2007, 11:43 AM

so where do the wires from the conn. go to??? once the wires are conn from the gauges?? i am not a smart elect guy as you can tell. i would be willing to do putter's ideas if i knew what to do with the final connections???

webfoot · 12-07-2007, 12:17 PM

Each needs 3 wires, one for 12v, one for the sending unit, and one ground. Voltage gauge only needs 2 because the 12v wire is the sensing wire.

Then each light for each gauge needs 2 more.

rodstored-72 · 12-07-2007, 01:01 PM

has anyone on the board try to use the orig. dash harness for the wire conn.??? i thought that i had seen it before & i think the assy. manual shows what each wire is... any thoughts on that idea???

thanks!!

Mudder · 12-07-2007, 01:09 PM

It's really pretty easy. Follow the directions on the individual guage. Usually one wire goes to the sending unit, ground and a 12v switched. Switched is when you turn your key off the power to the guages goes off. There is a prong on the fuse box that will do that. Ground em all and run the other wire to the sending unit. There is also a prong on your fuse box that will operate the lights. Use a test light to find the wires in the harness for your dimmer light and turn signals. There is a wiring diagram here somewhere that will tell you the color of the wires.

jorgensensc · 12-07-2007, 04:36 PM

Tell you what I'll do, This would probably ruin your perfectly good new harness, so I'll take it off your hands for what you paid, and That way you won't have to worry about the pesky wiring harness. I'm really only trying to help you out here. I've got no personal motives ata ll. Just trying to help you recoup your money.

HaHa!!
Shawn

Ben IV · 12-07-2007, 05:01 PM

I used a test light and male and female spade connectors I just figured out what was what and hooked them up to my gauges i used the stock harness for everything except the watter temp and oil pressure guage which is mechanical I allso wired up led's for my turn signals and high beams.

1-PU70 · 12-07-2007, 06:25 PM

I too used a plug from a stero shop and maid my own harnes. The only way to go.

68 P.O.S. · 12-07-2007, 06:51 PM

I went to Radio Shack and bought a male/female 12 pin connector set. I then used a very small allen wrench to take out each pin from the dash harness. I read the wiring diagram and matched up the dash wires and gauge wires and pushed the two connectors together. Mine doesn't look as nicely laid out as the ones above though because I did a rush job on mine.

Smoky02: Since I'm right down the road, let me know if you want some help.

rodstored-72 · 12-07-2007, 10:19 PM

jorgens.,
i would probably be willing to do that but then you would have to buy my new engine harness as well!! the sucky thing about it is that then i would have to buy a painless kit & then figure out how to do all the other wiring as well!! (lol) thanks for looking out for me though(hhaahhaa) anyways i think that i just might try my hand at 68pos's idea as well. i am really enjoying the feedback that i am getting... please keep the thoughts & completed ideas coming...

thanks!!

68 P.O.S. · 12-07-2007, 10:28 PM

Well, no matter which route you decide to go, it is not very hard. I am not very good with electrical wiring, but not only did I rewire the gauge panel, I installed a Painless harness. Just keep going back and double check and triple check everything. I even bought various colored wire to try to match up with harness and added my own black/white stripes as needed. Like I said, it's not very hard.

rodstored-72 · 12-07-2007, 11:05 PM

i keep hearing that but for some reason i guess untill i get all the peices & start looking at them i am really nurvous about the task.... it seem as though if it cant be to hard i always seem to find away to make it hard!! (lol)

thanks!!

6T9GMC · 12-07-2007, 11:05 PM

Hey, are those speedos electric? I never thought about the speedo cable. If so, how do you convert it?

andrewt2 · 12-07-2007, 11:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 6T9GMC

Hey, are those speedos electric? I never thought about the speedo cable. If so, how do you convert it?

that's a good question. i never thought about that.... someone know the answer?

webfoot · 12-07-2007, 11:43 PM

You have to special order one. I don't remember the company but it is listed on the autometer website. I've got one in my chevelle for the gauge panel I installed. Mine was around $60.

c10addict · 12-08-2007, 06:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 6T9GMC

Hey, are those speedos electric? I never thought about the speedo cable. If so, how do you convert it?

they do make a mechanical speedo too... thats what I have in mine...

rodstored-72 · 12-08-2007, 09:51 AM

i wonder if you could take the conn. part at the dash (circuit board) and "soder" on wires so you could use the factory connection??? i guess if you have enough talent, tools & patience (unlike me) it could be done huh????
i too am interested in knowing how to hook up elec. speedo???

12-07-2007, 09:34 AM	#1
rodstored-72 chevy truck fan Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Gilbert, arizona 85298 Posts: 2,003	aftermarket gauges install ????'s well guys i am ready to start working on my gauge cluster & i have a few questions. i am going to run A.M. gauges with a alum. bezel (you know the typical setup) & i have a new dash harness installed. i want to know how you guys have hooked up your gauges? i have heard that there are pin connectors that can be used to connect the wires from the gauges to the harness, is that what most people do?? i really do not want to "ruin" my new $285 harness. i am not sure how all the gauges are connected???... any help & explainations, as well as pics, would be very much appreciated!! thanks!! rodstored-72

12-07-2007, 09:59 AM	#2
c10addict Registered User Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: pittsburgh pa Posts: 1,970	Re: aftermarket gauges install ????'s I wired mine basically stand alone.. The only wires I used out of the factory connector was the turn signal and high beam indocaters... I used the AM senders and ran wires from them to the gauges not using the engine harness. __________________ 68 C10 Shorty TPI,Bagged, and all the good stuff. Classic trucks feature June 06, On the cover of Jegs Christmas Catalog 08 67 C10 Shorty Shop truck project Bagged and Z'd under destruction and getting nowhere fast. 64 C10 Shop Truck/Daily driver, Bagged, Dropmember, SOLD!!!! Gone but not forgotten.. 54 GMC under the knife getting a S10 chassis swap and bagged. See my build thread... 07 GMC Sierra 5/7 drop, 22's and 24's Air ride on my mind.. http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=339340 See pics of my trucks in my profile

12-07-2007, 10:41 AM	#3
smoky02 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Sunny, Florida, some might call it South Alabama Posts: 834	Re: aftermarket gauges install ????'s Really? Can that be done with factory style gauges as well?? Cause I thought the temp. and battery ran through the wiring harness __________________ Just sold my C10...sad day... Looking for a 1972 Blazer to hopefully fill the hole in my heart.

12-07-2007, 10:45 AM	#4
Putter More Cowbell.... Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Puckett, MS Posts: 3,569	Re: aftermarket gauges install ????'s I go to the local stereo shop for cars and grab a male & female harness for newer model GM vehicles and make my own. I have not been able to make any connector that will simply plug onto the factory harness. I will attach pics to give you a visual. Attached Images __________________ *There once was a member from Puckett.....Who ( fill in the blank blank blank* ) bucket**

12-07-2007, 11:00 AM	#5
smoky02 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Sunny, Florida, some might call it South Alabama Posts: 834	Re: aftermarket gauges install ????'s LOL...damn...so I'm gonna need some help...LOL __________________ Just sold my C10...sad day... Looking for a 1972 Blazer to hopefully fill the hole in my heart.

12-07-2007, 11:01 AM	#6
smoky02 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Sunny, Florida, some might call it South Alabama Posts: 834	Re: aftermarket gauges install ????'s Not trying to hijack your thread...I'm just doing the same thing when I get back from the desert __________________ Just sold my C10...sad day... Looking for a 1972 Blazer to hopefully fill the hole in my heart.

12-07-2007, 11:16 AM	#7
c10addict Registered User Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: pittsburgh pa Posts: 1,970	Re: aftermarket gauges install ????'s nice approach with the plug... Mine is hard wired... Figured once in if it is coming back out I have much bigger problems.. __________________ 68 C10 Shorty TPI,Bagged, and all the good stuff. Classic trucks feature June 06, On the cover of Jegs Christmas Catalog 08 67 C10 Shorty Shop truck project Bagged and Z'd under destruction and getting nowhere fast. 64 C10 Shop Truck/Daily driver, Bagged, Dropmember, SOLD!!!! Gone but not forgotten.. 54 GMC under the knife getting a S10 chassis swap and bagged. See my build thread... 07 GMC Sierra 5/7 drop, 22's and 24's Air ride on my mind.. http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=339340 See pics of my trucks in my profile

12-07-2007, 11:42 AM	#9
smoky02 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Sunny, Florida, some might call it South Alabama Posts: 834	Re: aftermarket gauges install ????'s Lol __________________ Just sold my C10...sad day... Looking for a 1972 Blazer to hopefully fill the hole in my heart.

12-07-2007, 11:43 AM	#10
rodstored-72 chevy truck fan Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Gilbert, arizona 85298 Posts: 2,003	Re: aftermarket gauges install ????'s so where do the wires from the conn. go to??? once the wires are conn from the gauges?? i am not a smart elect guy as you can tell. i would be willing to do putter's ideas if i knew what to do with the final connections???

12-07-2007, 12:17 PM	#11
webfoot Registered User Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Hermiston, OR Posts: 947	Re: aftermarket gauges install ????'s Each needs 3 wires, one for 12v, one for the sending unit, and one ground. Voltage gauge only needs 2 because the 12v wire is the sensing wire. Then each light for each gauge needs 2 more. __________________ *Running in place gets you nowhere fast.* -me 1968 GTO 4-spd covnvertible 1970 K-20 4-speed, factory AC. Last edited by webfoot; 12-07-2007 at 12:18 PM.

12-07-2007, 01:01 PM	#12
rodstored-72 chevy truck fan Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Gilbert, arizona 85298 Posts: 2,003	Re: aftermarket gauges install ????'s has anyone on the board try to use the orig. dash harness for the wire conn.??? i thought that i had seen it before & i think the assy. manual shows what each wire is... any thoughts on that idea??? thanks!!

12-07-2007, 01:09 PM	#13
Mudder Registered User Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: East Central, MO Posts: 11,336	Re: aftermarket gauges install ????'s It's really pretty easy. Follow the directions on the individual guage. Usually one wire goes to the sending unit, ground and a 12v switched. Switched is when you turn your key off the power to the guages goes off. There is a prong on the fuse box that will do that. Ground em all and run the other wire to the sending unit. There is also a prong on your fuse box that will operate the lights. Use a test light to find the wires in the harness for your dimmer light and turn signals. There is a wiring diagram here somewhere that will tell you the color of the wires.

12-07-2007, 04:36 PM	#14
jorgensensc Registered User Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Cypress, Tx Posts: 4,005	Re: aftermarket gauges install ????'s Tell you what I'll do, This would probably ruin your perfectly good new harness, so I'll take it off your hands for what you paid, and That way you won't have to worry about the pesky wiring harness. I'm really only trying to help you out here. I've got no personal motives ata ll. Just trying to help you recoup your money. HaHa!! Shawn __________________ 1972 C20 Suburban- Big Blue Betty '56 Chevy Bel Air Sedan- Frame up Restoration -What would you attempt to achieve if you knew you could not fail?- -I Refuse To Tiptoe Through Life, Only To Arrive Safely At Death's Door- R.I.P. EAST SIDE LOW LIFE

12-07-2007, 05:01 PM	#15
Ben IV Registered User Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Glenpool OK Posts: 255	Re: aftermarket gauges install ????'s I used a test light and male and female spade connectors I just figured out what was what and hooked them up to my gauges i used the stock harness for everything except the watter temp and oil pressure guage which is mechanical I allso wired up led's for my turn signals and high beams. __________________ 70 GMC custom short bed conversion 69 GMC panel truck

12-07-2007, 06:25 PM	#16
1-PU70 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Bradenton, FL Posts: 1,036	Re: aftermarket gauges install ????'s I too used a plug from a stero shop and maid my own harnes. The only way to go. Attached Images __________________ 1970 CST/10 402,700R4,3:73 posi,AC,PS,PB,TLT,PW,Buckets with heaters



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12-07-2007, 06:51 PM	#17
68 P.O.S. Registered User Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Puyallup, WA Posts: 1,662	Re: aftermarket gauges install ????'s I went to Radio Shack and bought a male/female 12 pin connector set. I then used a very small allen wrench to take out each pin from the dash harness. I read the wiring diagram and matched up the dash wires and gauge wires and pushed the two connectors together. Mine doesn't look as nicely laid out as the ones above though because I did a rush job on mine. Smoky02: Since I'm right down the road, let me know if you want some help. __________________ 72 C10 lwb fleetside -stock 350/350 combo

12-07-2007, 10:19 PM	#18
rodstored-72 chevy truck fan Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Gilbert, arizona 85298 Posts: 2,003	Re: aftermarket gauges install ????'s jorgens., i would probably be willing to do that but then you would have to buy my new engine harness as well!! the sucky thing about it is that then i would have to buy a painless kit & then figure out how to do all the other wiring as well!! (lol) thanks for looking out for me though(hhaahhaa) anyways i think that i just might try my hand at 68pos's idea as well. i am really enjoying the feedback that i am getting... please keep the thoughts & completed ideas coming... thanks!!

12-07-2007, 10:28 PM	#19
68 P.O.S. Registered User Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Puyallup, WA Posts: 1,662	Re: aftermarket gauges install ????'s Well, no matter which route you decide to go, it is not very hard. I am not very good with electrical wiring, but not only did I rewire the gauge panel, I installed a Painless harness. Just keep going back and double check and triple check everything. I even bought various colored wire to try to match up with harness and added my own black/white stripes as needed. Like I said, it's not very hard. __________________ 72 C10 lwb fleetside -stock 350/350 combo

12-07-2007, 11:05 PM	#20
rodstored-72 chevy truck fan Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Gilbert, arizona 85298 Posts: 2,003	Re: aftermarket gauges install ????'s i keep hearing that but for some reason i guess untill i get all the peices & start looking at them i am really nurvous about the task.... it seem as though if it cant be to hard i always seem to find away to make it hard!! (lol) thanks!!

12-07-2007, 11:05 PM	#21
6T9GMC Registered User Join Date: May 2003 Location: MOORE, OK Posts: 146	Re: aftermarket gauges install ????'s Hey, are those speedos electric? I never thought about the speedo cable. If so, how do you convert it?

12-07-2007, 11:43 PM	#23
webfoot Registered User Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Hermiston, OR Posts: 947	Re: aftermarket gauges install ????'s You have to special order one. I don't remember the company but it is listed on the autometer website. I've got one in my chevelle for the gauge panel I installed. Mine was around $60. __________________ *Running in place gets you nowhere fast.* -me 1968 GTO 4-spd covnvertible 1970 K-20 4-speed, factory AC.

12-08-2007, 09:51 AM	#25
rodstored-72 chevy truck fan Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Gilbert, arizona 85298 Posts: 2,003	Re: aftermarket gauges install ????'s i wonder if you could take the conn. part at the dash (circuit board) and "soder" on wires so you could use the factory connection??? i guess if you have enough talent, tools & patience (unlike me) it could be done huh???? i too am interested in knowing how to hook up elec. speedo???

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