Dakota Digital RTX: Modern Technology Built For The OBS Era

The GMT400 platform underwent a significant transformation in the mid-1990s. By 1995, General Motors had finalized the evolution of the iconic OBS truck interior, featuring cleaner shapes, a rounded dash, and a driver-focused layout that carried these trucks through the end of their production run. The new instrument panel design felt more refined compared to earlier years, with improved ergonomics and a sleeker instrument panel that still retained the familiar OBS personality. It is this exact balance of heritage and modern usability that the Dakota Digital RTX series set out to honor.

Dakota Digital built the RTX line for owners who want late-model functionality that blends naturally into the vintage factory interior. The goal is simple. Deliver a gauge cluster that looks like original equipment at a glance while providing the advanced data and customization expected from modern electronic instrumentation. OBS trucks have become one of the most popular platforms in the classic truck world because of their reliability, square proportions, and tuning potential. Adding an RTX system allows the interior to keep that classic feel while gaining the precision and flexibility required by today’s drivetrains and performance builds.

Dakota Digital engineered these systems from scratch using CNC-machined housings, in-house-designed circuit boards, and high-resolution TFT message centers that can be configured to display almost any information the driver needs. The result is an instrument system that feels familiar in shape and placement, yet far more capable when the ignition comes to life.

Built To Match OEM Styling With Modern Performance

The heart of the Dakota Digital RTX design philosophy is the commitment to preserve factory styling. We have modeled the layout, font choices, indicator positions, and sweep designs after the original OBS clusters. The casual observer could easily mistake these for stock units. Once the ignition is switched on and the LED backlighting glows in one of the many color options, the system reveals its true capability.

Dakota Digital integrates over 30 user-selectable color combinations that allow the driver to change needle colors, gauge sweeps, and digital display tones independently. Twelve factory preset themes create quick, turnkey options, while full customization is available for anyone who wants to tune the cluster to match a specific interior or exterior color or even the mood of the build. Whether the goal is a clean, period-correct presentation or a vivid, modern performance aesthetic, the RTX series provides the tools to achieve it.

All illumination is LED-based with full RGB control. The result provides crisp contrast, excellent visibility during day or night conditions, and long-term reliability. Daytime and nighttime brightness can be adjusted within the setup menu or controlled externally through the optional DIM-1 rotary knob. Since lighting is such a key part of the driving experience in an older truck, having the ability to fine-tune the look and intensity gives OBS owners a level of control that was never available from the factory.

Every RTX system utilizes a centralized control box that handles wiring, inputs, calibration, and communication between the sensors and displays. This simplifies installation, reduces clutter, and creates a consistent user interface whether the system is used in an original drivetrain configuration or a full performance swap. The included rocker switch provides on-the-fly control of all features, menus, and data recall. A built-in buzzer and TFT feedback help guide setup without requiring specialized tools or wiring knowledge.

For owners comfortable with Bluetooth connectivity, the free Dakota Digital mobile app allows complete configuration and real-time gauge viewing from a smartphone or tablet. This is helpful during diagnostics, tuning, or simply when a secondary display is desired outside the driver’s seat.

Precision Analog Gauges With Digital Flexibility

Each RTX system replaces the original OBS cluster with six primary analog gauges. The speedometer reads zero to 120 mph, or up to 240 kmh with the optional metric version. The tachometer reads up to 8,000 rpm, while oil pressure, coolant temperature, fuel level, and voltage all retain familiar factory-style markings. Dakota Digital machines each have a needle sweep with a red LED warning indicator for high visibility, except on the speedometer, where that feature is not included.

This layout mirrors the general look of a stock OBS cluster yet delivers far greater accuracy thanks to the included temperature sensor, oil pressure sensor, and cable-driven speed generator. The speed sensor replaces the original GM-style cable and includes a 10-foot harness. Bushings are included to accommodate various thread sizes, along with optional adaptors for TREMEC and Ford-style applications. This feature makes the Dakota Digital RTX compatible with everything from stock automatics to high-power manual swap builds.

Behind the analog displays sit the high-definition TFT message centers. These screens can be configured to show the odometer, dual trip meters, clock, and estimated range or miles as empty. Additional performance features include a zero-to-sixty timer, eighth- and quarter-mile times, trap speed, high-speed recall, and high-rpm recall. This range of data is especially useful for OBS owners running upgraded engines, turbos, or superchargers, or preparing for track or dragstrip outings.

Built-in indicators include turn signals, high beam, check engine, parking brake, cruise control, gear position when paired with the GSS-3000 sensor, four-wheel drive, wait to start, and two user-programmable inputs. Dakota Digital notes that not every factory indicator can be replaced, but unused indicators can be repurposed for alternate functions depending on the build.

Options For Every OBS Generation

The OBS era spans several distinct interior designs. Dakota Digital supports them individually through specific RTX part numbers that match each factory configuration.

For 1995 through 1998 trucks and SUVs, the RTX-95-PU-X is designed around the rounded dash with the modernized driver-focused layout. These trucks feature a smoother dashboard and improved ergonomics, and the RTX system blends into that layout with OE-inspired styling that matches the curvature and angles of the late GMT400 interior.

For 1992 through 1994 models, Dakota Digital produces an RTX system tailored for the mid-cycle updated dash that brought a sleeker front fascia and refined interior elements. These trucks received upgraded audio systems and additional power features, making them a popular middle ground between early and late OBS designs. The RTX cluster fits naturally, whether the truck is bone stock or part of a fully customized interior redo.

Dakota Digital offers an RTX cluster for the very first generation of OBS trucks, produced from 1988 to 1991, which is designed around the original gauge layout that introduced the aerodynamic body lines of the late 1980s. These early models are known for their durable, functional cabins that blended simplicity with a new level of refinement compared to previous squarebody trucks. The RTX system transforms the cluster while preserving the character that made the first OBS generation so recognizable.

Each of the three systems includes the same sensor package, control box, bushing assortment, and user interface. Installation and calibration follow the same process regardless of the year. Speedometer calibration can be handled through a short test drive or bypassed entirely with the optional GPS-50-2 module.

Bringing OBS Trucks Into The Modern Era

The renewed interest in OBS trucks has prompted many owners to pursue restoration, performance enhancements, and full custom builds. Engine swaps, improved suspensions, turbochargers, and new transmissions are now popular, but the original gauge clusters often cannot display all the information that today’s engines require. The Dakota Digital RTX solves this issue by delivering OE styling with late-model functionality that keeps pace with the capability of the rest of the truck.

Whether the build is a clean daily driver restoration, a turbocharged street truck, a bagged show build, or a fully reimagined performance project, the RTX cluster brings clarity and usability back to the driver’s seat. It respects the era while embracing everything current enthusiasts expect.