So...I finally got sick of the stock "idiot" gauges....and decided to update my gauge cluster. I bought a used one at a junk yard, some aftermarket gauges and started cutting. Here is the progress so far.....



It's all wired up and all the gauges work!....even the glow faces on the aftermarket gauges work.

Next, I have to modify the cluster face plate so the gauges look like they were meant to be there. I plan on cutting out around the new gauges and then using some thin plastic (almost a film) to fill in the "gaps".....then glue it into place.

Here's what it looks like so far....



I've also got some aftermarket white "reverse glow" gauges faces ordered for the Speedo, Tach, and gas gauge. That will make all the gauges white face and make it all look like it came that way from the factory....atleast during the daylight hours.

The only problem is that the new faces for the stock gauges will be "reverse glow".....while the aftermarket oil pressure, water temp and battery gauges all have blue glowing faces. I couldn;t find any white glow face gauges for a 2nd gen 4Runner though. Anyone know where I can get some?

Ohhh....and the coolest part.....It's a straight plug in. No re-wiring....outside of the gauge cluster housing anyway.

Just change the oil and water temp sensors, with the ones that came with the gauges.

I like it. Clean, proffessional install. What about the gas gauge? The sender will probably be a different ohm range.

Yeah...Couldn't find a a gas gauges that looks like the other aftermarket gauges. I actually couldn't find an aftermarket gas gauge at all. But...I'll live. With the white face it will match the other gauges close enough.

Why didn't you just buy a factory SR5 cluster and swap it in?

Rather than cut the faceplate, which looks liek it might be awkward sicne you have some round pegs and squares holes <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/drunk.gif" alt="" />, you might be able to get a sheet of thin plastic and just make your own plate. Then you could easily mount and position them whereever you'd like.

Did you look here:

http://www.egauges.com/default.asp?Cart=

My truck is an SR5 with the SR5 gauge cluster.....But the factory gauges are not much more than idiot lights. I wanted gauges that actually gave measured readings....and I didn't want a bunch of add-on, bolted to the top of the dashboard gauges.

That's exactly what I'm planning on doing.

Autometer makes a calibratable fuel level guage (or one that also comes close)

Im planning on someting similar for my Gen 1

I just did a SR5 swap..
a) the oil pressure guage is WORSE than an itiot light
b) sthe stock OP idiot light reads at 4lbs... DOH
c) the WT guage is night on useless...
d) the Volt Meter is um... useless

e) the TACH is "lazy" and innaccurate compared to my former Autometer Monster tach...


Ive kinda landed on "digital" for the volt meter (and ammeter via a shunt)...
2-1/8" guages should fit.