blue instrument lights

[techboj]

I'm sure there has been a lot of threads that discussed this and I have seen suggestions where LED lights were used instead of regular 194 bulbs

The instrument panel usually has green lighting for the speedometer and tachometer and although overlays are available, it usually detracts from the oem look. In my case, I have readings in kmh and overlays usually come in mph variants. Sure, kmh varieties are available from some vendors but I got cheap and didn't want to pay extra

So I went to a dismantling yard and got a set of oem gauge faces. The explorer I got it from had the cluster bashed-in and pretty much useless so the yard just gave me the gauge face for free



All I need to do now is mount it on the explorer

 

[studd469]

cool! I've always wondered what the back of the gauges looked like. I have a 97 explorer. The guages did NOT have a green film behind it. Instead the blue film was on each bulb. I just swapped out the bubls to blue LEDs.

 

[TerryS1980]

To widen the angle on your leds all you have to do is file down the top of it.

 

[phoKme247]

Do you have a step by step guide on how to take the instrument panel off? I've thought about changing them to brighter lights since a couple of mine are completely out. I have darks spots driving at night and it bothers me.

 

[MONMIX]

very very cool

 

[BWilliams]

Is this also true for the green buttons/instruments in a 2005? I want to do a blue conversion on my X, but I don't want to take an X-acto knife to every damn button.

 

[WhiteLimited]

I'm really thinking about looking into this!

Question? How many bulbs does it take to replace all of the gauge cluster?

 

[TheJackal]

cool! I've always wondered what the back of the gauges looked like. I have a 97 explorer. The guages did NOT have a green film behind it. Instead the blue film was on each bulb. I just swapped out the bubls to blue LEDs.

oh yeah, that sucks. I had to change the light bulb in my 99 for the headlight switch and rear defroster switch. Each one had a thin green cover on it (backlight is green in 99). I was able to transfer the cover from the old to the new bulb in the defrost switch just fine, but the one for the headlight switch got really stuck on the bulb and ripped to pieces as I attempted to remove it.

Quick and easy solution was to go to Michael's (arts & crafts store) and found this glass paint. I dyed the headlight switch bulb green (and yes, that required taking the dash apart yet again... ) and now have a backlight that matches the rest of the dash.

 

[JCUZ]

Is this also true for the green buttons/instruments in a 2005? I want to do a blue conversion on my X, but I don't want to take an X-acto knife to every damn button.

Whoa! Old thread. Anyhow. The 4x4 and info lights are green LEDs in my 03 Explorer. I replaced the top one (Info and 4X4 Auto) with blue LEDs, and the bottom ones (Reset & 4X4 Low) with Red LEDs. So I have blue, green, red from top to bottom on each side. I imagine most of the other button and cluster lights on the later models are also LEDs, so easy enough to unsolder the old, and change to whatever colour 5mm LED you like.

 

[Treleaven]

I want to convert my dash to red LED's so it matches the CD player. Where is a good place to get some LED's with out ordering them online? I am located in Canada so Canadian stores would be best. Also, lets see some pics of your dash's and instrument clusters.

 

[vroomzoomboom]

I want to convert my dash to red LED's so it matches the CD player. Where is a good place to get some LED's with out ordering them online? I am located in Canada so Canadian stores would be best. Also, lets see some pics of your dash's and instrument clusters.

dont even bother with canadian tire, if they have them, they will cost a arm and a leg. other then that, i cant tell you where to look. i am in manitoba, and got some off ebay and they work fine.

 

[Treleaven]

The last time I got them was from Superbrightleds.com but I don't want to order them online

 

[TerryS1980]

RadioShack

 

[muskegolake]

Any idea how to be sure the needles go back in the same place? I have screwed up one cluster doing this and don't want to wreck the one I have now because it is a white gauge face cluster and those are hard to find.

 

[vroomzoomboom]

Any idea how to be sure the needles go back in the same place? I have screwed up one cluster doing this and don't want to wreck the one I have now because it is a white gauge face cluster and those are hard to find.

been there done that as well. the only thing i can say is from when the truck is cold, start it up and let i run for about 10 mins (that way it will be warm). make a template of where the needles are. do your thing. then once the truck has cooled off, start it up again, and run it for the same time, and use your template as a guide for your needles. as for the speedo, you will have to get some one to pace you at a SAFE speed, and with the plastic cover off, push the needle back in at the speed someone is pacing you at. if someone else has a better idea, post it up for the man!

 

[bp1506]

On my 98 sport ,I had the truck warmed up and took the needles off while my key was in the on position without the truck running. For the needles on the rpm and speed gauges, I removed the center part, the needle dropped down a little and I marked where it sat. Then I removed the actual needle.

The needles on my 98 sport were two piece and I am not sure others have the same setup. Then i put the needles with the key in the on position and truck warmed up. I put the needle on and then the second piece.

To check my speed I went out and drove behind my friend while on cellphones. A few weeks later I purchased a gps unit and used that to check my speed. Was going 3km/h slower then reported by my cluster. But that is good enough for me.


Also I was wondering if anyone has experience with these bulbs:

They are from this page:

Reason I ask is because I might be doing another vehicles gauge cluster, thinking of using those instead.

 

[vroomzoomboom]

i do believe MustangP51 is going to try those.

 

[celly]

been there done that as well. the only thing i can say is from when the truck is cold, start it up and let i run for about 10 mins (that way it will be warm). make a template of where the needles are. do your thing. then once the truck has cooled off, start it up again, and run it for the same time, and use your template as a guide for your needles. as for the speedo, you will have to get some one to pace you at a SAFE speed, and with the plastic cover off, push the needle back in at the speed someone is pacing you at. if someone else has a better idea, post it up for the man!

I used a Scangauge plugged into the OBD port (first version of this tool) with the plastic cover off (and much of the dash disassembled). It measures speed independent of the speedo. RPMs too. Lots of trial and error before I got those two needles bang on. (I did it myself on a backcountry road...stop and start). Make sure you get your highway speeds accurate. I found that focusing in lower speeds caused by highway speeds to be off. When you do it the other way, the slower speeds fall in line. I've gone through some of those "Your Speed Is" radar signs before and I'm bang on.

Template for the needles? I just took a high-res photo.

Best tool for removing needles? A salad fork. (learned that tip on EF years ago).

I've used these methods on 2 Explorer with great results both times.

(NOTE: I used these methods to calibrate the cluster after putting on OEM white faced overlays and red needles on my OEM black faced cluster with white needles. I'm using OEM lighting).

 

[celly]

A few weeks later I purchased a gps unit and used that to check my speed. Was going 3km/h slower then reported by my cluster. But that is good enough for me.

Greetings fellow Calgarian. My Tom Tom shows the exact speed that my needles do (my method is described in previous post).

I did all my testing on the 22X east of the city and some side roads off there. Took me about 45 minutes of trial and error and stops and starts to get it right. Best thing is, you can do it without help.

 

[bp1506]

Greetings fellow Calgarian. My Tom Tom shows the exact speed that my needles do (my method is described in previous post).

I did all my testing on the 22X east of the city and some side roads off there. Took me about 45 minutes of trial and error and stops and starts to get it right. Best thing is, you can do it without help.

Yes it is a big help having the gps, I also have a Tom Tom. I might eventually fix it. But for now at least its close.