RobY Posted January 8, 2005 Share Posted January 8, 2005 PAIN IN THE ARSE!!! It took me 3 hours today to install my perrin gauge pod in the steering wheel cover. What I thought would take no more than 15 minutes ended up a nightmare. The bottom steering wheel column cover came off in about 30 seconds... thats when the fun stopped. I undid the 2 screws that held on the top steering column cover and the thing popped off easy peasy so I thought... Then while trying to remove it I realized the thing was mechanically locked in there between all the crap on the column. It was like trying to figure out a rubix cube or one of those ring puzzles. After 15 minutes of manuvering I gave up and consulted the manual... The manual had 2 options... REMOVE THE ENTIRE DASH! or drop the ENTIRE steering column. Needless to say I was pissed. I ended up removing a good part of the drivers side lower dash to gain access to the bolts that hold the steering column assembly in place. I then undid the 12mm bolts that hold the column in place. The thing dropped down. That took me over an hour. I removed the top steering column cover and drilled and mounted the pod in 10 minutes. I snapped the thing back on and heres when I hit another snag.... The steering wheel adjuster assembly is SPRING LOADED. Try lining up bolts on a spring loaded steering wheel adjuster assembly!!! AHHH!!!!! After 30 minutes of trying to fondle the adjuster assembly into place I finally decided that I would need to remove the springyness from. he adjster mechanism... So I removed the spring from the adjuster mechanism and it took me another good 15 minutes to fondle everything into place. I replaced the spring which is a pain to do once everything is bolted up as I quickly learned. Once everything was together I started reassembling the lower dash assembly and I snapped the lower column cover into place. You see the story does not end here, because It is now pitch dark out and I have not yet BEGUN to install the DEFI gauges. So now Im gonna have to drive around with an empty gauge pod while my passengers inquire and laugh. Sigh... If I would have know it was this difficult to mount a friggin gauge pod. I would have chosen another mounting option. It is much easier with the WRX the trim peice that locks the top column cover in place is a small gauge cover assembly NOT THE ENTIRE DASH!!! Perhaps this is why the boost gauge option was not an option in the Legacy.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoxerGT2.5 Posted January 8, 2005 Share Posted January 8, 2005 How do the mickey mouse ears look??? OBAMA......One Big Ass Mistake America! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest *Jedimaster* Posted January 8, 2005 Share Posted January 8, 2005 How do the mickey mouse ears look??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rimfaxe Posted January 9, 2005 Share Posted January 9, 2005 Velcro! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoxerGT2.5 Posted January 9, 2005 Share Posted January 9, 2005 Well thats what they look like. But the finish is very nice and if they stay out of obstructing the dash......it's all good. OBAMA......One Big Ass Mistake America! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red beast Posted January 9, 2005 Share Posted January 9, 2005 couldn't take the bottom off, move steering wheel all the way down, and then rotate the top around to the bottom? or take the steering wheel off? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobY Posted January 9, 2005 Author Share Posted January 9, 2005 wont rotate... Its locked in between all the instrumentation and controls. I would have to remove the steering wheel and the entire control cluster. I figured dropping the column would be easier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobY Posted January 9, 2005 Author Share Posted January 9, 2005 Well thats what they look like. But the finish is very nice and if they stay out of obstructing the dash......it's all good. In its uppersmost postition it only blocks out the last 15 mph or the spedo and the first 1500 rpm's of the tach. If you lower it a bit it becomes completely visable. It blocks out a good portion of the temp and the fuel though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rc0032 Posted January 9, 2005 Share Posted January 9, 2005 Do you have any pics? How about one of both setups? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobY Posted January 9, 2005 Author Share Posted January 9, 2005 no pix yet... no digicam, the fate of my last one ended up in the bottom of a rocky ravine in new mexico when backpacking. I will borrow one (or buy one) when I actually find time to install the gauges right now its just an empty pod not very appealing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SUBY3 Posted January 10, 2005 Share Posted January 10, 2005 "A" pillar is best in my opinion. easy to route wires too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slip304 Posted January 10, 2005 Share Posted January 10, 2005 I like the look of the steering column pod on the website and cant wait to see it fully installed on a legacy. Not a big fan of the A-pillar guage look, plus it sounds like they get in the way of our airbags, correct? To bad its such a pain to install. Post photo's when you can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imcabby Posted December 4, 2010 Share Posted December 4, 2010 Resurecting this thread.. i want to take the steering column cover off ....any pics with instructions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captainobvious Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 Im thinking the same thing. Time to bring this link back. I am aiming to do this as well, But it sounds like a major PITA!! Thinking of crazy gluing them into place instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mega Users LieutenantDan Posted February 18, 2012 Mega Users Share Posted February 18, 2012 Its really not a big deal. I've got a dual Perrin gauge pod. Took me about 10 minutes to get the top cover off. You just have to be creative and not afraid to bend the screw mounts a little Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captainobvious Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 I didnt even bother, i put my boost gauge and Oil pressure gauge in my center console. Looks cleaner IMO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam393 Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 Resurrection, just wanted to add my input. I saw this a few weeks back when installing my Perrin pod and gauges. I was determined to take it off, and in doing so, snapped off one of the two long, plastic screw mounts in the rear. I was pissed, but the cover was out. I reinstalled everything, worried about how it would rattle/squeal since it wasn't bolted down on the left side. After a few weeks, I have noticed no vibrations/rattles/squeaks from the column. My wires are also routed above the column and behind the lower dash panel, so that might be helping keep everything planted. Needless to say, this isn't ideal, but if anyone else goes through what I did, you shouldn't have anything to worry about... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.