By the Dash Board Light?

[Lazzman]

It seems one of the lights that illuminates my gauges has burnt out leaving a dark area in my gauge cluster. Has anyone replaced these lights before?

Just wondering how difficult it might be.

 

[BuffaloXplorer]

I've got the same problem and have read that they're standard #194 bulbs plugged into the back of the cluster.

I just removed self-lit white-face gauges, but didn't know the OEM illumination behind it was bad. So i put it all back together, only to find out later that night that i've got 2 bulbs out. DOH!

The hardest part is getting there to do it, and even that isn't that bad. I'll let you know once i verify the bulb type.

 

[BuffaloXplorer]

A quick search of "gauge bulbs" got me a thread with the answer:

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=131336&highlight=gauge+bulbs

Getting to them is not too bad - i believe there's a "How to" install white face gauges in the Useful Threads section that'll tell you how to get to these bulbs.

 

[BuffaloXplorer]

Seek and ye shall find: How to install indiglo gauges:

Dead Link Removed

 

[Lazzman]

Thanks Buff.... Where did you get the white faced gauges?

 

[BuffaloXplorer]

eBay, but of course. I'm selling/trading the X so i just sold mine -

 

[Lazzman]

Did you remove them from the truck? How hard was it to splice the wires? Also why would you have to replace the factory bulbs if the White Face gauges were self illuminating? What namebrand should I look for when I buy these gauges?

Thanks Mon

 

[BuffaloXplorer]

Yeah, i removed the gauge overlays from the X and sold them. When i put them in, i spliced the power wire into the headlight power wire, and grounded the gauges to the metal knee plate below the steering column. It's easy as pie once your in there.

What i was saying about the need to replace the bulbs was that because the white face gauge overlays were self illuminating and not being backlit by the factory gauges, i did not know that bulbs had burned out in the OEM cluster until the evening after i had removed the overlays (for sale purpose).

I just took it all apart (again) last night to replace these burned out bulbs and it's pretty simple once you've gotten to the gauge cluster itself. I never even knew that the gear indicator was backlit too!

As far as name-brands or recommendations, i couldn't even tell you where i got mine. What i can say is that it's a crapshoot no matter where you look. Most of the dummy lights on my set were misaligned.

Lastly, you may experience binding of the needles on the overlay if they're not adhered to your OEM cluster. I thought that my tach was failing, when it was really rubbing on the overlay which had expanded (minimally) due to the humidity.

Good luck.