Tonycaterham Posted December 2, 2007 Share Posted December 2, 2007 As my revcounter and speedo are playing up (should have noticed when I bought the car ) I was thinking about investing in a Stack Dash (8130). I already have a MOG CF dash, so no problems there. My 7 is a ‘98 Roadsport with a few mods 😬 Enough of the pre amble, have many people on here made the change to a Stack dash and how difficult was it ( I’m OK with vehicle wiring) and was it a worthwhile exercise given the cost? Are there any 'hidden costs' I should look out for? I am looking to keep the car for some time so not concerned about ‘getting my money back’. Tony L7 EVL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k80rum Posted December 2, 2007 Share Posted December 2, 2007 I made the change Tony and haven't regretted it so far. I chose a Stack because although there are alternatives that IMHO offer better value for money, I wanted to keep my car looking as 'standard' as I could. That said, I went for a reconditioned non-caterham 8130 system that came up because it was cheaper than buying new and I wanted the white face it came with anyway. There are various needle-breakage reports but (touch wood) I've not encountered one yet and it's been very reliable - I much prefer it to my old analogue dials. The attractions of the units are how upgradeable and transferable they are - a new face and reprogramming would mean that I could continue to use it if I moved to a BEC route. The downside seems to be the running costs if it does need any work done by Stack and the fact that (in my experience at least) the customer service isn't as warm and helpful as I'd want - I asked for a bezel-nut for one of the switches, perfectly happy to pay for it but was told to try somewhere like Demon Tweeks I didn't pursue it as I found one by chance anyway. It's worth (in my opinion) using Stack senders to replace the existing ones, although I have reused my tank sender. Darren E K80RUM Website and Emerald maps library Superlight R #54 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slipper man Posted December 2, 2007 Share Posted December 2, 2007 Probably not what you want to hear, but I don't think the Stack system is worth fitting. The analogue dial on my SLR were much easier to read at a glance that the R500 Stack system. It does have toys to play with, though like the max/min readouts. One instrument well worth having though is the shift light syatem. Personally I would stay analogue but install shift lights Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonbell Posted December 2, 2007 Share Posted December 2, 2007 The trouble with the Caterham analogue setup is that you have to replace senders at least once every year. I'm currently looking at various options, SPA, Stack, AIM MXL At the moment the AIM is my preferred choice as it can be linked via CANBUS to the Emerald ECU I use. Simon Bell - Caterham 7 Duratec R I`ve seen the future.....and it`s powered by duratec Check out the website here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david nelson Posted December 2, 2007 Share Posted December 2, 2007 I have just gone down the route of fitting a Stack. I did have a Stack Tacho instead of the CC one. so why change? well my SL how has a full SLR cage and i think the multi dial dash does not look right. I went with the stack as a 2nd hand one came up. I think there are other dashes that look fine and i had thought about a Dash 2 to go with my data logger. Fitting: easy. You get a loom and the only thing you need to do is take a tacho feed, live and -ve. the rest just pushes together. Other changes to your lay out just mean lenghtening or shortening wires to where you need them. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonycaterham Posted December 2, 2007 Author Share Posted December 2, 2007 Hi, Thanks for all the responses. Has anyone looked at the ETB units that Demon Tweeks sell? Looooooong shot would be interested in buying a second had 8130!! Tony L7 EVL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Wong1697456877 Posted December 2, 2007 Share Posted December 2, 2007 The ST700 is easier to read than the 8 series, has two channels, 0-60 timers, volts, odometer - I'm very pleased with mine, although I accept it's not as cool looking as the 8 series (actually, I've always thought the 8 series looks a bit out of place on a Seven). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k80rum Posted December 2, 2007 Share Posted December 2, 2007 another thing worthy of mention is that to install a stack dash in a '98 car you'll most likely need to carve a crescent out of the top dash tube to accomodate the top of the Stack unit - something that's probably not necessary with other systems. Another Stack consideration for easier fitting and a completely digital display would be a Stack 8600, but it needs even deeper pockets! Darren E K80RUM Website and Emerald maps library Superlight R #54 Edited by - k80rum on 2 Dec 2007 17:26:28 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gridgway Posted December 2, 2007 Share Posted December 2, 2007 you need Peter Carmichael to comment here. He is the expert on non-stack dashes. Graham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julian Thompson Posted December 2, 2007 Share Posted December 2, 2007 I have just bought an 8600 steering wheel display Stack from Dave Kimberley at DT - it's bloody fantastic. Definately recommended *thumbup* I had an 8130 Stack in my previous SLR and that too was wonderful. I have just sold an ETB DigiDash Lite which was very good but not quite as ergonomic as the Stack, in my opinion. The main difference with Stack is quality. Like everything else in life you pay in the pocket and to the layman it isn't worth it but when you carefully inspect it Stack really do know how to make a quality display... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonycaterham Posted December 2, 2007 Author Share Posted December 2, 2007 Julian, How did you find the ETB unit as it is virtually half the price of the stack 8130? Tony L7 EVL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgrigsby Posted December 2, 2007 Share Posted December 2, 2007 I've never really liked the Stack set-up but it's very much personal choice, I've gone the Race Technology DASH2 route with a DL1 and tbh it looks like a lovely bit of kit. It also includes all the extra lights such as indicators, ignition and headlights built-in. It's also fairly easy to install as you can surface mount it on the dash with just two holes through for the connectors. There's a special deal on at the moment so it's only £800+vat for the combination of the two if you also fancy data logging. Cheers Rob G www.SpeedySeven.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julian Thompson Posted December 3, 2007 Share Posted December 3, 2007 The ETB was excellent - no question about it. The reason for getting rid of it was just that I didn't like not having a rev counter or speedometer on display. Let me explain - basically the top, LED display can display speed OR revs OR gear etc.. so on my Blackbird car I liked to have selected gear on display there - absolutely perfect. The LCD display at the bottom you want, pretty obviously, to have oil temp, pressure and water temp. You would also like speed there really, but sadly on my version of the software this was not possible - I think I got battery volts or something. Speed was on another page of the LCD display which meant I had to put my hand behind the wheel to choose speed on the screen every time I entered a speed camera or restricted zone. Also, the only indication of RPM when used like this was just the shift lights which I ended up setting something like: Light 1 = 6000rpm Light 2 = 7000rpm Light 3 = 8000rpm Light 4 = 9000rpm Light 5 = 10000rpm All lights = 10500rpm. Except that this proved less than great on the track because the resolution wasn't fine enough - so I bought an ACES shift light system and set that up to give me the last thousand RPM accross its resolution. Much better. But - to be honest I would still have preferred a readout of RPM (needle or digital) AND a simple set of shift lights. This really is hence my comment that the ETB does absolutely everything (and more), works tremendously well and is a brilliant product but, for me, wasn't perfectly ergonomic. Meanwhile I had driven an SR3 at Silverstone over the summer that was equipped with an 8600 Stack wheel, and I found having all the data in different colours actually on the steering wheel to be just brilliant. There will still be the need occasionally to flick between a mode or two but the button is literally right by your thumb so it's not the same contortionist job reaching behind the wheel as the ETB one. If you baulk at the cost of the 8600 have a look at the similar product from Farringdon. It is about half the price (about a grand, IIRC) for the complete wheel and display. The system is completely different from the Stack apart from the fact that they use the same anodised machined case for the instrument display but it would still be tremendous because you still get the advantage of on wheel instrumentation. The other advantage of going Farringdon is that their data logger product is much, much cheaper than the Stack one. You can actually get the Farringdon wheel and the data logger for less than the price of the Stack 8600 ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonycaterham Posted December 3, 2007 Author Share Posted December 3, 2007 Julian, Thanks for your comments I think would have the same concerns as you over the ETB unit as would like to see both Rev and Speed as my 7 will be used on the road. Just looked at Farringdon's web site - unit looks really good. Trouble is as usual my budget is suffering from scope/price creep!! Alex, Looked at ST700 unit but unlike the ST800 unit the wiring loom and sensors are extra which means the price starts to creep up. Regards Tony L7 EVL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julian Thompson Posted December 3, 2007 Share Posted December 3, 2007 Tony If you didn't need indicated gear you could have revs on the LED readout and then your temps and pressures at the bottom on the LCD readout. It might now be possible (I heard something like this from ETB) for them to alter the software for you so that you can have (in each corner of the LCD display): Oil temp, Oil pressure, Water Temp - and then (this is the modified bit) SPEED in the other corner. Give them a call at ETB - they do seem quite helpful. Don't email them. I did this and it took nearly 2 weeks for a reply! (By which time I had ordered the Stack so didn't read it that carefully!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scooter Posted December 3, 2007 Share Posted December 3, 2007 Another for Race-Technology. I have the Dash 2 all ready to go into my 7 (just wish that my 7 was all ready to go into my Dash 2!) - very tidy piece of kit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterg Posted December 3, 2007 Share Posted December 3, 2007 DASH 2 🥰 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonycaterham Posted December 3, 2007 Author Share Posted December 3, 2007 Julian, Just looked at ETB's Web site and all the collateral they provide. Certainly very open about their product. I think I'll give them a call with a few questions. Regards Tony L7 EVL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonycaterham Posted December 3, 2007 Author Share Posted December 3, 2007 Hi, Race Technology Dash looks great but the adding the price of their sensors (which are not cheap £120 for an oil pressure sensor) ) starts to really push the price up or can you use the existing sensors? ETB and Stack include them in their price. Tony L7 EVL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julian Thompson Posted December 3, 2007 Share Posted December 3, 2007 Tony Do remember that the whole purpose of this flash instrumentation is to improve both the accuracy and presentation of the required information, and that ANY dash, no matter how simple or complex, inexpensive or expensive, is ONLY as good as the sensors you hook it up to AND the quality of the wiring you do. I know you know that but it would be daft to have a fab dash readout and then skimp on the sensors. In my experience you really want the best sensors you can afford so that you feel that you can rely on what the unit is telling you. Stack sensors are solid state, high quality items - the ETB ones seemed to work fine but are not as well made (in my opinion) being more generic and in the case of the oil pressure switch the ETB one is a fairly large mechanical device rather than the Stack solid state one. I don't know if the Race Tech ones are the same as the Stack ones but if so this could be extra money well spent? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philwaters Posted December 3, 2007 Share Posted December 3, 2007 Pics of the Aim dash fitted here. Do think the Dash 2 looks nice also. Bear in mind you well find you need to get a cut-out steering wheel to be able to see the top of the dash and the shift lights.... I've always liken them and this was the perfect excuse and I don't have any problems with the 'gap' - but I did swap my old wheel back on for the MOT Phil Waters Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonycaterham Posted December 6, 2007 Author Share Posted December 6, 2007 After all the considered responses (thanks) I am leaning towards the Race Technology Dash 2 as looks like a nice piece of kit, everything built in and looks like good back up from the UK reseller. I notice it does not come with the 'buttons'. Where do people mount these on the dash or a combination of dash /Steering wheel or on the s/wheel? Any further obesrvations/thoughts would be appreciated!!! Regards Tony L7 EVL Edited by - Tonycaterham on 6 Dec 2007 14:37:25 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgrigsby Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 I'm thinking of some steering wheel mounted buttons but haven't really worked out how yet. Rob G www.SpeedySeven.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julian Thompson Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 I have an SPA design quick release with integrated 8 pin lemo connector - that allows you to carry signal wires onto the wheel with no plug in cable. This is a helpful way to get buttons neatly onto the wheel. See Dave K at Tweeks for supply. Observation that service on a warranty issue from SPA was, in my humble opinion, less than great but we got there in the end so overall a happy customer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgrigsby Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 Hmm sounds quite snazzy, expensive? I've already got a Q/R set-up but guess I could stick it up for sale. I guess an 8 pin Lemo connectoer is enough for 4 buttons? Cheers Rob G www.SpeedySeven.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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