HOW-TO: Triple Stock Gauge Pod

Discussion in 'How-To/Tech Database' started by Goats, Dec 7, 2007.

  1. Goats

    Goats God of skittles

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    Write up by SRTEasy


    Get your hands on a couple extra gauge pods. Dealer, Vendors or E-Bay.. $12-$15 is a good price. Part # OWX53XDVAA. You can also make a Double Pod if you're not up to a triple (One pod to the Left or one to the Right of the Stock pod) Skills with a Dremel are not required as most of the fabricating will be hidden. Let's get started...

    Grab a pod cut the support bracket off using the picture as a guide:

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    Here we are with the bracket off, Clean it up a bit:

    [​IMG]

    Attach a handy dandy sanding tool and Start hollowing the pod out. This is necessary as many gauges, other than the stock boost gauge, have multiple prongs that will get in way, Much Better:

    [​IMG]

    REPEAT THE ABOVE STEPS ON ANOTHER POD, IF YOU ARE BUILDING A TRIPLE POD.

    Grab the Stock Pod and hollow that baby out too.. you may want to switch your gauges around so go ahead and do this. The previous owner of my car chiseled this area out, I'm guessing to fit a bigger light like the LED that was in there.. so I've been doing this to all of my pods.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    The stock pod is finished, set it to the side and grab a pod that you've hacked already. If you are building a triple, or a double right pod, this will be the right side pod.

    I used templates that I made when marking my pods, so this part is hard to describe. Grab a pencil and mark the area you are gonna cut off, like the green line below. This is the right side of the pod. Using the bead that is already there, the line should be 1/4" from the bottom of the pod and reaching a full curve 1-1/8" out from the middle of the bead.

    [​IMG]

    Below is the left side. The line is now 1/2" from the bottom and 7/8" out from the center of the bead. You should be good if your lines resemble those pictured. cut on the line, good luck.

    [​IMG]

    I like to clean up the rough edges and plastic burrs to smooth my cuts out. Smooth all of your cuts with the sanding tool.. followed by some "finishing abrasive buffs" ( I used 3 separate grits) Do this to all the pods if you want it to be pretty..

    Another step that requires some patience. I usually start with the Left side pod. I built a handy jig since I was mass fab'ing these suckers, so again, this is a little harder for me to describe. (You will have to remove the upper dash pad by the way) Lay the stock pod and the left side pod on the dash (remember you are upside down here) and stagger the left pod 1-3/8" from the front of the stock pod. (As you can see, this is a pic from the next 2 steps. It is not perfectly 90 degrees, so all I have to do is back the screw out a couple turns to get the 90 degree angle before drilling/adding another screw):

    [​IMG]

    Good luck holding it there while you drill a pilot hole through both pods for your screw like this:

    [​IMG]

    Here's the screws I used:

    #4 x 3/8" panhead phillips. You need at least 4.

    Screw only 1 screw for now and return the set up back to the dash. Make sure the top of the left pod sits flush with dash. Hold the pods in place and drill another hole, screw another screw. I used 2 screws directly on top of each other, as you may see in the pic above, I'm drilling the 2nd hole.

    Repeat the process for the Right side pod, using the same measurements listed above. Should look like this:

    [​IMG]

    After the fitment is correct, now's a good time to clean the pod up. I just run it under some water and dry it. Attach the pod to the dash using the 2 mounting screws from the stock pod. The small #4 screws will prevent the pods from dropping and I used a hot glue gun to prevent shake and rattle:

    [​IMG]

    You can do the other side if you want.

    While the pod is still on the dash, mark the holes for your gauges. The stock location is a big gaping hole, these holes will be much smaller. Use this area of the pods as your template:

    [​IMG]

    Cut your holes out of the dash pad..

    [​IMG]

    You're ready for installation. Finished product will look like this (snapped from the driver's point of view, no obstruction):

    [​IMG]

    Even though I was snapping pics the whole way, total time for the above pod was about 2.5 hours start to install (using only 1 gauge).

    Here's the prototype pod from a few months ago.

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 9, 2007
  2. diegochrysler

    diegochrysler Jose"GR8CHORIZO"Jalapeno

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    DAM Bro,

    Good job...........Looks really good. Bet it took awhile to do that.

    My kids would of drove me nuts within 5 seconds of doing that. Dad, what are you making/Dad can I help/Dad I want to play/Dad are you done yet/Dad does mom know what your doing? Gotta love those little farts.........................:stars:
     
  3. Cygnus

    Cygnus Platinum Supporting Member

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    Awesome write up! I always wondered how it was done.

    Do you have to cut into the dash? Couldn't you just modified the pods somehow to run the other gauges wires through the center pod? Just a thought and maybe an alternative to not cutting into the dash.
     
  4. LegMaker

    LegMaker LMI - LegMakerIntakes

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    wow chris, that looks really nice!!! well done!!!
     
  5. Goats

    Goats God of skittles

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    no, u really have to cut the dash to fit a gauge cause theres a cut out on top of it
     
  6. Cygnus

    Cygnus Platinum Supporting Member

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    Didn't know that. Thanks for clarifying.
     
  7. Goats

    Goats God of skittles

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    well i finally finished mine with the third gauge
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
  8. Hemi31

    Hemi31 [email protected]

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    Very nice!
     
  9. 05_Blast

    05_Blast Jimmy

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    Did Mine Today: Takes longer than it looks. make sure you have all your shit together ha ha. ive got to tweak a couple more things then they are good to go. the left pod is a pita. im gonna have to make a bracket to hold it down to the dash pad. it keeps trying to pull up.

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  10. Mains

    Mains Pobody's Nerfect

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    well done blast
     
  11. Goats

    Goats God of skittles

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    looks good i think its way worth the time
     
  12. Stretch

    Stretch Silver Supporting Members

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    Nice job guys.... looks like they came that way.