Aircraft turn & slip indicator to use as an clinometer??

I'm sure I'll take a bashing for posting this....but I'm a huge fan of WW2 aircraft (grandfather was a pilot of the SB2C Helldiver station on the USS Intrepid). I love the old school analog gauges. Remember the Datsun/Nissan 240z through 300zx gauges?? I wish more cars came with them instead of the warning lights.
I would like to install a clinometer gauge but I'm not to impressed with the aftermarket stuff. The FJ cruiser gauge cluster are to expensive ($350 on ebay). So, my question is will a aircraft turn & slip indicator similar to the pic below, work?? Does it require power or does the ball move in relation to the "truck" in this case?

Appreciate your thoughts.

 

Why not - simply a bubble level isn't it?
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As an old aircraft mechanic, yours strikes a chord - Go for it

You may not be able to use the lighting aspect if you were to wire it up. Or you'd have to fiddle with it an put in 12V componentry. Online, these are quite pricey :O Hope you have a secret stash

They sure look better than mine

 

Appreciate the feed back. I agree about being pricey which is why I'm looking at the used ones on Ebay. Not to worried about the lighting. If I go this route, I'll wire a separate led light.
Being that you were an aircraft mechanic, do you happen to know the answer to the below question?
Again, Thank you for your input.

 

I don't know how the hell you're going to find a spot on your taco deep enough to fit this monstrosity. I don't even think the gauge cluster goes that deep. From the looks of it, it uses a completely proprietary pin-out and schematics for these older specific gauges are a little hard to find.

Try to find a newer one from say a Boeing or Airbus, the ones from modern commercial air crafts have tons of support and they're really easy to modify since airlines and simulators still use it. Since it's mostly mechanical I'm sure it would function fine, but the needle (presumably) and backlighting would need 12-28v. The needle could be mechanical, who knows. It really depends.

If you happen to find a wiring diagram, and have some sort of electronic fabrication aptitude, go for it. It looks sick.

 

the ball is free floating, the dial indicator may be gyroscopic driven. in an aircraft though, the ball moves to the outside of the turn, if not in trim. The dial itself is your slip indicator (ball is your turn coordinator). depending on the position of the needle and ball, will dictate whether you are in a slip or a skid, plus in or out of trim.

as the pic shows, they are HUGE and the wiring would be a nightmare. not impossible, but unless you have a lot of random parts to use are your discretion, thsi would be insanely difficult. I would check out an airport hanger for a mechanic to show you how its wired up and see if you can mimic it.

kuddos for thinkin of it

EDIT: my point in explaining that was that the ball itself will not tell you the degree of bank, just a bank exists....FYI

 

I looked into it more, it looks like the gyroscope would definitely need power so you'd have to rig it up to whatever voltage it requires. Looks like the needle won't move without that gyroscopic action.

 

I once retro fitted a factory clinometer in my second gen, but IMO it's nothing more than a novelty for passengers that don't know any better.

 

Well you guys are right. It would be a major PITA. I still think it would be awesome!

 

Tbh most of those jc whitney gauges are what your aunt gets told to buy you for xmas, bcuz you like jeep stuff. like a tie with fish on it, a pillow with a deer (for the hunters and fisherman). if you're at/near roll the last thing you want to be looking at is at a gauge.

 

5 dollars on Amazon, really sucks!

 

I've seen a pic before of a guy who stuck an aircraft altimeter type gauge in either a Land Cruiser or 4Runner, or maybe it was a Tacoma, so it's possible. I can't remember where he mounted it.

 

Thread revival. I'm thinking a gadget like this would be cool, but not very useful. I'm also not thrilled with the aftermarket clinometers - I can't seem to find one with a pickup graphic. They're all Jeeps and other SUVs. None of them have very stellar reviews either.

 

I bought a Clinometer off of a 90’s Mitsubishi Montero when I was in the Philippines. It has the same Artificial Horizon gauge that airlines use.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/182819201840

 

A turn slip indicator tells the pilot that is doing a coordinated turn (rudder, speed and bank angle). The gyro feels the bank angle and is powered. The ball is a level and feels the G's and shows the slip/skid (think putting your sunglasses on the dash).

If you want to use aircraft parts, get a Standby ADI Attitude Display Indicator. It is powered and is probably crazy expensive. I found one on a retail aircraft parts store...no price.

 

I'd love to do this, but my fear is adapting it to work with 12v. I look at the connector on the back of a Boeing gauge and it seems to be proprietary.

 

My 86 Turbo 4Runner had the factory clinometer. It was cool, but I often exceeded the max and didn't roll it, other times my anus would pucker and I wasn't close to the max angle. Even if it were calibrated to tip over at the max indicated angle, that's still not likely to be very useful since you're typically on uneven ground and where/when you tip over depends on a lot of factors besides just the angle.

These things should ONLY be used as a novelty, IMO.

 

The mitsubishi unit is the one to have if you want analog. I personally use an app on my phone; extremely useful and accurate... clean bright display... can calibrate it at a moments notice. Really useful when you're looking at the sky, canted over 39 degrees and backwards 30 degrees...

 

I really want to put a real aircraft one in.

 

I have a handful of hours under my belt (Piper PA28)... I'm not sure you do want an aircraft unit. They have limited range and don't indicate an exact angle (usually they have 10-15 degree increments). Additionally they are very large, and on top of it they are very expensive, even for a well used Non-Op unit. Most units are mechanical, but have a backlight that is likely 24V.

EDIT: Honestly you would be better off getting a simulator unit and finding a way to connect an accelerometer to it (likely with a small micro-controller such as an arduino) but this is far more trouble than its worth.

 

I just want one because it's so ridiculous. I'd love to tell people I have an instrument out of a Boeing 737 in my truck.