View Poll Results: Are you interested in getting this for your 350Z?
Yes, I want to get in on this.
28
45.90%
No Thanks.
11
18.03%
Maybe, I need more details.
22
36.07%
Voters: 61. You may not vote on this poll
Custom Gauge Faces
07-26-2004, 04:23 PM
#41
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Thank you. Anyways, I wanted to let everyone know that I will contact Speedhut this week to see if there was any progress in being able to remove the needles without breaking them. Also, I will post up some pictures as promised when I get home from work. After reading around with some other posts on the site it seems that some people have been able to remove the needles which gives some hope for this project. As soon as we get the test piece apart then it will come time to start generating orders for what everyone wants. Also be rest assured that there will be a detailed how to along with pictures to help you along the way.
07-27-2004, 05:49 PM
#42
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Here are some pictures from the dials, you can see that there is not enough room to slip over the new faces underneath the pointer without removing the old ones first. So this is the problem we are working on.
07-27-2004, 05:53 PM
#43
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We are looking into dremeling this white hub underneath the gauge face that houses the shaft of the pointer. If it can be dremeled out to allow a pair of pliers in there then it might be posible to remove the pointers without breaking them off. Sit tight everyone, we will get there eventually.
07-28-2004, 07:37 AM
#44
I can't wait! When you get the faces removed, can you take some detailed pictures of the board assembly + the board lighting up (don't start the car)? Pictures of the back and each pod will be very helpful so I can identify some parts.
The cluster assembly looks very low profile! I've worked with Hondas and they're like a big box.
Also, I wonder if it's possible to just cut the face and then slide new ones over the needle? Will too might light leak through the faces? I don't mind destroying my OEM faces just to be able to slide in new ones. I'd like to get blackout faces.
Another thing, can you remove the motor and be able to pull out the face as well? I did this with a Honda cluster. I removed the face/motor as a whole and it gives me more room to work on it.
-Phuong
The cluster assembly looks very low profile! I've worked with Hondas and they're like a big box.
Also, I wonder if it's possible to just cut the face and then slide new ones over the needle? Will too might light leak through the faces? I don't mind destroying my OEM faces just to be able to slide in new ones. I'd like to get blackout faces.
Another thing, can you remove the motor and be able to pull out the face as well? I did this with a Honda cluster. I removed the face/motor as a whole and it gives me more room to work on it.
-Phuong
Last edited by DIGItonium; 07-28-2004 at 07:40 AM.
07-28-2004, 11:42 AM
#45
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Great News!!!
I received an email last night with some pictures for everyone.
This is for all of the doubters out there.
The next phase is to come up with an easy method for customers to be able to remove the pointers themselves without breaking them off.
This is for all of the doubters out there.
The next phase is to come up with an easy method for customers to be able to remove the pointers themselves without breaking them off.
07-28-2004, 11:55 AM
#46
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Okay, this is how it was done, first off, a pair of angled needle nose cutters was used to remove part of the plastic section that houses the shaft of the pointer. Then with a set of needle nose pliers holding the metal shaft, the pointer was twisted off. Now considering that this is a tricky thing to do, the suggestion came up that instead of cutting the plastic, that you cut the OEM gauge face instead and this will provide you with enough room to get a set of needle nose pliers on the shaft in between the pointer and the plastic housing. But once you cut the OEM gauge face, you can't replace it.
07-28-2004, 12:02 PM
#47
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A quote from the tech at Speedhut.com
Once the entire gauge cluster is dissambled, we will determine the best and easiest method for removing the OEM needles. If people would like, we can provide both methods for removing the needles but keep in mind that cutting the plastic housing will take some skill and will be a little risky.
Instead of using a demel I used a pair of diagnal
cutters. I was able to remove the plastic around the RPM gauge using this method. I then used needle nose pliers to hold the metal shaft while I twisted off the pointer. This worked well, but I am concerned about having everyone perform this kind of work on the cluster. It seemed very likely people would break pointers trying this. I feel the best way would be to actually cut the dials with a exacto knife. This way, all the work is done from the front of the cluster and it becomes much easier to get at the metal shaft to hold it while twisting the pointer off. This greatly reduces the risk of breaking the dials. However, cutting the dials is a permanent mod done to the dials and there is no going back to stock after doing this mod.
cutters. I was able to remove the plastic around the RPM gauge using this method. I then used needle nose pliers to hold the metal shaft while I twisted off the pointer. This worked well, but I am concerned about having everyone perform this kind of work on the cluster. It seemed very likely people would break pointers trying this. I feel the best way would be to actually cut the dials with a exacto knife. This way, all the work is done from the front of the cluster and it becomes much easier to get at the metal shaft to hold it while twisting the pointer off. This greatly reduces the risk of breaking the dials. However, cutting the dials is a permanent mod done to the dials and there is no going back to stock after doing this mod.
Once the entire gauge cluster is dissambled, we will determine the best and easiest method for removing the OEM needles. If people would like, we can provide both methods for removing the needles but keep in mind that cutting the plastic housing will take some skill and will be a little risky.
07-28-2004, 01:13 PM
#48
*THEORY*
Think about this, what turns the needles are motors right? When the car is off, the motors lose power and gravity pulls the needles down to a stopper. If you were to manually turn the needles, you can get it to spin a full 360 deg. revolution.
If the cluster is smart, it might be able to determine "home" position depending where the needle is sitting (assuming at the stoppers).
I'm guessing, at best, replacing the needle won't be as difficult since it'll fall down to the stopper no matter what and assume it's "home position."
This makes more sense for our cars since all the needles fall down to the stopper when car is off. I'm assuming the gauge cluster is much more digital in terms of control than analog.
Think "servo" motors.
-Phuong
Think about this, what turns the needles are motors right? When the car is off, the motors lose power and gravity pulls the needles down to a stopper. If you were to manually turn the needles, you can get it to spin a full 360 deg. revolution.
If the cluster is smart, it might be able to determine "home" position depending where the needle is sitting (assuming at the stoppers).
I'm guessing, at best, replacing the needle won't be as difficult since it'll fall down to the stopper no matter what and assume it's "home position."
This makes more sense for our cars since all the needles fall down to the stopper when car is off. I'm assuming the gauge cluster is much more digital in terms of control than analog.
Think "servo" motors.
-Phuong
07-28-2004, 03:55 PM
#49
thats a really interesting idea. makes sense.
what i am still confused about is will this conversion actually make the light at night something diff than orange? i want white guages at night. can this be done without alot of extra risky crap and expensive?
what i am still confused about is will this conversion actually make the light at night something diff than orange? i want white guages at night. can this be done without alot of extra risky crap and expensive?
07-28-2004, 04:59 PM
#50
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I'm really glad to see that they were able to get the needles off, but I'm curious to see the "how-to" instructions that come with the kits. Considering I've had my cluster apart to make my shift light kits, I know how hard it is to try to remove the needles. I tried for a while before I heard a little snappy-crack and decided not to proceed. If they are able to do this, that will be great and I'll definitely buy one... but I'm not going to hold my breath until I see an easy to install product that still looks good.
Good Luck SpeedHut.com!!
-Chris
Good Luck SpeedHut.com!!
-Chris
07-28-2004, 09:31 PM
#51
I can't see the board well from the pictures, but it looks like incandescent backlighting through those round openings. I can clearly see an LED (probably amber) through the hole where the needle is.
Assuming the lights are incandescent, they can print new gauge faces with whatever color you want.
Black Cat Custom specializes in this. I'd like to avoid the EL route, but I prefer changing the bulbs to something else.
Checkout my site. Go to Pictures=>Hobbies=>LED for some projects I did.
Assuming the lights are incandescent, they can print new gauge faces with whatever color you want.
Black Cat Custom specializes in this. I'd like to avoid the EL route, but I prefer changing the bulbs to something else.
Checkout my site. Go to Pictures=>Hobbies=>LED for some projects I did.
07-29-2004, 01:12 PM
#52
Tim (ACP), who worked on the small tri-pod cluster told me it didn't require much force to pull off those needles.
For Prelude gauges (learning it the hard way), it was impossible to pull the needles without taking the shaft with it. After making the mistake of pulling off the shaft with the needle, it was very difficult to pull the needle off the shaft even with pliers!
If Tim can pull off the needles with little force, I wouldn't be surprised about the rest of the cluster. There's pictures and you can see they're all the same.
I'll do this someday once someone can print off customized gauge faces. I'll modify the cluster to change lighting from white -> lt. blue -> blue.
-Phuong
For Prelude gauges (learning it the hard way), it was impossible to pull the needles without taking the shaft with it. After making the mistake of pulling off the shaft with the needle, it was very difficult to pull the needle off the shaft even with pliers!
If Tim can pull off the needles with little force, I wouldn't be surprised about the rest of the cluster. There's pictures and you can see they're all the same.
I'll do this someday once someone can print off customized gauge faces. I'll modify the cluster to change lighting from white -> lt. blue -> blue.
-Phuong
Last edited by DIGItonium; 07-29-2004 at 01:18 PM.
07-30-2004, 12:51 PM
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Originally posted by djtonium
Wah? That same 350z with LED spot lighting has custom gauges?!?!
http://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/611780/2
Wah? That same 350z with LED spot lighting has custom gauges?!?!
http://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/611780/2
-Chris
07-30-2004, 01:17 PM
#56
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I am sending copies of the pictures of the custom gauges of that Z to speedhut. I will see what he can do to match that or what he is limited to doing with the new gauge faces.. I think that alot of people here would like to have a custom design and custom colors of back lighting. I don't know for sure about the backlighting as that would probably require the individual to remove the orange/amber OEM LED and replace it with a different color to get the effect you are looking for. But as for the design and coloring of the gauge face itself, I am sure that is somethign that can be done with speedhut. I will just have to confirm where they draw the line. But for now, we will have to wait a little bit.
07-30-2004, 01:37 PM
#57
Heh... I can't wait to see what they can do.
Black Cat Custom (on vacation) can do blackout faces for me, but I'd have to provide them with my gauge faces. Unless they've worked on our gauges already, different story. I'm pretty old fashioned, so I'd to get rid of amber and go for white.
The LCD looks easy to remove.... looks like it's socketed like the one for the multi-function computer thingy.
Changing the LEDs on these things is like working on cellphones... hopefully I have more time on my hands after graduation so I can get the LED part numbers.
As for backlighting, I'll try to get Luxeons fitted :-D
-Phuong
Black Cat Custom (on vacation) can do blackout faces for me, but I'd have to provide them with my gauge faces. Unless they've worked on our gauges already, different story. I'm pretty old fashioned, so I'd to get rid of amber and go for white.
The LCD looks easy to remove.... looks like it's socketed like the one for the multi-function computer thingy.
Changing the LEDs on these things is like working on cellphones... hopefully I have more time on my hands after graduation so I can get the LED part numbers.
As for backlighting, I'll try to get Luxeons fitted :-D
-Phuong
09-14-2004, 02:01 PM
#58
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Thanks for the thread post! I have been talking with Speedhut after coming back from vacation. Here is the latest email...
When asked about producing gauge faces that would allow for the stock orange light to come through but still have custom graphics.. i.e. white gauge faces.
When asked about changing the stock color of the gauge lighting and what would be involved...
So there you have it, what the possiblities are for your custom gauge faces, all you have to do is order your set and get at least 25 people do so. And if you want to make sure you get it just the way you want it, send either myself or speedhut an email and we can help you out!
Enjoy...
When asked about producing gauge faces that would allow for the stock orange light to come through but still have custom graphics.. i.e. white gauge faces.
The indiglo layer will not let any of the stock lighting through. However, depending on the color of the dial, it will determine what the color of the glow is at night. For example, a red font color will glow red at night. Very bright Red! Much brighter red than the stock bulbs could produce and much more even lighting. A white font color glows blue and a blue font color glows blue. Our design template on the web site shows exactly what it looks like at night.
We could produce only the dials without indiglo behind them (in the Reverse glow option only). Producing dials this way will not let the graphics (like flames) glow evenly. Only the numbers and tick marks will let the stock amber color through.THIS MEANS THAT THEY CAN MAKE WHITE GAUGE FACES WITH CUSTOM GRAPHICS, BUT IT WONT GLOW
We can add graphics to the dials that would be visible during the day but not glow at night.
We could produce only the dials without indiglo behind them (in the Reverse glow option only). Producing dials this way will not let the graphics (like flames) glow evenly. Only the numbers and tick marks will let the stock amber color through.THIS MEANS THAT THEY CAN MAKE WHITE GAUGE FACES WITH CUSTOM GRAPHICS, BUT IT WONT GLOW
We can add graphics to the dials that would be visible during the day but not glow at night.
Also, the stock lighting bulbs are actually surface mount LED's that are located inside the instrument cluster. Sort of hard to replace. I guess someone with a good soldering iron could with some patience remove them and change them to a different color.
So there you have it, what the possiblities are for your custom gauge faces, all you have to do is order your set and get at least 25 people do so. And if you want to make sure you get it just the way you want it, send either myself or speedhut an email and we can help you out!
Enjoy...
09-15-2004, 06:56 AM
#59
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about the coloring of the numbers for the gauges:
It shouldn't be that hard to replace, the actual gauge template is what provides the color (see in the picture on my thread when i'm holding it against the light). Therefore, if they can make a black face with smoked numbers, it would look completely black when off, yet when you turn them on the light would shine through and emit the color of whatever color you decide to put behind the smoked letters. I'll check for you guys, i'm reinstalling my gauges this weekend, i could have sworn there were white light bulbs behind the gauges.
It shouldn't be that hard to replace, the actual gauge template is what provides the color (see in the picture on my thread when i'm holding it against the light). Therefore, if they can make a black face with smoked numbers, it would look completely black when off, yet when you turn them on the light would shine through and emit the color of whatever color you decide to put behind the smoked letters. I'll check for you guys, i'm reinstalling my gauges this weekend, i could have sworn there were white light bulbs behind the gauges.
12-04-2004, 05:20 PM
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so u still cooking rice???????? and no I dont have a Z well iam sorry if I think bout my sister and my mother that I have to look out for .........wow and I though I was the young one here by the way which part of NJ u live in ?