Fuel gauge wiring question

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RedFish said:
My brother (actually an electrical engineer in training) says the weaker nut is the mechanical engineer's manner of suggesting/showing a weak foundation, being the way such a large stud is attached. The studs might have been much smaller diameter or even a totally different manner of attachment conducting the current. Consider the spade terminals used at the outboard mechanical limiter found on standard panels. How GM instruments are attached is very similar to that. Just plugged in male to female conductors. So why did Chrysler have 3/16 diameter studs of several times more length than needed? One would have to pose that question to Stuart-Warner since they made these instruments for Chrysler. I'll assume only because that is what their production line was already set up for. Afterall, they made instruments for tractors and all sorts of applications that experienced much more vibration long before that got this Chrysler contract. Anyway...
I too came across a few gauges with very rusted studs and I did break a backboard to learn cutting that weak nut away with a Dremel tool was my method to conquer.
In the final year of my gauge servicing I did end up reproducing half dozen backboards from F4 fiberglass. Approx' same thickness as OEM fiberboard. Reason being, In a few cases the owners OEM boards were so water damaged, warped, and brittle that I didn't have another option. At least 1 arrived here already broken.
I can't say for certain that I still have 1 of those homemade boards here but I'm sure I still have my mechanical drawing of it. The swedge tool is a "one off" that was made for me by a local machine shop that I had once worked for. Yes I recycled/reused the OEM studs.
I image that someday when I'm gone, my junior or someone will pick it up and wonder... WTF is/was this used for? LOL
Click to expand...
Post a few pix. I love checking out homemade / one off custom tools.
 
moparmat2000 said:
Post a few pix. I love checking out homemade / one off custom tools.
Click to expand...

To do that my wife would need to snap the pic with her cell phone then email it to my laptop.
It's pretty much just a hole punch like tool made of very hard tool steel. I would use vise and hammer to bend factories 4 corners inward back close to where they once were then use the tool to spread them out again.
This minus the waste vent... https://www.familyhardware.com/prod...0135&msclkid=982bb261c28e185d39a6d7ce352b854b
 
Update:
After having followed the great advice from members here, I got the replacement fuel gauge modified and a new RTE voltage regulator installed, and also powered my new in dash factory tach with the extra 12v spade, very handy indeed :) I also checked and I was missing the ground strap back at the fuel tank, which I purchased new and installed.
Its all working as it should now, thanks to all for your help and advice.
*CHEERS*
 
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