newer Auto Meter gauges

Hey guys, I've been chugging along on my swap slowly but surely :smash: The theme of the winter/spring was wiring, and lately I've been working on wiring up my gauges and finalizing the engine harness.

With that, I have almost finished my gauge wiring. The 5 center console gauges are all ready to go, but my speedo and tach are being held back. I was curious if anyone with newer Auto Meters have run into this "bulb bracket."





Only the tach came with two bulbs and brackets like this. These seem to just snap into the bulb whole in the back of the gauge. However, they fall out really easily!

All the other gauges came with a black plastic bracket that slipped into the bulb whole and twist locked into place. This is a positive engagement and they are really in there.

I've contacted Auto Meter about this, but they haven't had the chance to respond (emailed them earlier this morning).

My question is simply, to see if anyone has run into these and how you managed to install them so they don't pop out. I tried using some masking tape in the whole to tighten up the bore, but it didn't really work. I've also tried twisting them and didn't get anywhere.

I have used those and indeed they easily snap back out. I used little retainers to secure the wire to the threaded studs on the back of the gauges so they wouldn't snap out. A royal PITA. The older ones are so much better.

Well I feel better that I wasn't doing anything wrong. I never though of making retainers, but since auto meter got back to me, looks like I won't have to. Thanks for the post TT. I figured someone had to have dealt with these.

According to auto meter's techs who emailed me back this morning, there are to 'socket' designs. The one I posted is the snap in type and the other is the twist in type. Apparently the snap in type is for metal-bodied gauges where the twist in type is for plastic bodied gauges.

All of my 7 gauges have plastic bodies. So auto meter is sending me two new twist in type sockets. My tech was quickly able to identify the issue and thankfully this didn't drag out. I should be good to go once I receive them. I'm also happy to learn that this isn't the 'new and improved' design and they were phasing out the twist type.

Well, that's nice to know, and if it would have been ME, I would have used RTV or some such to glue it in place and cursed that 'China' has struck again'....

:hissyfit::nuts:

I thought of glue, but with my luck the bulb is already burned out and I'll need access soon. Also, the gauges came with red and green condoms to put on the bulbs to illuminate the gauges differently. I'm trying the green ones as seen in the pics, but I may not like them once there's some electricity flowing through.

China was my first reaction. I was really fearing this was the new design and the other twist in type weren't available any longer.

If they are indeed for metal style gauges half mine came with the wrong sockets then! NICE and I'm not pulling them apart again (they're in V-Twins car and the wiring behind the dash is like wrestling a big snake..no fun)

That's what he said. That blows you received a bunch of incorrect parts. Looks like they need to touch up on some QC practices.

Update

I received a package earlier this week. Auto Meter sent me 2 new 'twist lock' brackets with new bulbs, jimmy caps, etc. So I should be good to go now.

Now I can finish my gauge wiring :smash: