I read through all the threads and still couldnt find what are some of the things ya'll spliced into to hook your gauges.

Like I read this thread and the links Bob posted

https://www.ranger-forums.com/forum2...=gauge+install

The autometer installation instructions say white wire goes to dash. What would be a good wire to hook it into?

Then red goes to 12v connection and it showes ignition. What would be good for that wire? (could I hook it into the front of the fuse box in the engine bay?).

Then the ground says "good engine ground" can I just sand down a part in the engine bay and ground it off there or do I have to do it where the battery is grounded.

Sorry I am not electronic savy I dont want to mess anything up and I want it done right.

Thanks,
Roach

 

Hot with ignition on: red/yellow at instrument cluster connector
Ground: any solid black wire or bolted to clean ground under dash
Illumination: light blue/red at head unit, cluster or HVAC contol panel.

 

I just connected right into a "hot with ignition" circuit right behind the fuse panel. A circuit is easy to find with a test light. The ground went to the grounding stud behind the driver's kick panel, and the illumination went to the light bl/red coming off the dimmer switch.

 

That works fine with your 2003 and a similar process could be used on his 2004. The difference is that 2004 fuse panel is on the other side of the truck at the SJB in the PS kick panel. Properly routing the wires across would probably require just as much disassembly as going to the cluster connector.

If using color codes, there is ambiguity at the SJB with 2 red/yellows in the same connector. That's why I didn't mention accessing it at the SJB. Finding the right wire with a meter or test light would be best but not everyone has access to those.

 

Gotcha......wondered why you didn't recommend just going to the fuse block. Your original recommendation makes sense now.

 

Thanks Bob that was exactly what I was lookin for!

Thanks,
Roach

 

Hey since I have 2 gauges and they both need the same wires spliced in can I splice both wires into 1 wire at the same spot or do I need to find seperate wires for each gauge?

 

You can probably hook them into the same wire. get some of those connectors where you can put three wires into one. Don't just electrical tape it. it likes to come undone. ask how i know.....

 

I am just going to splice them all in together.

 

Hey there is 2 red/yellow wires a small one and a big one which is it?