Ammeter issues

[Pyrissimus]

How can I bypass the ammeter on my 1970 B Body Charger. The red stud on the ammeter has bad threads. What is the best way around this, other then buying new ammeter.

 

[diesel_lv]

Here you go. Most use this to bypass the ammeter. Catalog

 

[72RoadrunnerGTX]

Careful not to conflate the specific information in that “Mad Electrical” article about the later Dodge truck plastic ammeters with the passenger car ammeters of this forum’s era, different animals altogether. Why not repair the ammeter, replace the terminal stud? Plenty of used donor ammeters out there from which to harvest a replacement stud.

 

[dvw]

Bolt both the black and red wire to the good ammeter stud. I'd also run a second wire from the alternator output wire (6 gauge) to the battery. the wires to the ampmeter will power up the dash and nothing else.
Doug

 

[RJRENTON]

Careful not to conflate the specific information in that “Mad Electrical” article about the later Dodge truck plastic ammeters with the passenger car ammeters of this forum’s era, different animals altogether. Why not repair the ammeter, replace the terminal stud? Plenty of used donor ammeters out there from which to harvest a replacement stud.

EXCELLENT INFORMATION AND ADVICE.
BOB RENTON

 

[JoePole]

Bolt both the black and red wire to the good ammeter stud. I'd also run a second wire from the alternator output wire (6 gauge) to the battery. the wires to the ampmeter will power up the dash and nothing else.
Doug

Also include an inline fuseable link. Very important.

 

[Crackedback]

Bolt both the black and red wire to the good ammeter stud. I'd also run a second wire from the alternator output wire (6 gauge) to the battery. the wires to the ampmeter will power up the dash and nothing else.
Doug

If you don't want to replace/fix the ammeter, this works just fine. Add a fusible link/circuit protection to the wire. 8ga wire works well for a stockish alternator. Step up with a potentially higher out put unit.

You can also get a short machine screw, nylock and some elec tape/shrink tube, bolt it together and cover it up. Not using the good stud on ammeter at all.

Get a plug in voltmeter.

Your car, figure out how you want to go.

 

[Nacho-RT74]

Careful not to conflate the specific information in that “Mad Electrical” article about the later Dodge truck plastic ammeters with the passenger car ammeters of this forum’s era, different animals altogether. Why not repair the ammeter, replace the terminal stud? Plenty of used donor ammeters out there from which to harvest a replacement stud.

I guess carriage bolts are available on the amm stud sizes ? this will allow simply to use a new piece.

Or maybe just rethread the stud ? Where exactly the thread and how deep is gone ? Stud is long enough to use it at any point/ height... just add a nut as a backing nut at a diff stud height. Just thinking out loud

 

[Nacho-RT74]

I can't find on the ANSI chart the stud and thread specs for a 3/8" AF nut ( nut size for the amm )... smaller size I can find on charts is 7/16" AF which is 1/4"-20 thread for the thread specs.

 

[Nacho-RT74]

OK, it seems the specs for the stud using the existant 3/8" AF nut should be #10-32 and you can use a 1,5" or 2" lenght carriage bolt to replace the existant amm stud ( which is carriage kind, just not oval head )

10-32 x 2" Carriage Bolts / Full Thread / Steel / Zinc

I guess somewhere could be found on units and not in bulks. Maybe at a local convenience store ?