First of all - I bought the following gauges - so you know what I'm going to be working with:

Auto Meter Gauges: Auto Meter Boost Gauge 60lbs (ultra lite)
2: 1/16"

Auto Meter Gauges: Auto Meter Pyrometer (EGT) Gauge (ultra lite)
2: 1/16"

2 1/16" Dual Gauge Holder 94-97 Ram Truck

QUESTIONS:

- Can I run power straight from my battery?

- Where else can I get 12v constant power?

- What is needed for the gauges?

- Is there a turn on and constant (hot)?

- Which wire do I tap for lights on the back of my headlight switch?

- I do not want to stick wires into my fuse block...

- Are there any easy install kits available?

- Anyone have pics?

 

It has been so long since I did mine I will try to remember. Use power off of your ignition I think it is a blue wire. And for lights go directly to your head light switch. Far as I can remember that is all you need.

 

you dont ever want to run anything straight from your battery w/o sometype of fuse or something...but im not an expert

brett

 

hth?

do you a factory service manual for the wiring?

 

No, but I thank you for the tips...

So I need a "turn on lead" and to find the "dim wire"?

What wires are on the back of the gauges?

12v and light?

Or more?

Does anyone know the specific wire on a 97 and its location?

Pics will help!

I assume I come into the cab through the firewall?

 

You can pull the headlight switch and solder a wire behind there so the gauge lights come on with the parking lights. That's what I did on my last truck. I just took an ohm meter and checked for resistance between the terminals until I found the one that was for the parking lights. I couldn't tell you exactly which terminal it was though. But it's not very hard to find. Just kind of a pita to solder a wire back there; have someone hold the switch for you.

I think with my current setup I ran a straight wire to the pos. battery terminal for the egt gauge. Do put an inline fuse though.

You don't need an "on" wire but there's always the radio wiring harness. Honostly, running the wires off the fuses makes things much much easier and it's only a couple wires.

 

Wouldn't your gauges be on all the time, drawing current and eventually killing the battery? I know mine would be. Mine are full electric, no mechanicals though.

If you have a test light, thats the best for finding the illumination wire off the headlight switch, so you can see when it dims. My gauges are LED lit, so they don't dim very much, but a regular bulb will. I also found my switched wire under the dash in the big harness along the steering column. If I were to do it again, I'd go through the fuse box though, way too easy to just ignore it.

 

I also am trying to recall my install. I believe the dimmer source I used was the ashtray bulb. Easy to use a T type connector, you don't even have to cut the wire. It pierces the insulator without parting the wire. I think I looked at the dimmer, but this locaton was a lot easier. I think switched power for my trans temp was tapped from the fuse box. If needed, I will look and find out which fuse.
Alan

 

I don't remember now. The only pos. wire needed (other than for the bulbs) is for the egt gauge I believe. And yes, I now that I think about it, I think that's the one I tapped into a fuse as well. Then I tapped another fuse for the headlights. So two in total.

 

When I did mine all the gauge lighting was wired to the headlight switch. My gauge kit came with a light harness so I only had to run 2 wires (12V hot) and a ground lead, instead of 6 wires. I used a test light to find the right wire that was for the instrument panel, and dimmed when I turned the ****. After that I used a razor blade and peeled of a ½" of insulation off of the wire and soldered the gauge light wire onto that. I did the same thing for the switched 12V power for my Isspro amp boxes, except that wire was down near the steering column.