I installed my newly acquired chrome/aluminum gauge rings today. To get to the heart of the matter, here are before and after pics:

Before:
http://www.fourthrock.com/maxima/gau...l/DSC00031.JPG

After:
http://www.fourthrock.com/maxima/gau...l/DSC00060.JPG

To see all of the install process pics, go to http://www.fourthrock.com/maxima/mods.html and choose "Gauge Cluster Ring Install".

Don't bust for not HTMLisizing the install page: I'll make it look pretty in the near future.

I had a bit of trouble getting the small rings to seat properly. The opening seemed to be a tad too small. I had to sand the opening a bit to get the rings to squat down. The large rings slid right in.

I inadvertently hit the black housing with the Dremel. I found Testor's model paint in flat black, applied with a soft bristled brush, covered up this spot perfectly. You can not tell I touched it up.

There is one picture listed with 5/11 written on the part. I wonder if this is the date of which the car was assembled?

I think the rings compliment the AE shift ****, pedals, and shifter surround very nicely.

Some of the pics came out darker than I would have liked. I did not use flash on the pics taken indoors.

Enjoy!

 

Great job mdeal! Looks beautiful!

 

ahaaa,

I had the same problem! I was bi***ing and moaning how they didn't seat properly. The size listed on the back of the rings was 50 mm. I think that 48 mm would have been better, but i didn't think to sand it down. I will most likely do that, but I already have an appointment this week to have the bezel painted to cover the deep scratches I made trying to install!

I will be painting it sterling mist like the body color, so I better get to sanding now.

Thanks for the install and ideas.

 

Dude, the Testors pay in a small jar is less than $2. It works fine, unless you really, really want it painted to match your car. That might look pretty good.

PS: The gauges look good with the lights on.

 

oooh! oohhh! oohhh! me next! me next!!

 

WHERE DO I GET THESE!!??!!??!!??!!??

 

Do a search. There have been a couple of the same inquires already. The seller's name is SECIFERO, or something similar to that.

 

Yeah I know, but I want it to match my car. Call me crazy, but I will have it painted then clear coated. This will have it look almost identical to my molded dash kit. I asked about getting to like the stainless set I have, but it would take alot more time and patience than I and my painter have. While he's at it, I gonna have him paint a few more things in the interior to make it look somewhat intended and dare I say factory. Well see how it turns out.

 

wow, that was nice, mdeal. makes me wanna do it too! hmm... is it possible to put new LEDs in there? like a little ummm.... brighter white or VW-blue? i've never taken apart the cluster... is it possible?

 

areX,
Thanks! If you take a close look at one of the pics, you'll see a connector labeled "Toshiba". I believe this to be the source of the light in the gauge cluster itself. (?) I did not take it out to inspect it, but I am guessing it is a t-tiny bulb.

There is another pic which is kind of dark. It shows two open holes and one is labeled "red" and the other "yellow". It makes me wonder if these can be used to change the color in some form or fashion. See http://www.fourthrock.com/maxima/gau...l/DSC00046.JPG

The "titanium" gauge stuff is really paper. When I was inspecting the cluster, I noticed the gauge face itself was like paper. I didn't mess too much with it because I didn't want to screw it up. I saw where Avalon Racing was making this type of product, perhaps for a different model Maxima. These are just inserts, basically, and if you wanted to change to kilometers this would be one of the necessary items to change.

Just for kicks, I moved the temperature needle with my finger to the extreme "H" setting.

PS: I should note psing(?) contributed to the install procedure by pointing out some important stuff as to how to get in there (eg remove the screws from below the steering wheel), all of which contributed to the success of the project.

 

Could you pass those along as I am trying to clean my dirty plastic piece in front of my guage cluster and cannot seem to get the stupid thing apart.

Thanks.

 

Your work is so tight that you need to go into business!

 

I agree, mdeal, your work is always impeccable. kudos

 

Thanks a bunch!

I am a detailed person by nature. I wonder, at times, the validatity of my work since I always turn to Mr Dremel, who bails me out in a crunch.

Did I mention how the 90 degree heat was getting to me and I just yanked the gauge cluster surround, the black part housing the dimming know, out from it's resting place because I was sweating all over the interior and parts and it was not going as smoothly as I had hoped, and heat was working on the brain and nerves, in general.

This stuff is prime propoganda, whereas I only show the pictures I want to show and not really how it goes.

 

That looks sweet good job on the install....i want to get them by the way does anyone know if the SE gauges will work on a GXE if so ill wait on those rings

 

The gauge cluster overlay and the gauge cluster, in general, should be identical amongst the Maxima family of 5th Gens. Your GXE is identical to a GLE or SE except for suspension, tires, interior optiosn, and body parts, such as the spoiler. Other than that, the GXE's are all but the same.

 

Cool then...awhile back i asked the nissan reps if the auto AC unit would fit in my car and they told me no because its different...just wondering would the auto AC unit that the SE and GLE have replace my old one

 

The wiring could be different, in that the GXE is not setup for all of the wiring of the GLE and the SE with most all of the options. I would say the GXE is upgradable to the GLE and SE features, but wiring harnesses and switches would be necessary. The unknown factor is what exactly needs to be added.

I have noticed my SE, with most every option except heated seats, side mirror defroster, and traction control, has missing fuse box elements and the like, as an example.

 

I just finished this tonight.....and it was a pain in the a**. The two small rings do not fit at all and must have been designed for another model. I do not relish losing my warranty to a dremel so did not go that route. I also broke one of the plastic clips that hold the clear cover over the gauges.

I am willing to admit that evening and black leather interiors don't mix, but after all is said and done, I kinda wish I hadn't done it. I just pray that Florida's heat does not allow them to melt the stickly and slide down......

 

when i first saw pix of the rings i really wanted them. but when i read the procedure to install i figured that there was a lot of room for error...especially for a clumsy a** like me lol

 

hi all. does anyone know where to purchase these, other than from the guy on org??/cause he doesn't have these any more..

thanks

 

Try finding Sycefiro in the For Sale forum. Use the search feature to find him.

 

Mdeal, noticed your pics on painting calipers and had some questions. My first question would have been what type of primer did you use however I see the calipers started out red...is that because you initially painted as such or they were different calipers? Next question, what type of paint is the silver, which I assume holds up to the elements, etc. Live in Northeast so plenty of salt and sand to worry about. Thanks.

 

Dario

Maybe you know all this, but just in case...I have a 2K GXE with auto AC, heated seats, TCS, 8-position electric driver's seat, HomeLink, electronically controlled motor mounts...and more. That's what they called in Canada the Convenience Package (I think it's different from the US one, from what I saw in previous threads).

All this to say that auto AC, heated sets should fit your GXE (I don't believe your reps...) but maybe in US, GXE was not provided with the harness already installed (I doubt it... too costly to mamufacture, easier to provide same harness and simply not put the feature)

My 2c....

 

Looks good!!

 

congrats on the professional-looking install!

those things look tight!

 

last time i checked, you had to order the entire gauge cluster from the dealership...what's more, u can't just plug the new one in, you have to go to your 'friendly' local DMV and get the mileage certified..what a pain...i might as well just paint the black plastic piece with Tester paint..that might look good...

does the ring reflect light at night times? anyone got a pic of this at night?(after the ring installed)

 

nice maxima. did u dynamat your trunk? also do u get pretty deep bass with that sub?

 

he was supposed to get them in mid january,,,did he ever get em?? anyone ?? if not siefro,,from where else can these be purchased?

 

Looks great!! Extreme kudos on all the pictures!! That will help a lot of people if they decide to try it themselves.

Tony

 

Looks good. Hope you don't have the problems I do. I have to open up the gauge cover about every 4 months to reseat them, they start to slide down. They also left marks on the gauge faces. So if I take them off I'll see a circular ring mark cutting into my stock gauges.

 

does anyone have instruction on how to install on a 4th gen???