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Amp meter replacement with a Volt meter?

RnrdTheFox

Sr. Member
Joined
Dec 4, 2005
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727
Loc.
Superior, CO
I would like to replace the stock amp meter with a stock looking volt meter to go in my stock guage cluster. Has anybody done this or know where to get one? I don't mind a little modification work if I have to, but I want it to look stock. Thanks.
 

Gummi Bear

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jul 8, 2003
Messages
3,647
I'd like to do this also. I've been too lazy to monkey with it though.

Do a search for member 'eBronc' He did this, and there is a writeup on his website. It's been a year or two since I saw that, but it was pretty detailed.
 

72_EB

Contributor
66to77
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Feb 4, 2003
Messages
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Here's mine (idea stolen for Bronco Driver article a ways back). Not perfect, but looks okay and more useable than the amp meter.
75878433.jpg

75878424.jpg

Got the gauge at Autozone and made it fit in the shell of the old amp meter.
 
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RnrdTheFox

RnrdTheFox

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That's the look I'm looking for. That looks sweet. What BD number was the article in? Also, any guidance on the right Autozone partnumber or brand for the guage would be appreciated. Thanks.
 

Broncorm

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Jul 4, 2004
Messages
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Loc.
Perkinsville, VT
I also follow the right up BD. I can't seam to find the part number for the meter I used but it was from Autozone under $20 same size as what they used in BD.
 

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72_EB

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http://www.classicbroncos.com/forums/showthread.php?t=47652&highlight=voltmeter+bronco+driver

Old thread that someone scanned the article for me. :)

Don't remember the part # either, but it should be easy to find at Autozone and mine was under $20 too. It was a yellow package I believe.

Only problem with the conversion is the needle does bounce and not stay very steady if you are going over some serious bumpity bumps. Normal driving works good. Hey, it's a 20 buck amp meter and not a liquid filled Autometer. %)
 
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RnrdTheFox

RnrdTheFox

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Superior, CO
I went to three Autozones this evening. I think the guages you guys used are from SunPro. But, every store didn't list a volt meter. They had oid and fuel that looked just like the ones you guys have in your pics.

Do you recall if SunPro is the brand?

They didn't list a volt meter for sunpro ouside of the three guage clusters.

Anyone with other guages that they have used?

Thanks.
 

Steve

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May 5, 2003
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Grand Junction, CO
Why would you want a volt meter instead of an ammeter? ?:? I'd much rather see the ammeter, which tells me real-time if the alternator is charging or not, which isn't the case with a volt meter.
 

Broncorm

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I went to Autozone they didn't have any but I think its the one listed above by Past_Miner.
I took a black marker to the blue line on the gauge and cut down the needle to match the other stock gauges.
 

ransil

Bronco Guru
Joined
Sep 6, 2003
Messages
8,122
GJBroncoMan said:
Why would you want a volt meter instead of an ammeter? ?:? I'd much rather see the ammeter, which tells me real-time if the alternator is charging or not, which isn't the case with a volt meter.


Volt meter will tell you if it is charging or not, 13-14.5 volts its charging 12 volts you have issues.
 

76 bronco J

Bronco Guru
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Oct 20, 2005
Messages
1,480
in responce to GJbronco - the volt meter is much safer than the amp meter with it's bigger wire & amps flowing through it- as far as reading it 13.5-14.0 good(with good or powerful enough with all acceories on) & regular battery voltage alt. not good- I switched because of the 4G alternator on the explorer setup which is 130 amps where as the stock is about 60 amps and is the capacity of the stock meter
 

DebosDave'72

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Nov 8, 2005
Messages
1,020
Loc.
Bozeman, MT
GJBroncoMan said:
Why would you want a volt meter instead of an ammeter? ?:? I'd much rather see the ammeter, which tells me real-time if the alternator is charging or not, which isn't the case with a volt meter.

The reason I will eventually go to a volt meter vs the ammeter is because I went to a one-wire alternator. I have heard that the volt meter is more reliable in that not many ammeters work properly if at all... But my reason is the one-wire

DD
 
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RnrdTheFox

RnrdTheFox

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Rmain101 said:
I went to Autozone they didn't have any but I think its the one listed above by Past_Miner.
I took a black marker to the blue line on the gauge and cut down the needle to match the other stock gauges.

Yep, went by there today with the printout and they looked up the partnumber. It will be here in 4 - 5 days. I also order an Autometer one that looked nice. Going to see which one looks the best.

Thanks for the responses.
 

iwlbcnu

Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 1, 2001
Messages
3,341
I am in the same boat, would much rather have an ammeter, BUT a volt meter is safer. An ammeter has to be inline of the main power wire inbetween the batt and alt, so you would have to have about 10 ft of wire inbetween the batt and alt. This is a fire hazzard when using the 130 amp alts. Plus allows for voltage drops.

The gauge shown is 2" how much has to be modified? Also it is CP7985, CP8215 is the same but solid black, mat look nicer. CP8084 looks the same but half the price, may be an option.
 

Broncorm

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Perkinsville, VT
Its pretty easy to modify. There is a write up in Bronco driver #8. I just followed that. I did mine with the gauges in the dash so that was a little harder gettting it to fit nice. If you have the cluster out or an extra one to fit it to, its cake.
 
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RnrdTheFox

RnrdTheFox

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Superior, CO
My guages came in from Autozone today. I decided to snap some pictures along the way. I didn't have the article in BD, so I kinda winged it. Turned out ok I think. I ended up using the Sunpro like everyone else. The Autometer guage's lettering on the face was a little large, and at $39 I decided not to try to hack into it.

The pictures below show the steps, but here are the highlights to the install in case someone else wants to do this:

1. Remove the guage cluster.
2. Remove the Ampmeter guage.
3. Remove the face and glass from the Voltmeter with a screwdriver
4. Mark the circle to be cut out with the Voltmeter. Make sure you butt it up as close to the speedo housing as you can. I didn't, and ended up with the hole too big. (You will notice some white trim around the guage to fill in the hole.)
5. Cut the hole with a dremil and small cutting wheel.
6. Use a Sharpie to black out the blue line on the guage (if that bugs you)
7. I cut the "volt" lettering off the face plate that came with the unit and glued it to the guage. I started to go to the store and dig up some stick on lettering, but went with the materials at hand.
8. Cut needle to length and spray paint all the needles while you have the guage cluster out. It refreshes them and makes them all the same color.
9. I cut the bracket hardware into two small pieces that I used to mount it into the housing. I added electrical tape so it would grip the guage better.
 

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Broncorm

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Perkinsville, VT
Looks good. Mine is just a off center from doing while it was in the dash. One of those things I'll get around to fixing "some day".
 
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