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Author Topic: Do you index your gauges?  (Read 5817 times)

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Offline Footy Shorts Shane

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Do you index your gauges?
« on: January 27, 2016, 02:17:29 PM »
Does anyone here index their aftermarket gauges? I've never seen a 4x4 with aftermarket gauges that are indexed, ??? except comp vehicles.

Was test driving a Datto the other day with about 4 or 5 aftermarket gauges, that had needles pointing in every direction. Makes it hard to know what's going on. I rotated all of the gauges so the working range was at 12 o'clock. He wasn't real happy  ;D

Anyway, that was last week. I just got a text from him saying even his Missus was watching the gauges from the passenger seat whilst up the beach the last few days. Reckons she has never looked at gauges before.

Anyone else here do it?

(Obviously it doesn't work with all gauges, digital, multi gauges etc   :D )
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Offline macca

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Re: Do you index your gauges?
« Reply #1 on: January 27, 2016, 02:32:48 PM »
Yep, I have done that on my boat so when I say to my daughter's when they are driving, to keep an eye on the oil pressure and temp and they say what's it supposed to be I can just say straight up
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Offline MrCruza

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Re: Do you index your gauges?
« Reply #2 on: January 27, 2016, 02:34:16 PM »
Only gauges I have are the OEMs in the dash. Bit hard to index those  ;D  but yes in the past I've set up dial gauges in that manner. Makes them much easier to keep an eye on. :cheers:
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Offline Footy Shorts Shane

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Re: Do you index your gauges?
« Reply #3 on: January 27, 2016, 02:44:37 PM »
Quote from: MrBitchi on January 27, 2016, 02:34:16 PM
Only gauges I have are the OEMs in the dash. Bit hard to index those  ;D

You're not trying hard enough  :P
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Offline Jackdawg

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Re: Do you index your gauges?
« Reply #4 on: January 27, 2016, 03:51:27 PM »
Index? you mean calibrate?
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Offline Champin

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Re: Do you index your gauges?
« Reply #5 on: January 27, 2016, 04:03:59 PM »
Jeez...bloody logical when you think about it. I do try to momentarily index my gauges in the 4be. 'Coarse thats when the pucker factor comes in and I seek level ground.
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Offline macca

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Re: Do you index your gauges?
« Reply #6 on: January 27, 2016, 04:06:46 PM »
Quote from: Jackdawg on January 27, 2016, 03:51:27 PM
Index? you mean calibrate?
Turn 50mm round gauges so the needle points straight up when at its correct operating range, they do it in competition vehicles so at a quick glance you know everything is good

Sent from my SM-P900 using Tapatalk

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Offline Footy Shorts Shane

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Re: Do you index your gauges?
« Reply #7 on: January 27, 2016, 04:12:16 PM »
Quote from: Jackdawg on January 27, 2016, 03:51:27 PM
Index? you mean calibrate?

Maybe rotate is a better word? So if you had a temp gauge, your engine runs at say 95, rotate the gauge so 95 is at 12 o'clock. If oil pressure was at 45, rotate gauge so 45 is at 12 o'clock and so on. So if you have multiple gauges, all needles point to 12 o'clock at ideal temps, pressures etc.

EDIT, Didn't see macca's post above. That's exactly why I do it, a quick glance at the gauges, instead of trying to read each one.

« Last Edit: January 27, 2016, 05:42:43 PM by Footy Shorts Shane »
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Offline Rumpig

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Re: Do you index your gauges?
« Reply #8 on: January 27, 2016, 05:26:06 PM »
it's probably a good idea that i had never given any thought to, but looking at the pic i personally i don't like the look of them when the writing  is not horizontal, so doubt i'd ever do it if i was to install aftermarket gauges.
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Offline Champin

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Re: Do you index your gauges?
« Reply #9 on: January 27, 2016, 05:29:35 PM »
Bit of CDO going on there rumpig?  It's like OCD but the letters are in alphabetical order like they should be. :laugh:
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Offline Footy Shorts Shane

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Re: Do you index your gauges?
« Reply #10 on: January 27, 2016, 05:43:59 PM »
Quote from: Rumpig on January 27, 2016, 05:26:06 PM
it's probably a good idea that i had never given any thought to, but looking at the pic i personally i don't like the look of them when the writing  is not horizontal, so doubt i'd ever do it if i was to install aftermarket gauges.

So this one would do your head in  ;D

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Offline Jackdawg

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Re: Do you index your gauges?
« Reply #11 on: January 27, 2016, 06:14:53 PM »
Quote from: macca on January 27, 2016, 04:06:46 PM
Turn 50mm round gauges so the needle points straight up when at its correct operating range, they do it in competition vehicles so at a quick glance you know everything is good

Sent from my SM-P900 using Tapatalk

cheers, years ago in our competition vehicles we threw the gauges out and put in bid red trailer lights on the dash on a std warning circuit. Race car drivers were not known for bothering to look at gauges in my day  :) Bit hard to miss a 50mm red light!
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Offline Jeepers Creepers

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Re: Do you index your gauges?
« Reply #12 on: January 27, 2016, 06:17:53 PM »
Are you a Kiwi?
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Offline ayjayr

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Do you index your gauges?
« Reply #13 on: January 27, 2016, 06:29:52 PM »
Quote from: Footy Shorts Shane on January 27, 2016, 04:12:16 PM
Maybe rotate is a better word?

Rotation may be the action performed, but the gauge in this case is said to be "indexed".

See here: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indexing_(motion)

Spark plugs may also be indexed in a cylinder head.

Just thought this might be helpful.

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AJ
« Last Edit: January 27, 2016, 06:31:59 PM by ayjayr »
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Offline edz

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Re: Do you index your gauges?
« Reply #14 on: January 27, 2016, 07:21:11 PM »
Have done the same with aftermarket gauges on my street / circuit racer and also had the steering wheel centered with a white band .In the past .
On cars with OEM gauges, I have also been known to place a thin Hivis tape on the instrument cluster clear cover to show where the gauge needles normal operating and Tacho shift change max position will be..For quick reference .
It was a Boy racer thing
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Offline Bird

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Re: Do you index your gauges?
« Reply #15 on: January 27, 2016, 07:23:22 PM »
Quote from: Footy Shorts Shane
Anyone else here do it?
no :P I'm used to my gauges and where they should be...
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Offline Rumpig

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Re: Do you index your gauges?
« Reply #16 on: January 27, 2016, 09:45:51 PM »
Quote from: Footy Shorts Shane on January 27, 2016, 05:43:59 PM
So this one would do your head in  ;D
i'm not OCD in the slightest bit mate, so my care factor what someone does in there own vehicle is pretty low truth be known...lol.
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Offline DaveR

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Re: Do you index your gauges?
« Reply #17 on: January 29, 2016, 03:31:28 PM »
I'm sitting in a room with about 45 manual gauges, and 30 digital, can't imagine them indexed.
Never heard of this before to be honest, but not dealt with the racing game either. Makes sense for that purpose but doubt my 105 will be racing anywhere.
The one thing that would do my head in when mounting after market gauges is if they were different types, that is different colour, text font, line thickness and so on. I'd want them the same.

How do you like the Auto Gauge brand, any good?
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Offline Jeepers Creepers

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Re: Do you index your gauges?
« Reply #18 on: January 29, 2016, 03:50:56 PM »
C'mon Shane, a shift light is all ya need.

You know the drill, start it up and as long as the oil lights gone out, that's the run-in period covered.
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Offline GQMacca

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Re: Do you index your gauges?
« Reply #19 on: January 29, 2016, 04:01:43 PM »
Nope. Auber gauges don't index.
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Offline Bill

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Re: Do you index your gauges?
« Reply #20 on: January 29, 2016, 08:29:03 PM »
Quote from: DaveR on January 29, 2016, 03:31:28 PM
How do you like the Auto Gauge brand, any good?
Used them for years in my other cars and 4x4's with no problems.
Using VDO at the moment only because I got a good deal on them.
And no, I never have indexed them and most likely never will.
Bill
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