Hey Rinker i redesigned your dash hnt hint hint. You may want to consider these ideas.

davidbrooksdavidbrooks Member Posts: 1,431 ✭✭✭✭
in Rinker Express Cruisers Forum
My chart plotter was an old Garmin 5208 and my gauges were frustrating.  Speedo was tough to keep working and when it did it wasn't as accurate as gps and tachometers were always sticky.  So I bought a set of gauges from Great Lakes Skipper, a Garmin 942 and some 1/2 thick starboard.  I was going to fiberglass in the old hole but started looking for a glove box as i am always looking for a place to put my phone, car keys, wallet etc...Found this also on GLS.  Made a few templates from card board and then pulled out my trusty router.  I also found some vinyl laminate that is really close to what was already there.  It was just a mat finish.  So i sprayed it with polyurethane.  The gauges also came with a wiring harness so i had to do some careful research and then splice it into the old wiring harness plug.  All in all i like it.  Having the chartplotter up in front is huge and i also like the way it turned out by adding in the glove box.  

 
It's 5 O'Clock Somewhere!
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Comments

  • Liberty44140Liberty44140 Member Posts: 4,414 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Wow! Looks great! 
    07' Cruisers 390 (Previous Rinker's: 06' 342EC & 01' 310FV)

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  • califcocalifco Member Posts: 59 ✭✭
    Great idea! Looks very good. 
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  • Cableguy GregCableguy Greg Member Posts: 5,077 ✭✭✭✭✭
    You got my wheels turning... I would love to add VV4 to my boat. I could move the plotter up to the dash as well. Hmm...

    BTW, looks great!!!
    2008 280 Express Cruiser, 6.2MPI, B3, Pittsburgh, PA "Blue Ayes" (Sold)
    2022 Cherokee 294GEBG Black Label land yacht. 
    Go Steelers!!!
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  • Michael TMichael T Member Posts: 7,241 ✭✭✭✭✭
    @davidbrooks - AWESOME job!
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  • tk1973tk1973 Member Posts: 122 ✭✭
    Looks clean. 
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  • Handymans342Handymans342 Member Posts: 10,375 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I see a hole to the right of the storage compartment, otherwise looks good.
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  • davidbrooksdavidbrooks Member Posts: 1,431 ✭✭✭✭
    @Handymans342 good eye.  i left that and a few spots around the fish finder for  winter.  Hopefully i will have recovered from the $$ going into the transom by then.
    It's 5 O'Clock Somewhere!
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  • StodgeStodge Member Posts: 2,738 ✭✭✭✭
    I have my VV4 and 721 in the dash.  Puts the important stuff in the best spot.

    2002 FV 342 on Lake St. Clair - Past Commodore SHC - Vessel Examiner USCGAUX

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  • Dream_InnDream_Inn Member, Moderator Posts: 7,919 mod
    Looks great!!

    Dream 'Inn III -- 2008 400 Express

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  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Dana Point, California, USAPosts: 0 ✭✭✭
    Nice work, very inspirational!
    Andy
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  • Michael TMichael T Member Posts: 7,241 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Lot of talent on this forum. Have looked at a few others, no disrespect to them but nothing like the advice and mods found here!
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  • Black_DiamondBlack_Diamond Member Posts: 5,439 ✭✭✭✭✭
    @diggin2day1. Does the VV4 pick up your fuel level, trim position etc?

    do you need 2x of them for twin engines?

    Past owner of a 2003 342FV
    PC BYC, Holland, MI
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  • diggin2day1diggin2day1 Member Posts: 1,331 ✭✭✭✭
    Yes it does...  I'll find you the info on it tonight. Just got home from Block Island and cleaning/unpacking boat. 
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  • diggin2day1diggin2day1 Member Posts: 1,331 ✭✭✭✭

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  • WildboatingWildboating Member Posts: 957 ✭✭✭
    @davidbrooks @diggin2day1  


    Incredible job by both of you!!   I have had this on my radar to do, maybe this will be a good winter project!! 

    Diggin2day1   Did you add digital fuel and trim sensors or did yours come that way from factory?

    2003 Rinker 342 Fiesta Vee, 350 Mag MPI, Bravo 3 2.20:1 w/ 22p 4 x4 props

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  • diggin2day1diggin2day1 Member Posts: 1,331 ✭✭✭✭
    No need for new/digital senders.... I called mercruiser and spoke with Kim. This is the information he gave me and it worked like a charm:

    Fuel:
    3-pin Fuel tank Harness- part# 84-864218 

    Huge 10 pin harness from helm, follow to the T section where branches off... (3 pin plug/2 wires labeled "fuel level" (A-blk/pink tracer ..... B-light blue/blk tracer) unplug current sender and plug in new harness

    Trim: 

    Digital trim- orange/white (bullet plug)..... Analog (orange/light blue)... Unplug analog and plug in digital. 

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  • J3ffJ3ff Member Posts: 4,224 ✭✭✭✭✭
    If vessel view 4 can pickup how many gallons are remaining automatically, how come vessel view mobile cant?  I have to manually put in 100 gallons each time I fill up and then if I forget to run the app, it seems to not realize I've used gas when it's not on. 
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  • diggin2day1diggin2day1 Member Posts: 1,331 ✭✭✭✭
    Your boat came with an analog fuel gauge so the fuel sender wasn't sent into your SmartCraft(sender sent info directly to gauge)... the same thing with your trim sender/gauge. No need for "digital" senders... just need to send the existing senders into the smartcraft system. The trim is the simplest... look on the aft/top of motor for a "bullet connector" on a orange/white wire. It should be plugged into its mating bullet connector and tagged "analog"... simply unplug from analog and plug into "digital trim" connector. 
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  • J3ffJ3ff Member Posts: 4,224 ✭✭✭✭✭
    hmmm, okay, I dont think VVM has a place for trim, but that fuel would be nice on long trips. 
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  • diggin2day1diggin2day1 Member Posts: 1,331 ✭✭✭✭
    Here's pictures of the trim connections: 

    heres a few pictures of the plug where the new fuel harness wires plug in:
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  • J3ffJ3ff Member Posts: 4,224 ✭✭✭✭✭
    ah sweet, thanks for the pics! going to get that going 
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  • diggin2day1diggin2day1 Member Posts: 1,331 ✭✭✭✭
    @j3ff - I get a real-time GPH reading on my VV as well(but that has nothing to do with installing the fuel harness)... as soon as I plugged in my VV I saw those readings. 
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  • J3ffJ3ff Member Posts: 4,224 ✭✭✭✭✭
    yeah, I see the GPH and MPG on VVM, just not the actual fuel remaining, which would be much better vs a gauge that kind of bounces around.. 
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  • diggin2day1diggin2day1 Member Posts: 1,331 ✭✭✭✭
    Honestly it is the same as a gauge that bounces around... 
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  • Michael TMichael T Member Posts: 7,241 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Unbelievable mods!!!!! - you guys are awesome! I LOVE looking at this stuff. Sh*t it's CRAZY good!
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  • JoeStangJoeStang Member Posts: 1,138 ✭✭✭✭
    J3ff said:
    yeah, I see the GPH and MPG on VVM, just not the actual fuel remaining, which would be much better vs a gauge that kind of bounces around.. 
    You have to reset the fuel used each time you fill up and also input your gas tank capacity. The miles to empty and gallons remaining only really work if you top off every time and reset the values right then. 
    2013 276 Cuddy ~ 350 MAG / B3
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  • WildboatingWildboating Member Posts: 957 ✭✭✭
    With the cable mentioned above is VV showing the fuel level based on the sensor in the tank or is this because of inputing the fill up info?   I dont keep my tanks above 1/2 unless im going on a trip.  I want to see fuel level on VV just like it does on my gauge based on the tank sensor

    2003 Rinker 342 Fiesta Vee, 350 Mag MPI, Bravo 3 2.20:1 w/ 22p 4 x4 props

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  • J3ffJ3ff Member Posts: 4,224 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Wildboating said:
    With the cable mentioned above is VV showing the fuel level based on the sensor in the tank or is this because of inputing the fill up info?   I dont keep my tanks above 1/2 unless im going on a trip.  I want to see fuel level on VV just like it does on my gauge based on the tank sensor

    Same here, no need to lug around 50 more gallons of gas and burn extra fuel pushing it...  I'm assuming the one in the picture is going off of the sensor.. 
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  • DanD2DanD2 Member Posts: 848 ✭✭✭
    J3ff said:
    yeah, I see the GPH and MPG on VVM, just not the actual fuel remaining, which would be much better vs a gauge that kind of bounces around.. 


    Man I wish I could get that on my Volvo.


    AWESOME dash MODS guys. Always wanted to redo the dash on my 342, now I've got some ideas...thanx!!

    No longer a boat owner.....previous boat - 2005 Rinker Fiesta Vee 342
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