Altimeter

Hi guys, I recently invested in a Sun Company altimeter for my 2017 TRD OR and absolutely love it. I have taken my truck up to 6,000-7,000 feet in the past two weeks and every time I return home, it is accurate to my base elevation of 3,200 feet.

I am not associated with this company at all, but for months I had been looking for something good to tell me my elevation for relatively little money, and this one is doing great. Mounts perfectly on dashboard, looks awesome, and some really intense trail shaking and bumpiness doesn't budge it. They run roughly $60. Hope this is helpful for someone!

 

Smartphone tells you your altitude. I lived in CO for 35 years before smartphones, so I appreciate a nice analog gauge.

 

Looks good, always interested in what elevation we hit on trips. I dig the retro look.

 

Nice find!
Been looking for something like this

 

Since I am a private pilot and use analog altimeters, do you calibrate it based on current pressure before leaving? If not the elevation could vary a few tens of feet.

 

Yes, that's absolutely right. Because it changes with changing pressure/weather, I check it every morning before heading out. Ten sunny days in a row? No problem. A storm front? There is a screw in the back to set the elevation straight.

 

I have a Thommen altimeter, it's caliberated by setting the elevation at a location where you know the elevation. It doesn't have a way to enter the barometric pressure like an aircraft altimeter.

 

These are a great idea, especially if you bring along a topo map as you can nail where you are on it by looking at where the same elevation you are at crosses the trail or road you are on.

 

I want one like that in my dash, along with a artificial horizon and compass.

 

********
Are you driving or flying your taco?
Attitude indicator.

 

No, more like this!

 

Good point though, always get elevation vs altitude mixed up. Sometimes I feel like I'm flying it with the height of the damn hood covering the view while cresting the top of a steep hill!

 

Piper Cub? Love those. Top speed is 55 Knots (safe).
My friend drove faster from Phoenix to Tucson that I flew a Cub...He got to Marana 35 min before me...

 

Oh man, what a great ride though! Like driving a scooter in the sky. I'll have to put one of those "REAR SEAT FOR SOLO FLYING" plates on my Taco dashboard, too.

OP or others - I do like the altimeter idea, are those illuminated too?

 

************
Yes, all instruments are illuminated but from outside (a tiny bulb above frame) not from inside...old technology and still good.