Gear indicator the factory should have done

[red]

Question Rick: With the LED's behind the numbers 1 thru 5, does that change how you can you see those numbers at night?  i.e. If you're in 5th gear, are the numbers 1 thru 4 still visible at night?

Well, back to the drawing board... they're effectively dark compared to the 6-12, but I have an idea...

ZOA NOM,

Just a suggestion, but I would get a sheet of clear hard plastic, maybe 1/4" (~6mm) thick, minimum.  Cut out one semicircle to match (cover) the numbers 1-5 on the speedometer.  Mount that curving strip of plastic as needed behind the numbers, then hot-glue the LEDs to the back of the plastic, located where they are now.  You won't be gluing LEDs to the back of the speedometer, and you should get enough "instrument light" between the numbers and the LEDs to look normal, or almost normal.  No added electrical work . . . 

You have a fine idea there, it just needs a bit of tweaking.   

[fj1289]

Are the numbers on the lower half of the tach that important!?

I'm not worried about the tach at all unless I'm really getting on it - otherwise I'm spending my time and attention on looking for someone or something trying to kill me.  I can tell the general rev range I'm in by the feel and sound. 

Awesome mod - clever way to approach it!

[ZOA NOM]

Question Rick: With the LED's behind the numbers 1 thru 5, does that change how you can you see those numbers at night?  i.e. If you're in 5th gear, are the numbers 1 thru 4 still visible at night?

Well, back to the drawing board... they're effectively dark compared to the 6-12, but I have an idea...

ZOA NOM,

Just a suggestion, but I would get a sheet of clear hard plastic, maybe 1/4" (~6mm) thick, minimum.  Cut out one semicircle to match (cover) the numbers 1-5 on the speedometer.  Mount that curving strip of plastic as needed behind the numbers, then hot-glue the LEDs to the back of the plastic, located where they are now.  You won't be gluing LEDs to the back of the speedometer, and you should get enough "instrument light" between the numbers and the LEDs to look normal, or almost normal.  No added electrical work . . . 

You have a fine idea there, it just needs a bit of tweaking.   

Great minds think alike... I'll be sure to post up the mod. 

[ZOA NOM]

Are the numbers on the lower half of the tach that important!?

I'm not worried about the tach at all unless I'm really getting on it - otherwise I'm spending my time and attention on looking for someone or something trying to kill me.  I can tell the general rev range I'm in by the feel and sound. 

Awesome mod - clever way to approach it!

I completely agree, but it's one of those nagging little things that just has to be fixed. The final version should be something easily plug and play so it isn't a mess. If I can get a simple, repeatable assembly that can just be married to RPM's cable, it should be a sweet mod for anyone.

[ZOA NOM]

Ok, try #2...

Started with some thin plexi and marked the arc and drilled some holes for regular LED's





Slid some heat shrink over the LEDs to try and focus the light right on the digit.



Took a heat gun to the ends and put an elevation bend to give room for the LEDs and the backlight.



Fed all the wires through the same hole as before...



Decided to go with an RJ-45 connector to allow easy disconnect...



Used the female RJ-45 to connect the cable...






Works in the garage, waiting for dark...

[ZOA NOM]

From Page 1...



Looks a lot better...

[Tor-King]

Rick,
When will your gear indicator kits be ready for purchase?   

Dean

[ZOA NOM]

Rick,
When will your gear indicator kits be ready for purchase?   

Dean

haha! I knew that would be asked... it needs some more refinement, but it's not out of the question...

[ryanschoebel]

That is freaking brilliant!!! I cant tell you how annoying it us to try and shift into sixth.... That is a great fix to something i didn't realize could be fixed! Awesome idea, and great execution. If you want to sell them, i will absolutely buy one. Or if not, ill just copy yours and make one haha.

[ZOA NOM]

That is freaking brilliant!!! I cant tell you how annoying it us to try and shift into sixth.... That is a great fix to something i didn't realize could be fixed! Awesome idea, and great execution. If you want to sell them, i will absolutely buy one. Or if not, ill just copy yours and make one haha.

The idea is open source, please use it!

[Pat Conlon]

Thank you Rick!

After all the questions and comments are made, can I save this mod over in the Mod Files?

[ZOA NOM]

Thank you Rick!

After all the questions and comments are made, can I save this mod over in the Mod Files?

Absolutely. I plan to make a hard metal mold of the plexi LED holder so I can make more accurate repeat copies by laying the plexi on top and heating it. I wish I could get the transmission switch all by itself. The cable that comes with it has pretty large gauge wires, which must be stripped to press into the cat 5 female connector. It would be slick to just use a cat 5 cable and solder it to the switch. The tiny leads on the LED's are very fragile, which is why I went with the cat 5 male on that end. It is very easy to slide them into the connector without stripping them and crimp.

I'll try to put together a quality kit with specific parts along with instructions.

[Tor-King]

Thank you Rick!

After all the questions and comments are made, can I save this mod over in the Mod Files?

I'll try to put together a quality kit with specific parts along with instructions.

Now you have gotten me all excited!

[Pat Conlon]

I wish I could get the transmission switch all by itself....

Yes, that would be ideal. Did you have to buy the entire shift gauge kit just to get the shift switch?


Alf on his "Fast Jota" site used a shift switch off the Yamaha XVZ 1300 (2002) neutral gear sensor, PN 41R-82540-02-00.
Some minor trimming was needed and the additional 5 wires needed to be attached to the posts on the switch.
http://www.fj1200.info/Home.htm





 

[ZOA NOM]

I bought the whole deal just in case, but only used the switch and cable. I thought about doing the modification to my existing switch, but I wanted to retain it just in case the whole attempt went in the shitter. It could easily be modified if you're so inclined. The part that is critical, as witnessed, was the LED platform. Red's clear plastic idea was the game changer. It really allows for the backlighting to stay unaffected.

To recap, this mod could be as simple as a cat-5 cable soldered to your existing trans switch (modified for all gears), with a male RJ 45 on the other end, and 5 LEDs with a female cat-5 on their leads, pressed into the plastic arc, spot glued to the back of your tach. (the sixth wire is separated to connect to the existing neutral light ground wire)