So this is an entry into the Do-It-Yourself contest...
So I just got this 2008 Green Tundra on 5-31, has 50miles on it, the big 5L and as you all say hauls ***. Well one thing that has always crabbed my *** was the way they put the tunnels in the guages. Pretty dumb if you ask me since, I would prefer a solid open view at all my gauges rather then whizin down a hole. So I set out to cut th **** out and make that thing open. Here is the deal...
These 2008 Tundras at least are almost snap and go trucks. Everything inside this thing is snapped in one way by one style of clip, and all you have to do to get it out it TUG! There are a few bolts along the way, but they have at least made then all use a 10mm socket or an allen head screwdriver.
So first comes the front gray dash that covers the gear cluster and whatnot. Just grap a hold of a few areas top and bottom, and cross your arms when you do it, the pul towards you, its really simple and you'll see once it comes out.
Then once you have the silver dash out, pop out all the other small pieces, and then take apart the silver and black tunnels. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...a/IMG_6222.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...a/IMG_6220.jpg you can see in this last picture that there are little white pieces of plastic holding everything together, just use a pair of need nose pilers and grap and twist and it will come right off, then follows the dis-assembly of the black tunnels and the silver rings.
After you get all that crap outta there, you have the blank silver cover. At this point you will see the oval that will come out of the cover, by using masking tape that was 1" wide, I lawyered the front of the cover to protect it from scratches and to draw my cutout on. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...IMG_6235_1.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...a/IMG_6236.jpg
In this last picture you can see where I started with the design, using stencils and a ruler, it took a few times and a few retapings, but I eventually got my shap with patentience and french stencils to help make the curves... http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...a/IMG_6237.jpg
So after you get the whole inside cut out you need to sand or smooth the edges somehow. I used a metal file and put a nice bevel on the front edge to hide the small imperfections you may see at an angle when in the truck.
There is a clear plastic cover covering the gauges. I said fug it and got rid of that to, I know it should prob. be there for safety sake,. but it looks way better with it off. Now you can see all the gauges with minor interference from the design
once, you have it all back snapped in place, you will have to deal with the main wires that run over the top of the original placement., just zip tie or use double backed tape to hold these down out of sight, and there you have it. A nice clear view of all your stock cluster and a small no price mod. The only thing I may do now is paint it black....ahhh yeah...enjoy
eNIg
just a little tip for using photobucket....... you can actually set your upload size so that every picture over 800x600 is automatically reduced to that size. very convenient for most situations, but you do need to turn the feature off when you want to UL larger pics
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***2008 DC, 4x4, TRD 5.7L
* 2.4 Ready-Lift, Airaid intake, Lorado tonneau cover, N-Fab nerf bars, 6000K HID lows and highs, 3000K ebay special fogs, Tekonsha P3 brake controller, LED tail lights, LED 3rd brake light
* 305/55/20 Mickey Thompson Baja ATZ's on 20'' Ultra Goliath's and 285/65/18 BFG AT's on stock TRD rims
* grille surround, door handles, and tailgate handle painted to match body, black headlight mod
*Pioneer 4100 double din, Kicker KX600.1, Rockford 450.4, Kicker Resolution 6.5'' components front and rear, Kicker 12'' L7
***1999 Wildwood 25' toy hauler - 1500w inverter, solar panel, ice cube maker, Alpine CDA-9857, 4 Alpine 6.5s, 2 12'' kicker comp vrs, kicker ZX850.2 & ZX350.4
***2005 Yamaha Raptor 660 - the frame is stock
I could not bring my self to cut up a brand new truck dash no way. The tunnels aren't bad enough to go an cut them up and have wires and stuff hanging out I could not drive around like that. Every one that see that is going to say what the hell. You just made it worse looks like an old car falling apart. Hope you did not void anything.
To each their own, but not a mod I'll be doing anytime in this life.
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Beer please! CBTMA (Member and Founding Father: Est. August 15, 2008)
Clicky>>> What The Heck is CBTMA
Unknown - "The biological purpose of pain is to prevent the recurrence of stupidity."
This guy has got to be kidding. I bet he got a XSP carbon fiber dash and he just hacked up the silver one just for fun. Watch in a few days he will post pics of his new carbon fiber dash haha.
Also, please note that 800x600 is the MAX size. This does not mean that you can't insert smaller pictures.
Will smaller pictures make his work look better?
Personally, I like the deep-set gauges. My wife can no longer see how fast we're going.
Cheers!
~A
PS-Good luck in the contest!
__________________ "There's nary an animal alive that can outrun a greased Scotsman!"
~Groundskeeper Willie CBTMA - Member
07 CrewMax Limited 5.7L - Radiant Red - hardwired Valentine 1, TRD Sway Bar (debating a drop kit)
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08 Highlander Sport - Black - mods include whatever the wife will let me do to her brand new baby, which at this point is exactly nothing.
Do-It-YourSelf Mod gauge cluster
*ouch!!! JMHO...
'07 Tundra SR5, 2WD DC, 5.7L, Salsa Red Pearl with Running Boards, Delta Toolbox.
