If you’re looking for a low-cost, easy-to-use dashboard for your sport compact, consider using OBDLink MX+ paired with a tablet, according to racer Rick “Opie” Kilburn. The combination costs roughly $200.
“I’m a beginner racer, and I did not know how to hook up gauges,” Kilburn, 37, of Crossville, Tennessee, said. “In my class, most of the cars use their factory wiring harness. So, they still have their OBD2 ports.”
Installing the device is easy.
Plug the OBDLink MX+ into the OB2 port.
Download the OBDLink app to an Apple- or Android-based device.
With the app, easily design the dash as you’d like it to appear.
Mount the tablet or phone somewhere in front of you in the cockpit. (Kilburn uses Ram Mounts for his.)
And, voila, you have a digital dashboard.
But, wait, there’s more.
If you’re getting pesky errors, such as a check engine light, the OBDLink MX+ can read those and clear them as needed.
The app offers a wide range of SAE PIDs, which include various ways to measure engine attributes and adjust engine parameters. As a rookie driver, Kilburn admits he has not used this to its full potential.
OBDLink MX+ can also log all sorts of data that you can export to a Dropbox account. That includes GPS inputs, if your app’s device supports it (Kilburn’s does not).
However, the part Kilburn most likes about the product is being able to construct a customized gauge panel. He can even create warning lights if the gauges’ readings go beyond a set limit.
Yes, other devices exist, but many fetch for around five times what Kilburn had paid. While well featured, it’s easy enough for a rookie, such as Kilburn, to use. At Crossville Speedway in Tennessee, Kilburn finished second in points. He also races at Mountain View Raceway in Spring City, Tennessee, on occasion, too. Rick Kilburn achieved that success in part because he kept his dashboard simple, so he could race without distraction and focus on improving as a racer.
“As long as your tablet’s charged, I haven’t had a single problem,” said Kilburn. “It’s really easy to use.
The Outside Groove Executive Editor has covered motorsports since 2000. His many awards include the 2019 Eastern Motorsport Press Association (EMPA) Jim Hunter Writer of the Year and the 2013 Russ Catlin Award for Excellence in Motorsports Journalism.
