DIY - Stealth 3 Gauge Dash Pod

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Nik

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NOTE - I'm limited to 10 pics per post. I'll post a bunch of pics in subsequent replies.


Hi all... just wanted to share with you all a little project I've been working on over the past few weeks.

It all started when I wanted to fit 3 gauges to my 2006 D40 - Oil Pressure, Vacuum/Boost and EGT.

Pretty simple... buy the gauges and install them, right? ....but, install them where exactly?
The most common approach would be to mount them on the A-Pillar with a cheap Chinesium pod:
A-Pillar Pod_01.jpg

Other than the A-Pillar pod there really is no other spot where you could install 3 gauges neatly.
Personally (from previous vehicles I've built/owned), 3 gauges on the A-Pillar is extremely annoying at night and highly attractive to thieves.. and the boys in blue!

So... after many hours of sitting in the driver seat and contemplating ideas, I decided on creating something unique and different (something you wouldn't expect to see).

And so... it all starts with this pic:
Dash.jpg


I thought to myself.. hey this could be a neat spot.

So I thought about designing a new panel which incorporated the 3 gauges and 3D printing it.. something like this:
3 Gauge Pod.jpg


Pretty basic to CAD design/3D print.. Although fitting 3 gauges in that useless plastic recess was a little tight on space (52mm gauges actually measure 57-60mm around the fascia surround - 3x60=180mm).
But, again I thought the night driving would still be annoying, and it's not really concealing them from thieves and cops.

Then I thought to myself how cool would it be if I could get the 3 gauges mounted in that top dash panel, but have them concealed, and pop-up on the push of a button!
Upon removing the panel there seemed to be fark-all room to the top of the head unit though (pic below this post).. but the idea of a pop-up panel concealing 3 gauges was just hard to dismiss.

One idea that I thought I was pretty sure I could pull off was.. get an overhead sunglass storage compartment, chop it up and make it fit into that top dash area.

Hmm...

And so the fun begins...

I went for a visit to my local pick-a-part and spent a few hours scouring all the half-dissected bombs there.. what I found to be a very close match in dimensions (the opening compartment) was:
2012-2017 Toyota Camry Roof Console.jpg

from a Toyota Camry.


The 3 gauges I decided on were: (with eBay links provided)
Gauges.jpg


Exhaust Gas Temperature - $49 ____ Vacuum/Boost - $39.15 ________Oil Pressure - $44.69 _______________ or.... Water Temp - $37.49 (if you prefer)

I decided on EGT, Boost and Oil Pressure as I believe they are the most important to monitor in any turbocharged engine (my Android unit displays the Water Temp through the Torque app.).

The EGT gauge comes with the appropriate K-Type Thermocouple (and fitting - which I welded into the turbo exhaust housing - pic below this post)
The Boost gauge comes with a pressure sensor which I fitted in the top left area of the engine bay, behind the fuse box - pics below this post)
The Oil pressure gauge comes with the appropriate sender, although adapters were needed to mount the sender with the OEM oil pressure sender unit - pics and part numbers below this post)

It was still not going to be possible to mount three gauges (52-57mm) in that compartment (in their housings)... this is why I specifically chose these cheap Chinesium gauges - because they were digital.
Being digital meant they wouldn't have the mechanical crap inside their housing, and I was hoping to gain more space by separating the digital screen (and circuit board) from the housing.

When the gauges arrived, it didn't take me long to bust out the grinder and dismember all three of them (pics below this post).
As I thought, the digital screen and circuit board were only 49mm in diameter and 26mm in depth, saving me much needed space.
 
The Design


I spent roughly 30-40hrs in CAD to design a housing to neatly fit all three gauges, with each gauge slightly angled to face the driver.. but also to be maintenance friendly (Chinese gauges).

CAD.jpg


The housing consists of 4 pieces: (detailed pics below this post)
Pic 1a - The sunglass compartment (Toyota Camry - Chopped/modified, 3D Pen printed to match Navara dash contour - Secured into dash with Neodymium magnets located into compartment/dash)
Pic 1b - A removable support housing that mounts all three gauges (with locating reliefs)
Pic 1c - Removable (Neodymium magnet located) fascia panel that surrounds the housing (with a 2.5mm perspex screen)


Then it was over to the 3D printer/s.



Taking into consideration of where this unit is positioned (top of dash in direct sunlight), the parts needed to be printed in ABS (not PLA).
If anyone here has 3D printing experience, you would know that printing ABS can be somewhat of a pain (90c+ heated bed and need a heated enclosure around print area).
I have a Creality CR-10 printer, and as good as that machine is, I still had some issues with layer adhesion and part shrinkage during the print.
All in all, took me 3-4 attempts and I ended up with an awesome end result.

I also have a Photon DLP resin printer and I decided I would print the housing that supports the gauges in resin, as the area around each gauge has fine contours and I wanted these to be printed with as much resolution as possible (check out the 25micron (0.025mm) layers from this printer in pics below this post). Although this required me to separate each gauge surround to be printed individually (then glued together after print).

Painting

All the printed parts were plastic primed (including the Camry sunglass compartment) and then all parts were hi-filled with 2K epoxy undercoat (to remove all 3D printing layer lines), plus being a 2-part epoxy undercoat, it will also help with any issues (if any) the ABS has with heat in direct summer sunlight.

I couldn't be bothered (plus plandemic restrictions) visiting the local panel beaters to colour match the original dash colour, so all the parts were painted with an enamel flat black (not acrylic).
It actually matches the radio fascia so I'm pretty sure I'll leave it.
 
The End Result

Gauge Pod_Final_01.jpg

Gauge Pod_Final.jpg


Gauge Pod_Final_02.jpg

The push-lock mechanism of the sunglass compartment works flawlessly, although I did have to adjust the tension of the spring that was fitted to it from factory (weight of gauges/plastic) for a smooth lift when opening.
The gauges also light in Red, or any combination of Blue/Blue, Blue/Red, Red/Blue or Red/Red (day/night driving - wiring diagram is pretty straight forward for this).


BONUS - For the D40 DIYers


I'm happy to share with the members of this forum my first draft of how I would fit 3 gauges into that dash area (excluding the sunglass compartment).


Attached here ---> Navara D40 Gauge_Pod_Ver 2.0_ FINAL.stl
is the .STL files of the parts pictured below.

Here is the design which I was going to use before deciding on the stealth push-lock compartment.

3D Print_Ver 2.0.jpg



I recommend printing the STL file with 0.16mm layer resolution (no supports needed), and gluing the pieces together with 5min Araldite.

If you plan on printing/building this and need any help, just leave a message and I'll help out.


I hope you enjoyed reading this thread.
 
More Pics - More Info

Gauge Dissassembly.png

Gauge Test Fit.png


Assembly _01.png


Final Assembly.png


Top Panel Space.png




For the Pics Below... here are some page links:

VPW Oil Sender 1/8 Extension Adapter - $17.85 page ---> HERE
VPW Aluminium Socket Plug 1/8" NPT - $3.38 page -----> HERE
eBay Oil Pressure T Piece Adapter 1/8 - $22.89 page -----> HERE

Unfortunately, TIG welding the Thermocouple into the Exhaust Housing of the turbo required the turbo to be removed..
you could possibly do it if you're a backyard cowboy :)

Oil Pressure Fittings.png



Or if you prefer Red..

Red Gauges.png




Thanks for reading. As I said, anyone interested in doing this themselves, Im happy to help where I can.
 
That is perfect. Exactly what I have been wanting to do to my Nav. I want a way of fitting the gauges in the centre pocket. Was originally thinking of 2 gauges.
thank you for sharing.
 
More Pics - More Info

View attachment 34621
View attachment 34622

View attachment 34623

View attachment 34624

View attachment 34625



For the Pics Below... here are some page links:

VPW Oil Sender 1/8 Extension Adapter - $17.85 page ---> HERE
VPW Aluminium Socket Plug 1/8" NPT - $3.38 page -----> HERE
eBay Oil Pressure T Piece Adapter 1/8 - $22.89 page -----> HERE

Unfortunately, TIG welding the Thermocouple into the Exhaust Housing of the turbo required the turbo to be removed..
you could possibly do it if you're a backyard cowboy :)

View attachment 34626


Or if you prefer Red..

View attachment 34627




Thanks for reading. As I said, anyone interested in doing this themselves, Im happy to help where I can.

would you be interested in selling a completed unit with gauges fitted as I don’t own a 3D printer nor probably ever will?
 
Good evening. I wonder if anyone can assist me. I want to 3d print this part but cant find a stl file anywhere? I would really appreciate any assistance
 

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Sorry to revive an old thread, but this is great work!
The link to the V2 STL is dead, is there any chance of getting a copy? Happy to pay.
 
The End Result

View attachment 34616
View attachment 34613

View attachment 34614
The push-lock mechanism of the sunglass compartment works flawlessly, although I did have to adjust the tension of the spring that was fitted to it from factory (weight of gauges/plastic) for a smooth lift when opening.
The gauges also light in Red, or any combination of Blue/Blue, Blue/Red, Red/Blue or Red/Red (day/night driving - wiring diagram is pretty straight forward for this).


BONUS - For the D40 DIYers


I'm happy to share with the members of this forum my first draft of how I would fit 3 gauges into that dash area (excluding the sunglass compartment).


Attached here ---> Navara D40 Gauge_Pod_Ver 2.0_ FINAL.stl
is the .STL files of the parts pictured below.

Here is the design which I was going to use before deciding on the stealth push-lock compartment.

View attachment 34615


I recommend printing the STL file with 0.16mm layer resolution (no supports needed), and gluing the pieces together with 5min Araldite.

If you plan on printing/building this and need any help, just leave a message and I'll help out.


I hope you enjoyed reading this thread.
do you still have the stl file for the non stelth mount looks good need a nice mounting for gauges and would it be fine to make in pla as a mould then coposite ?
 

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