1987 Elandan LCD Dash

jbragg · January 16, 2015, 08:27 AM

I recently purchased a 1987 Elandan 37RQ. This is the first RV for me and my wife. Needless to say we are learning as we go. It has an LCD dash in it. All the gauges are digital. The problem I'm having is the gauges more resemble an array of Christmas lights as opposed to a instrument panel. The gauges all appear to be working, just hard to read. I've seen where people have replaced the polarized film on similar setups. Was wondering if other have run into this problem or not. I'd like to keep the original instruments, if possible, rather than have to change out to newer gauges. When I contacted Winnebago they stated that the instrument panel was a factory part, Chevrolet states it was a Winnebago option and they added it. Winnebago website does show that dash panel as an option for the '87.

LJ-TJ · January 16, 2015, 10:36 AM

i?? Got any pictures??? A picture is worth a thousand words.

HandyDan · January 16, 2015, 11:04 AM

This probably isn't what you want to do, but it is an option.

http://www.custominstrumentpanels.com/winnebag.htm

jbragg · January 16, 2015, 05:44 PM

LJ-TJ I attached a picture of the instrument panel I have. Haven't found anyone that knows much about them though.

LJ-TJ · January 16, 2015, 11:00 PM

WOW! In all the years I've been looking at rigs I can't say's I've ever seen anything like that. That'd screw up your eyeballs in a hurry. D:oH!

Froggy1936 · January 16, 2015, 11:22 PM

There was some model of Chevrolet or Pontiac that had something simular back in the late 80,s or 90,s Frank

jbragg · January 16, 2015, 11:30 PM

That seems to be the response I've gotten from everyone. So far I haven't found anyone that has one. The guy at Winnebago even seemed stumped. I'm hoping the polarizing film will fix the problem. If not I'll build a dash to match the floor and install after market gauges.

GONMAD · January 17, 2015, 12:03 AM

I agree with you about aftermarket gauges, That setup you have might give you a headache looking at it even though it's pretty unusual. GONMAD

TerryH · January 17, 2015, 03:26 AM

Agree with "wow".
Looks nice, but at night?
Definitely look at after market dial gauges.
Never seen these on an RV.
Different, somewhat impressive but I would have to question their functionality on a large vehicle.
Does make a nice looking dash though.
Terry

LJ-TJ · January 17, 2015, 08:13 AM

i?? Well isn't this going to be an interesting subject. I just spent some time running around the internet to see what I could find and guess what. Nada,Zero,Zip,nothing. WOW! Not even a hint of anything. Ok you computer wizards have at her. What can you find?

jbragg · January 17, 2015, 09:45 AM

Same result I've been getting for over a month now. Custom Instruments is the only place I've been that even shows the dash. There replacement is $800 plus, according to their website, which hasn't been updated since 2005. Any advice for sources of aftermarket gauges? Looking at some Autometers and building a custom dash panel from wood to match floor. At least I come up with a good conversation piece.

Thanks again for all the advice. When I get it done I'll be sure and post some pictures.

gpw9552 · January 17, 2015, 10:10 AM

The parts break down on my 1987 RU33 says the "This item is available from your Chrysler Service Center"

Not sure if it's the same as the Elandan.

LJ-TJ · January 17, 2015, 11:37 AM

Ok big guy now your talking a little bit of what I can contribute to. First, I swear by Autometer. Made in the U.S.of A. Two, keep and eye on Craig's list. Autometer's are expensive if you buy new but you can pickup as good as new gauges off Craig's list. I put about a $1000.00 interment panel in my 1975 Winnebago for around $400.00.

jbragg · January 17, 2015, 05:30 PM

Looks good. Would have to agree with you on the Autometer gauges. Used them in a few cars I've built. What gauges do you have in the panel? I'm looking at adding Speedo, Tach, Water & tranny temp, oil pressure, volts, and fuel. Anything I'm missing?

brians1969 · January 17, 2015, 06:55 PM

I saw that instrument panel on an Elandan I looked at this summer. I think it was an '86. It didn't look like it was working. If it was, it was very dim. I looked online at the owners manual and it mentioned "a limited edition option". I figured if I bought it, I would have to send the panel out for repair somewhere cause finding one in a junkyard would be impossible.

Couldn't you check with some of the rv junkyards for a standard elandan instrument panel? Those shouldn't be to hard to find.

LJ-TJ · January 17, 2015, 08:16 PM

D:oH! Ok, are you ready for this. Starting on the left I have two fuel gauges. One for the main tank that the generator draws from and the second is for the aux tank. Then I have the the Volt gauge, Vacuum gauge,Tran Temp, Water Temp, Oil Temp, Oil Pressure then I have the Fuel Pressure and the Tach. Trust me the ribbing is brutal but all in good fun. I've had so many things go wrong with the engines in my Winnebago's that I finally said the heck with it and now I can monitor everything going down the road and when the s#*t hits the fan I know what it's not. Hope this helps a tad. Hm?

http://www.classicwinnebagos.com/forum/index.php/topic,7201.msg43690.html#msg43690

jbragg · January 18, 2015, 08:48 AM

Helps a lot, Brother. Now comes the million dollar question, as if I haven't asked enough already. What's the chance of finding a wiring diagram on here? So, I will know what goes where.

gpw9552 · January 18, 2015, 09:39 AM

Quote from: jbragg on January 18, 2015, 08:48 AM
Helps a lot, Brother. Now comes the million dollar question, as if I haven't asked enough already. What's the chance of finding a wiring diagram on here? So, I will know what goes where.

Email Winnebago customer service. That's where I got mine (chassis wiring).

bluebird · January 18, 2015, 09:43 AM

You ought to be able to find a used panel from a wrecking yard to replace that one. Most panels were pretty much the same on a GM chassis from 80 to 90. Don't think you have to just look for a panel from a Winnebago, as I have seen the same panel that was in my 80 Itasca in other brands. I never was into digital dashes, and steered away from them. I did have one in a Pontiac GTA that I bought wrecked to part out and that digital dash brought some pretty good money.

Rickf1985 · January 18, 2015, 10:44 AM

Quote from: LJ-TJ on January 17, 2015, 08:16 PM
D:oH! Ok, are you ready for this. Starting on the left I have two fuel gauges. One for the main tank that the generator draws from and the second is for the aux tank. Then I have the the Volt gauge, Vacuum gauge,Tran Temp, Water Temp, Oil Temp, Oil Pressure then I have the Fuel Pressure and the Tach. Trust me the ribbing is brutal but all in good fun. I've had so many things go wrong with the engines in my Winnebago's that I finally said the heck with it and now I can monitor everything going down the road and when the s#*t hits the fan I know what it's not. Hope this helps a tad. Hm?

http://www.classicwinnebagos.com/forum/index.php/topic,7201.msg43690.html#msg43690

OK, Where is the altimeter and artificial horizon?

LJ-TJ · January 18, 2015, 10:45 AM

Oh Boy, So I was hoping to make my add on instrument panel look like it was an option that came with the motorhome rather than a scraggly add on. I really didn't want to just punch holes higgley squiggly all over the place. So first I went to the Dollar Store and bought some bristle board and built the dash out of bristol board. Decided what gauges I wanted and were I wanted them situated in the dash for an easy scan. I then went to Auto Zone and picked up some auto body tin and laid my dash out on the tin and cut it out. I bought a proper hole saw to cut out the holes for the interments. NOW the wiring. I didn't want the gauges set up so if I blew a fuse all the gauges went down so I wired them up individually. Yeah I know probably over kill. So what I did was went to Auto Zone and picked up a fuse bar with enough fuse slots to hook up the required number of interments. I then ran a separate hot wire from the back of my fuse panel to the new fuse bar. That took care of making the fuse bar HOT. I then found an old house fuse box and took the grounding bar out of it and mounted it to a good grounding spot. In my case that was the side of the steering column under the dash. That took care of my GROUND. I then ran individual hot wires from each instrument to my fuse hot bar and individual grounding wires to my grounding bar. This way if a instrument goes bad only that instrument will blow the fuse for that instrument. I know there's better ways to do this but I couldn't think of them at the time. Hope this gives you some ideas.

Rickf1985 · January 18, 2015, 12:39 PM

Definitely overkill but in a very good way. I would have moved the fuse block back a bit to make room for the wires in the front instead of pinching them under the box but other than that it is well thought out. I read on here somewhere that you are a pilot so I fully understand the desire for redundancy. That was also the basis for my crack about the aviation gauges.

Although an altimeter would be useful. If you need the artificial horizon you most likely will not be looking at the gauges anyway. W%

LJ-TJ · January 18, 2015, 01:00 PM

:)rotflmao At the time if I could have found one the same size as the one's I put in, I would have. They have them in the Bluebird Wonderlodge you know.
In my old Winnebago's none of the gauges ever worked. I got tired of waking up and finding out the batter was dead and then finding out the alternator quit working. I got tired of smelling hot and not knowing what was hot. Oil,Tranny,Water. Driving down the road and having her just quit and not knowing why. Now if the fuel pressure goes away at least I have a starting place to look. Doesn't solve all my problems but gives me a jump off point.
Yep! the wife and I fly a pair of Koren War Vintage Artillery Spotters.

4-Paws · March 16, 2015, 03:20 PM

The dash you have in your Elandan was installed by Winnebago as an option, it was manufactured for them by a company called "Uniforce" (not sure of the spelling). It was used only a short time and the high rate of failures caused it's elimination. There are no parts available which you already know unless you can find one in a salvage lot. Unlike the similar "Intel-a-dash" which was used by other manufacturers, the wiring is not a direct "plug-in" to the GM wiring.

jbragg · March 16, 2015, 05:42 PM

Thanks for the information 4Paws. I'd say it's going to go in favor of a set of autometers. When I called Winnebago and asked about they were even unsure what I was talking about.