Gauge Pod??

[Finkle]

hey sorry i tried to do a search on a triple gauge pod for my speed3 but came up with nothing
i read about one a little earlier on this forum and now its gone lol
anyone have a link to where i can buy one, and not the centre dash pod, the a-pillar pod

[redspeed]

Here (http://www.glowshiftdirect.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=17) & Here (http://***********************/ms3-2.htm) & Here (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Mazda3-ABS-Plastic-TRIPLE-A-PILLAR-GAUGE-POD-Mazda-3_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33677QQihZ010QQitemZ2 00082327375QQtcZphoto)

[Finkle]

quick question, what is the biggest difference between the corssover pod and the glowsport pod.....other than the price
im more concerned about quality than anything else

[Sierra117]

Nothing. Crossover is a shop here in Dallas, and they use the GLowsport Pod. Least thats what I've been lead to believe.

[redspeed]

The crossover pod is a tritium base material with a higher phosphate level, the glowsport is just a polymer base polycarbonate material with a lower ph level...(ugh)





LOL... J/K, it's just a gauge pod man! They all basically the same.

[AutoXRacer]

What about a dash mounted pod...? You know, the one that sits right on top of the center A/C vents...?

[ill_eagle94]

What about a dash mounted pod...? You know, the one that sits right on top of the center A/C vents...?

Protege Garage has them for only $50.

[kraz3y]

so im guessing the a pillar pods dont affect the side curtain airbags?

[AutoXRacer]

I wouldn't count on that... I wouldn't put a pod there... Just in case...
Somebody willing to test...? :)

[Sierra117]

Everyone who has done it says the air bags are further up on the pillar than where most gauges would be mounted. I'm just not a fan of the center mounted pod, and even if I didn't have navigation, I would go with an A pillar. That, or my personal favorite set up, steering column....yummy.

[AutoXRacer]

Yeah, but if the airbags are further up, upon the airbag inflating, won't it still affect the pillar area...? Won't the pillar cover blow off toward the windshield...?

[numbnuts22715]

Im worried that the a pillar may not work all that well.. thats why I made this:
http://img150.imageshack.us/img150/3281/dsc00136lv4.jpg

still not completely done, but almost.
I wont have to worry about the ugliness of the gauge pod that sits on top of the dash panel or an a pillar flying at my face when I get in a wreck. Plus it looks oemish which is also cool

[AutoXRacer]

WOW!!! That is nice!!! You planning to make a mold and sell them???

[numbnuts22715]

WOW!!! That is nice!!! You planning to make a mold and sell them???

nope.
There's actually a how to on the other forum if you wanna go through the trouble.
I may make a few extra and sell them though. but they'll be pricey. Another guy that makes them on the forum has sold a few on ebay for around 400 bucks, and Ive seen him sell one for 325 on the forum.
It's a loootttt of work. so much bondo and sanding, This one has probably taken like 30 or so hours.

[AutoXRacer]

Thats way too much work for me... I'll just buy the Protege Garage one... LOL

[redspeed]

Another guy that makes them on the forum has sold a few on ebay for around 400 bucks, and Ive seen him sell one for 325 on the forum.

Whoever is paying $400 for a gauge pod is getting (upbum)(butthump) ......................AND LIKES IT A LOT!!!!

[numbnuts22715]

Whoever is paying $400 for a gauge pod is getting (upbum)(butthump) ......................AND LIKES IT A LOT!!!!

I agree, it is expensive.
But you have to remember that its over 150 bucks in parts, and thats when you find the dash vent at a junkyard, and hours and hours of labor.
It takes close to 50 or so hours for each one. a lot of sanding, sore hands from sanding.... They get a lot for what they pay for.

[Bravnik]

I installed the dual pod yesterday. The dual pod does extend up and above the airbag. I was not too worried about the airbag going off, but more worried about the screw cutting into it and damaging it.

My solution was to put 2 screws up top and allow the door seal to hold the bottom in as it goes under the seal. I trimmed the pod with a drimmel tool and heated it up to make minor tweaks so it fit more flush without having 4 screws.

The end result was nice and clean. I didn't remove the pilar ether. I simply pulled it out (there are 2 plunger clips that it stop it from going all the way out) till it stopped. Marked my spots for the wires on the Pilar and the screw holes on the Pod.

I then used self tapping screws to drill the holes in the Pod first and used a Drill to make 2 holes in the pilar (only going deep enough to penetrate). I then put the pod in place and once again used the self tapping screws to drill the ancor holes in the Pilar using the holes I already drilled in the Pod as guides. Worked like a champ.

Once done. I mounted the pod to the A-Pilar using the screws that came with the pod (so the covers fit). I then got a 12inch wire and taped it to the end of the pod wires and then taped the other end to about a 12inch peace of a clothes hanger and ran the wires through the drill hole and out the side of the pilar. After I completed both pods I ran the wires down behind the door seal and then poped the pilar back into place.

In total the job was an all day adventure. Most of it spent freaking out if I really wanted to punch 4 holes into my a-pilar and if it didn't work what would I do :(

In the end I'm happy with the result. The airbag should be safe. If it ever needs to deploy it seems that its made to pop the a-pilar out until the clamps extend fully and nothing more. If that is the case, then they pod should be just fine as it does not hit anything when the pilar is pulled out.

However (as a precaution) today I will go and put a couple drops of super glue to hold the pods in place. Just enough to hold them but not enough to make me have to cut them out when I remove/replace them.

[Sierra117]

Something I just realised...

There is a good bit of talk about an A pillar pod screaming towards your face when the air bag goes off. Besides the fact that the pillar bag wont extend that far down and your own face will most likely be buried in the downy soft air bag as it gentle deploys from the wheel to encase you in an air filled cocoon of protection...

That stock piece of A pillar plastic will come off just as an aftermarket pod would.

[AutoXRacer]

(iagree)

[numbnuts22715]

Something I just realised...

There is a good bit of talk about an A pillar pod screaming towards your face when the air bag goes off. Besides the fact that the pillar bag wont extend that far down and your own face will most likely be buried in the downy soft air bag as it gentle deploys from the wheel to encase you in an air filled cocoon of protection...

That stock piece of A pillar plastic will come off just as an aftermarket pod would.

I know exactly what you mean. But theres no doubt that its attached entirely in a different way. There isnt any exact, fail proof way of measuring how an aftermarket apillar is affected when an airbag comes flying out 220 mph. I'm not saying that the airbag deploying will definitely throw gauges at your face, but theres a small chance. The screws could easily be ripped out of the stock a pillar and the rest of the pod could be smashed into you. I know its all theoretical and not proven, but I dont even want to take the chance. I like the way the dash mounted one looks better anyway.

[AutoXRacer]

(iagree) (lol2)