Strange gauge on dashboard, unknown purpose, please help identify

[Darin Heath]

Hello guys:

New owner of a 2014 Dodge Ram 2500 Laramie. I owned a 2012 Tundra prior, so my understanding is limited to the simple but reliable Toyota line. I am being overwhelmed by the "fancy" of this Dodge Truck that has lots of bells and whistles. I've only had it a day but curiosity is killing me on something.

I could use your guys' experience and knowledge to help me track down the purpose and usefullness of some kind of gauge in my dashboard that is clearly something aftermarket from the last owner.

I'll crawl under where you guys tell me to to figure out where this gauge goes to and what its for. On the up down switch, pushing it down makes a slight noise like air being released, but moving it up does nothing. At no time does that gauge go up or down if I move that lever switch.

Again, i appreciate any help you guys lend me or advice you provide. Thank you in advance for your help.


If there is anything else you guys care to tell me about this specific truck that a new user should know, I'm happy to hear about it. Thanks everyone for the welcome advice.

 

[manogmin]

Could be anything. Does the number change when you crank/drive or change when accelerating/ operating temp? If it doesn’t change no matter what happens, could be for onboard air that previous owner installed and took off before trading in.


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[kad]

It does looks like a gauge for an onboad air tank. They may have removed the system and left the switch and gauge to avoid having holes in the dash when they sold it.

-K

 

[Darin Heath]

Could be anything. Does the number change when you crank/drive or change when accelerating/ operating temp? If it doesn’t change no matter what happens, could be for onboard air that previous owner installed and took off before trading in.


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I looked at it while driving back from Phoenix. I didnt see the gauge move. I fear you may be correct that its for something that no longer is part of the truck, but I can't understand why I would hear a hissing air noise when I push the level switch down, and nothing when it goes up. I was originally thinking it might be for some kind of airbag suspension..to adjust the ride and support while going down the road, but I have no real idea. The truck is jacked up (like serious ****** insecurity level), but I there are no suspension airbags. Can you remove suspension air bag systems after install? I wouldnt think so.

 

[turkeybird56]

Could be anything. Does the number change when you crank/drive or change when accelerating/ operating temp? If it doesn’t change no matter what happens, could be for onboard air that previous owner installed and took off before trading in.


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DITTO: Looks like aftermarket air gauge/pressure gauge ref Air, Maybe previous owner had like Airbags in the back ref towing and height adjustment, that would be my thought. The bags that go in the springs.

 

[Sandevino]

You’ve got an EasyStreet air gauge there for an onboard air system. I’d bet like others have said, the system was removed and stock parts replaced before selling.

 

[turkeybird56]

It does looks like a gauge for an onboad air tank. they may have removed the system and left the switch and gauge to avoid having holes in the dash when they sold it.

-K

DITTO

 

[Darin Heath]

It does looks like a gauge for an onboad air tank. they may have removed the system and left the switch and gauge to avoid having holes in the dash when they sold it.

-K

I think sir that you may be right. It was clearly a long haul / work kind of truck. They put about 24000 miles year on it. That gauge range makes me think you are right.

 

[Darin Heath]

Ok. I think after crawling around underneath, you guys more knowledgable than I can close the gap. Mind that I embarrasingly have a CDL and should know this stuff better, but the way big rigs do air brakes and the whole braking system is far more simple that the kind of "civilian" style systems you'd create for a Dodge Ram pickup vs a Tractor Trailer puller. I'll show the pictures below, but I would bet, based on the miles they put on this truck every year (25k'ish), they were pulling some kind of trailer with air brakes, and they used a compressor to keep the brakes open on the trailer.


This is where it came out from inside the cabin...i followed the line underneath to the next pictured item:




Clearly an air tank, the next picture proves its for compressed air:




Obviously the compressor motor.




I followed this line, which came to the back bumper...




The air comes out here. Not sure if they would actually connect this to an air brake system on a trailer, or they thought it was useful somehow to fill some other tanks or tires? Not sure. My guess is stil some kind of connection to a trailer air brake system, but I could just as easily be grasping for answers.

Either way, the thing doesn't seem to work, so I will eventually try to think of some way to get it working and use it somehow, or remove all the items.

Guess I'll just have to ignore there is a weird gauge in my dash and lie to people that its NOS or something...lol...

 

[OC455]

Ok. I think after crawling around underneath, you guys more knowledgable than I can close the gap. Mind that I embarrasingly have a CDL and should know this stuff better, but the way big rigs do air brakes and the whole braking system is far more simple that the kind of "civilian" style systems you'd create for a Dodge Ram pickup vs a Tractor Trailer puller. I'll show the pictures below, but I would bet, based on the miles they put on this truck every year (25k'ish), they were pulling some kind of trailer with air brakes, and they used a compressor to keep the brakes open on the trailer.

View attachment 217199
This is where it came out from inside the cabin...i followed the line underneath to the next pictured item:



View attachment 217200
Clearly an air tank, the next picture proves its for compressed air:



View attachment 217201
Obviously the compressor motor.



View attachment 217202
I followed this line, which came to the back bumper...



View attachment 217203
The air comes out here. Not sure if they would actually connect this to an air brake system on a trailer, or they thought it was useful somehow to fill some other tanks or tires? Not sure. My guess is stil some kind of connection to a trailer air brake system, but I could just as easily be grasping for answers.

Either way, the thing doesn't seem to work, so I will eventually try to think of some way to get it working and use it somehow, or remove all the items.

Guess I'll just have to ignore there is a weird gauge in my dash and lie to people that its NOS or something...lol...

You have on board air and compressor setup. Really nothing more than that. You probably have air bags in the coils or air assist springs somewhere.

Doesn't look like there is an air hook for trailer brakes on your setup.

Edit: It looks like they might have disconnected your compressor.

 

[Darin Heath]

DITTO: Looks like aftermarket air gauge/pressure gauge ref Air, Maybe previous owner had like Airbags in the back ref towing and height adjustment, that would be my thought. The bags that go in the springs.

Hello fellow vet. Thank you for your answer sir. Just retired from Army after 21 years in 2018, this truck along with an RV are my retirement gifts for me and the wife. Army for Life my friend.

 

[Darin Heath]

You have on board air and compressor setup. Really nothing more than that. You probably have air bags in the coils or air assist springs somewhere.

Doesn't look like there is an air hook for trailer brakes on your setup.

I wish you were right. Suspension air bags would have been a welcome surprise for me, but unfortunately there isnt anything like that. The ride coming down I-10 would leave me to believe, as rough as it was on my posterior, that if there was any kind of suspension air bags or help of any kind for the ride and weight distribution, it wouldn't be there any more.

It's most likely they removed whatever all that went to, and they didnt think the compressor and air tank were worth removing.

Any idea what this thing is? This is some kind of stock Dodge Ram part I'm just not familair with:

 

[kad]

Any idea what this thing is? This is some kind of stock Dodge Ram part I'm just not familair with:

Looks like part of the evap system.

-K

 

[OC455]

I wish you were right. Suspension air bags would have been a welcome surprise for me, but unfortunately there isnt anything like that. The ride coming down I-10 would leave me to believe, as rough as it was on my posterior, that if there was any kind of suspension air bags or help of any kind for the ride and weight distribution, it wouldn't be there any more.

It's most likely they removed whatever all that went to, and they didnt think the compressor and air tank were worth removing.

Any idea what this thing is? This is some kind of stock Dodge Ram part I'm just not familair with:

View attachment 217215

I don't know on that there.

With the air tank, looked like you had an input coming from the compressor to the tank, one line coming out of the tank and then another line going to the T-fitting splitting to something else. Maybe the previous owner had in coil air bags.....wouldn't have helped the ride much.

 

[Princeton_Man]

The valve in the rear looks like it's there as an alternate method of pressurizing or maybe to bleed it down. Are you certain it doesn't have air shocks or some kind of air suspension?

 

[mtnrider]

delete

 

[mtnrider]

I wish you were right. Suspension air bags would have been a welcome surprise for me, but unfortunately there isnt anything like that. The ride coming down I-10 would leave me to believe, as rough as it was on my posterior, that if there was any kind of suspension air bags or help of any kind for the ride and weight distribution, it wouldn't be there any more.

It's most likely they removed whatever all that went to, and they didnt think the compressor and air tank were worth removing.

Any idea what this thing is? This is some kind of stock Dodge Ram part I'm just not familair with:

View attachment 217215

It's a vapor canister for venting the gas tank.


.

 

[Darin Heath]

It's a vapor canister for venting the gas tank.


.

Thank you sir. So another part to remove later then.

 

[Darin Heath]

The valve in the rear looks like it's there as an alternate method of pressurizing or maybe to bleed it down. Are you certain it doesn't have air shocks or some kind of air suspension?

I looked. There is clearly after market struts that have lifted the truck up likely 8 inches above stock, but not the suspension air bags that would make sense for all the parts I found. It's all good, its not hurting anything for it all to be down there, just irratating that none of it seems to work or is useful in some way.

This truck is only 6 years old, but clearly has lived a hell of a life so far...

 

[turkeybird56]

You have on board air and compressor setup. Really nothing more than that. You probably have air bags in the coils or air assist springs somewhere.

Doesn't look like there is an air hook for trailer brakes on your setup.

Edit: It looks like they might have disconnected your compressor.

DITTO, Think OC455 nailed it. U could pull all dat junk and just leave the gauge and button in dash. Go to junk yard and try to fina a replacement part for that lower panel there, remove all junk and replace that panel. OR U could leave it and play with it and try to make work???

Wateva makes yer boat float, LOL. GL, have a great day.