Anyone try gaugepod A-pillar gauges?

[PNW yota]

Got the gauge pod in the mail and was going to pop off the grab handle and set it up to see how it looked, still waiting for the boost gauge to arrive. Got one bolt out, it had a crap ton of lock-tite on it. Then proceeded to strip the lower bolt trying to get it off.

1) pull hammer back 2) point at foot 3) pull trigger.

:frusty:

 

[Wrek]

I got lucky. A friend of mine took a Podi steering column gauge pod for a b6 Audi a4 and molded it to the 4runner steering column. He then sold his runner and this was one of the things I got from him. Much cleaner than column pods in my opinion.

Only thing hooked up in this photo was battery voltage. The others are oil temp, oil press, and transmission temp.

 

[T4R2014]

I got lucky. A friend of mine took a Podi steering column gauge pod for a b6 Audi a4 and molded it to the 4runner steering column. He then sold his runner and this was one of the things I got from him. Much cleaner than column pods in my opinion.

Only thing hooked up in this photo was battery voltage. The others are oil temp, oil press, and transmission temp.

I remember that build. Do you remember his username?

EDIT: Found him!

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/98361-custom-dual-gauge-steering-column-pod-picture-heavy.html

He even had Recaro's with custom brackets!

 

[Wrek]

I remember that build. Do you remember his username?

EDIT: Found him!

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/98361-custom-dual-gauge-steering-column-pod-picture-heavy.html

He even had Recaro's with custom brackets!

Yep that's him! Mark's a pretty handy guy. I've known him for years through VW/Audi's.

I made a trade with him and got his projector/hid retrofit headlights, hid fogs, clear corners and turns, led tails, led third brake light, and the steering column gauge pod.

 

[T4R2014]

Yep that's him! Mark's a pretty handy guy. I've known him for years through VW/Audi's.

I made a trade with him and got his projector/hid retrofit headlights, hid fogs, clear corners and turns, led tails, led third brake light, and the steering column gauge pod.

Lucky guy!

 

[PNW yota]

For those interested or if someone finds this thread down the road I installed the gaugepod and here are my thoughts.

Overall quality is pretty good. The pod fits over the existing a-pillar nicely. There are a couple places where the pod doesn't overlay the pillar perfectly, this could easily be due to my install and where I drilled the holes but it's only noticeable if you really look close.

<a href="http://s33.photobucket.com/user/jasisplayinu3/media/02CC00FD-32BF-4309-9A9F-12F840E6BB20-21295-0000155C5BD568F0_zpscc3c8e44.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d62/jasisplayinu3/02CC00FD-32BF-4309-9A9F-12F840E6BB20-21295-0000155C5BD568F0_zpscc3c8e44.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 02CC00FD-32BF-4309-9A9F-12F840E6BB20-21295-0000155C5BD568F0_zpscc3c8e44.jpg"/></a>

I do wish the designers had spent about 30 seconds more in engineering these units. If they had placed their holes just millimeters away from where they did, this could be a direct bolt on no drilling mod using the existing holes for the grab handle.

Also I paid for the Oak paint to match my interior. I'd say the color is pretty close but not spot on. And as you can see in the pictures they did a shotty job painting it, luckily the place they missed was below the lower pod and out of site.

<a href="http://s33.photobucket.com/user/jasisplayinu3/media/silver%20surfer/11099D3E-5C87-4638-A0E7-4B3A7FA88A4B-14764-00000F6DB5E7BFD0_zpsb7d86457.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d62/jasisplayinu3/silver%20surfer/11099D3E-5C87-4638-A0E7-4B3A7FA88A4B-14764-00000F6DB5E7BFD0_zpsb7d86457.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 11099D3E-5C87-4638-A0E7-4B3A7FA88A4B-14764-00000F6DB5E7BFD0_zpsb7d86457.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s33.photobucket.com/user/jasisplayinu3/media/silver%20surfer/626607FA-169D-4BFB-855A-D5837883FEA4-14764-00000F6DADAD3A05_zps0da6ead3.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d62/jasisplayinu3/silver%20surfer/626607FA-169D-4BFB-855A-D5837883FEA4-14764-00000F6DADAD3A05_zps0da6ead3.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 626607FA-169D-4BFB-855A-D5837883FEA4-14764-00000F6DADAD3A05_zps0da6ead3.jpg"/></a>

But overall I am pleased with the mod.

<a href="http://s33.photobucket.com/user/jasisplayinu3/media/silver%20surfer/A7915C16-A9D2-446A-AE2B-B35FC323436B-14764-00000F6D0352122B_zpsac45fc26.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d62/jasisplayinu3/silver%20surfer/A7915C16-A9D2-446A-AE2B-B35FC323436B-14764-00000F6D0352122B_zpsac45fc26.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo A7915C16-A9D2-446A-AE2B-B35FC323436B-14764-00000F6D0352122B_zpsac45fc26.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s33.photobucket.com/user/jasisplayinu3/media/silver%20surfer/ED98D763-9F2A-47FF-8D6B-040D4205290E-14764-00000F6D2349BA5D_zpscf3e3a36.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d62/jasisplayinu3/silver%20surfer/ED98D763-9F2A-47FF-8D6B-040D4205290E-14764-00000F6D2349BA5D_zpscf3e3a36.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo ED98D763-9F2A-47FF-8D6B-040D4205290E-14764-00000F6D2349BA5D_zpscf3e3a36.jpg"/></a>

 

[noahjokc]

Bigfishallday,

Which model of the lotek gauge pod did you order? The 96-00? I have a 2002 4runner and it would use the same one.

thanks,
Jim

 

[bass-o-matic]

Will these fit a 2002?

So, I emailed lotek and said I had a 2002 and they said they didn't have a dual for me... but... was there a change in body style from 2000 or 2001 to 2002?

Not that I don't believe them but the universal one I got is SOOO far off... I'd prefer to dremel one for a 2001 2000 rather than this universal one in my hand.

So sad.

 

[Scramble]

For those interested or if someone finds this thread down the road I installed the gaugepod and here are my thoughts.

Overall quality is pretty good. The pod fits over the existing a-pillar nicely. There are a couple places where the pod doesn't overlay the pillar perfectly, this could easily be due to my install and where I drilled the holes but it's only noticeable if you really look close.

<a href="http://s33.photobucket.com/user/jasisplayinu3/media/02CC00FD-32BF-4309-9A9F-12F840E6BB20-21295-0000155C5BD568F0_zpscc3c8e44.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d62/jasisplayinu3/02CC00FD-32BF-4309-9A9F-12F840E6BB20-21295-0000155C5BD568F0_zpscc3c8e44.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 02CC00FD-32BF-4309-9A9F-12F840E6BB20-21295-0000155C5BD568F0_zpscc3c8e44.jpg"/></a>

I do wish the designers had spent about 30 seconds more in engineering these units. If they had placed their holes just millimeters away from where they did, this could be a direct bolt on no drilling mod using the existing holes for the grab handle.

Also I paid for the Oak paint to match my interior. I'd say the color is pretty close but not spot on. And as you can see in the pictures they did a shotty job painting it, luckily the place they missed was below the lower pod and out of site.

<a href="http://s33.photobucket.com/user/jasisplayinu3/media/silver%20surfer/11099D3E-5C87-4638-A0E7-4B3A7FA88A4B-14764-00000F6DB5E7BFD0_zpsb7d86457.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d62/jasisplayinu3/silver%20surfer/11099D3E-5C87-4638-A0E7-4B3A7FA88A4B-14764-00000F6DB5E7BFD0_zpsb7d86457.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 11099D3E-5C87-4638-A0E7-4B3A7FA88A4B-14764-00000F6DB5E7BFD0_zpsb7d86457.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s33.photobucket.com/user/jasisplayinu3/media/silver%20surfer/626607FA-169D-4BFB-855A-D5837883FEA4-14764-00000F6DADAD3A05_zps0da6ead3.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d62/jasisplayinu3/silver%20surfer/626607FA-169D-4BFB-855A-D5837883FEA4-14764-00000F6DADAD3A05_zps0da6ead3.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 626607FA-169D-4BFB-855A-D5837883FEA4-14764-00000F6DADAD3A05_zps0da6ead3.jpg"/></a>

But overall I am pleased with the mod.

<a href="http://s33.photobucket.com/user/jasisplayinu3/media/silver%20surfer/A7915C16-A9D2-446A-AE2B-B35FC323436B-14764-00000F6D0352122B_zpsac45fc26.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d62/jasisplayinu3/silver%20surfer/A7915C16-A9D2-446A-AE2B-B35FC323436B-14764-00000F6D0352122B_zpsac45fc26.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo A7915C16-A9D2-446A-AE2B-B35FC323436B-14764-00000F6D0352122B_zpsac45fc26.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s33.photobucket.com/user/jasisplayinu3/media/silver%20surfer/ED98D763-9F2A-47FF-8D6B-040D4205290E-14764-00000F6D2349BA5D_zpscf3e3a36.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d62/jasisplayinu3/silver%20surfer/ED98D763-9F2A-47FF-8D6B-040D4205290E-14764-00000F6D2349BA5D_zpscf3e3a36.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo ED98D763-9F2A-47FF-8D6B-040D4205290E-14764-00000F6D2349BA5D_zpscf3e3a36.jpg"/></a>

This came out nice!

 

[Scramble]

Yup, I've got one in my '01.

**Note the little grey caps for the screw heads in the picture below... those are not shown in my other pictures, but I do have them installed and they cover up the screws nicely

There is no need to cut the plastic, the Lotek guage pod can be installed OVER the factory A-pillar trim.



That's why you add one of these.... The holes are there under the headliner, and they are threaded from the factory. You just need an extra handle/bolts/bolt covers... they are identical to the parts used above the D/S rear door.

**note guage pod installed OVER factory trim

You are correct in your figuring.

More details here > BFAD's Lotek A-Pillar Gauge Pod Installation

This is perfect & the route I'll be taking. Thanks

 

[Mindomission]

Got the gauge pod in the mail and was going to pop off the grab handle and set it up to see how it looked, still waiting for the boost gauge to arrive. Got one bolt out, it had a crap ton of lock-tite on it. Then proceeded to strip the lower bolt trying to get it off.

1) pull hammer back 2) point at foot 3) pull trigger.

:frusty:

I'm assuming that you were able to get your lower A-pillar grab handle screw out. I did the same when I went to remove it to run my GPS antenna cable. I couldn't get enough force on it and spun the Phillips bit. Stripped it pretty good before I could get it stopped. I got lucky and was able to remove both screws on the passenger side. But now I do have to remove the stripped one to install my Lotek double gauge A-pillar pod! Care to post the easier St way you found to remove it? Thanks in advance.

 

[PNW yota]

I'm assuming that you were able to get your lower A-pillar grab handle screw out. I did the same when I went to remove it to run my GPS antenna cable. I couldn't get enough force on it and spun the Phillips bit. Stripped it pretty good before I could get it stopped. I got lucky and was able to remove both screws on the passenger side. But now I do have to remove the stripped one to install my Lotek double gauge A-pillar pod! Care to post the easier St way you found to remove it? Thanks in advance.

Project was placed on hold until this arrived from amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GCQBKO...UTF8&colid=19LY7RQGLH5K9&coliid=IRS5O5VCZMI0U

Worked like a champ to get that stripped screw out. Much easier than tapping the hole.