Hey guys just wanted to put a little info out for anyone out there that may be looking at these gauges. Yes I know there are other gauges for our trucks and some people like to make their own cluster and that's all fine by me, the DD VHX system just worked best for me with the colors and what I was looking for but shelling out that amount of money could be used else where for sure.
So anyways here is the instructions that come with the kit.
http://www.dakotadigital.com/PDF/VHX-88C-PU.PDF
http://www.dakotadigital.com/pdf/650314H__VHX_manual_main.pdf
I went ahead and removed the steering colum to do this, 4 bolts on firewall, 1 on steering shaft and a couple plugs on the column and 2 final bolts right under dash. So pulling the old cluster out is pretty easy and straight forward, then you need to cut the plastic behind the cluster so the plug is able to be accessed.
I pulled the plug down from behind the gauge cluster to under the steering column for easier access but getting the plug down isn't fun.
once the plug is down and you can access it easy I used this wiring diagram to see what wires I need to remove from plug.
Mine is an 89 so I referenced the top plug as you see the wires will be in different locations between the different years. I pulled Green wire from B3 for the high beam indicator, light blue wire from A11 for left turn signal, blue wire from A8 for right turn signal, tan wire at A2 for brake signal. Here is where a little fun began, the purple or pink wire it says is for the fuel level in the stock pin that is in the A1 couldn't be used due to the fact it has 12 volts going to it and Dakota Digital dosen't want voltage going to box at that input. On my truck there are three wires leaving my fuel level sensor, purple, black and tan, assuming black is the ground and the purple wire for whatever reason had 12 volts at the plug behind stock cluster which caused the issue. I traced the tan wire up to the firewall where it goes into a plug (in a tight spot and couldn't get a pic) Taped into tan wire and ran the wire thru firewall and under dash to meet other wires.
(^^ pic was before I fixed the fuel sensor issue)
Made connections to the stock wiring and then ran my wires up under dash and then over top of middle ac duct and then ran wires to glove box because that's where I chose to mount my box.
So anyways here is the instructions that come with the kit.
http://www.dakotadigital.com/PDF/VHX-88C-PU.PDF
http://www.dakotadigital.com/pdf/650314H__VHX_manual_main.pdf
I went ahead and removed the steering colum to do this, 4 bolts on firewall, 1 on steering shaft and a couple plugs on the column and 2 final bolts right under dash. So pulling the old cluster out is pretty easy and straight forward, then you need to cut the plastic behind the cluster so the plug is able to be accessed.
You must be registered for see images attach
I pulled the plug down from behind the gauge cluster to under the steering column for easier access but getting the plug down isn't fun.
You must be registered for see images attach
once the plug is down and you can access it easy I used this wiring diagram to see what wires I need to remove from plug.
You must be registered for see images attach
Mine is an 89 so I referenced the top plug as you see the wires will be in different locations between the different years. I pulled Green wire from B3 for the high beam indicator, light blue wire from A11 for left turn signal, blue wire from A8 for right turn signal, tan wire at A2 for brake signal. Here is where a little fun began, the purple or pink wire it says is for the fuel level in the stock pin that is in the A1 couldn't be used due to the fact it has 12 volts going to it and Dakota Digital dosen't want voltage going to box at that input. On my truck there are three wires leaving my fuel level sensor, purple, black and tan, assuming black is the ground and the purple wire for whatever reason had 12 volts at the plug behind stock cluster which caused the issue. I traced the tan wire up to the firewall where it goes into a plug (in a tight spot and couldn't get a pic) Taped into tan wire and ran the wire thru firewall and under dash to meet other wires.
You must be registered for see images attach
(^^ pic was before I fixed the fuel sensor issue)
Made connections to the stock wiring and then ran my wires up under dash and then over top of middle ac duct and then ran wires to glove box because that's where I chose to mount my box.
You must be registered for see images attach