06-10 Gauge Cluster - LED Upgrade

Success story, I just did the LED Upgrade in my 07 sport trac's cluster.

With the white face gauges plus 1 blown and weak bulbs inside it was only readable in absolute darkness. Driving around sunset, it was impossible to read. I wish I'd taken before photos but here's how it's looking on the brightest setting. There are no hotspots and it is very readable in any type of light where backlighting is necessary. With the dimmer, they work as intended. The dimmest setting with these LEDs is as bright as my OEM bulbs.

There are plenty of guides and videos that tell you how to take your gauge cluster out to remove the bulbs. I used the part B8.4D-NWHP from superbrightleds.com. They fit in the cluster but are a bit loose. You have to bend the top tabs on the light-making side to close the gap toward the tabs on the plastic side. Compare against your original bulb to get the spacing right. If they don't glow on first try, rotate bulb 180 degrees and try again. I got lucky and only had to do that 1 out 4 times.

 

[zerodevil]

Did you replace with green colored LED's, or white ones? I did this mod a few years ago with colored LED's and while brighter, they are not night and day brighter like yours lol.

 

[LorenzoGarbanzo]

Did you replace with green colored LED's, or white ones? I did this mod a few years ago with colored LED's and while brighter, they are not night and day brighter like yours lol.

The green is the original color used in the panel. I used "natural white" LEDs. I tried to get the brighter white, but they were backordered. I'm actually kind of glad I didn't, hah!

 

[beepinX]

That turns out nice! My buddy got this new sports trac project and most parts are getting ordered from local store. The previous owner messed the cluster light and he doesn't like the red ones. He might like green like that.

 

[RickOTR]

Superbright LEDs has a new 168/194 LED that is just like the incandescent bulb but it has a "COB" chip. It covers 180 degrees of surface area leaving no dead spots.

194 LED Bulb - COB LED - T3.25 Miniature Wedge Base - 135 Lumens | Super Bright LEDs

194 LED Bulb has the same shape and size of old technology, but has the improved design of LED COB light. Retrofit this miniature wedge base wherever standard 194 bulbs are. Use for courtesy, dome, or map light. Install in the glove box, trunk, inside door, and more. A convenient replacement...

www.superbrightleds.com

 

[LorenzoGarbanzo]

Superbright LEDs has a new 168/194 LED that is just like the incandescent bulb but it has a "COB" chip. It covers 180 degrees of surface area leaving no dead spots.

194 LED Bulb - COB LED - T3.25 Miniature Wedge Base - 135 Lumens | Super Bright LEDs

194 LED Bulb has the same shape and size of old technology, but has the improved design of LED COB light. Retrofit this miniature wedge base wherever standard 194 bulbs are. Use for courtesy, dome, or map light. Install in the glove box, trunk, inside door, and more. A convenient replacement...

www.superbrightleds.com

Bulbs like that would be even better because I have noticed some brighter spots over the past few months. Do they have those with the proper base to screw into the gauge cluster on 06-10 explorers?

 

[RickOTR]

Bulbs like that would be even better because I have noticed some brighter spots over the past few months. Do they have those with the proper base to screw into the gauge cluster on 06-10 explorers?

I bet you could get away with using a 2nd Gen bulb/socket. They are the same size and demension.

 

[nesmyle91]

That looks impressive though. For someone having a hard time seeing at night, I would really appreciate to have that green light mod.

 

[LorenzoGarbanzo]

It's worth it. I couldn't read my gauges at all on the stock bulbs. The stock color of the numbers & markings is green on the '07 sport trac. All I used were the bright white LEDs. Say if the color was white on your vehicle, you could use green LEDs and get a green tint, However, the brightness may be different.