I finished up the led changeover, only thing left is the cruise pods. Here are the pics, the camera doesnt take good pics of the speedo, I think it is too bright for the lens. It does not have the hot spots like it seems. Enjoy!

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Thanks to buggman for the 4x4, fog, and headlight switch conversion. I also have a blue filter that I need to install with some white LEDs behind the HVAC so it doesnt look purple.

 

how did you do this??!!

 

there is a how to on here on how to do it, I basically followed that but instead of using the white gauges like EVERYONE else. lol, I decided to use my stock gauges, and instead of painting the back of the overlays I used blue LED plug in bulbs. I used bulbs from Superbrightleds.com. They are the SMD bulbs. I dont know how to solder and didnt have the time and money to do that so i did plug ins. I am very satisfied with the result. The total cost was prolly 60 bucks cause I used my cluster not a different one, the bulbs were 50 for the 6 in the cluster and the 2 in the HVAC. Then other money on sand paper and crap. I did have some issues with the needles on the speedo. I didnt do the test ahead of time so I had to take pictures of where they sat when warm and then replaced them from there. The speed needle I had to drive next to a friend to make sure it was set right. Hope this helps

Here is the link to the how to https://www.ranger-forums.com/interior-exterior-electrical-123/how-paint-your-overlays-convert-leds-104562/

 

Lookin' good!

The blue hvac filter should help the purple/brownish color of the center indicator.


Those smd plug-ins look nice, I love mine (even though I didn't get mine from superbrightleds)

 

Did u use LED lights buggman?

 

Very nice man, glad to see my write up helping another member!

 

looks like I should start picking up these for a rainy warm day. I am starting to have bulbs burn out.

 

OHHH LAH LAH ive done all the same thing youve done but kept it stock with the green didnt feel like sanding off the color behind the gauges lol but let us know how to do the cruise control pods cuz i have the leds for it just havent taken it apart yet

 

What bulbs exactly did you pick up? I'm terrified of popping the needles off my '09 so replacing the bulbs would be a great starting point.

 

Check out my thread HERE

 

dont be afraid to pop the needles off, its super easy. Just have to mark where they sit before you pop em off.

 

So the T75 are warning lights, and the T10 are the standard back lights?

I don't really understand this part. When I disassembled my cluster, I could move the needles freely until they hit the edge. For example the RPM needle stopped at "0" and I couldn't wedge them down further. I assumed the socket just 'stopped' at some point and all I would have to do is replace the needles at the "0" marker.

 

to get the needles off you have to twist them off. You make the mark so when you put them back on you will be able to line up that stopping point at the 0 marker aka your mark.

edit. didnt explain it to well.

To get the needles off you have to turn the needle clockwise till you hit the stopping point. Then you continue turning past that stopping point. IF then you decide to turn it back your needle will be off the amount that you turned it past the stopping point. This is why you need to make a baseline mark so when you put the needles back on you can line them up instead of eyeballing them.

 

Ah! Well that makes sense! So the needles are basically screwed on? So I would turn the needles clockwise until it "stops", and then pull up?

 

the needles are pressed on. You just keep on turning clockwise while pulling slightly and then they will pop off.

 

Well damn. Now I'm going to have to try this weekend. If I tinted the back of the gauge cluster blue without switching to LEDs (for now), would the light still shine through, or would it be too weak?

 

i would imagine if you sand the green off the back and use some blue glass paint it should work. Don't know how vibrant it would be though.

 

The T5's are what I call the idiot lights, seat belt, turn signals, airbag, etc indicators.
The normal dash illumination bulbs will be the t10 base bulbs/leds.

I'm working on modding some t5 leds with different color led's as all I have now are white. The white led's work perfectly well but using the same color led as the color filtering adds a little depth to the color (at least I think it does).

 

I pulled my needles off with a fork. I ran the truck to warm first so I could see where everything was set, and then i just drove next to a buddy to put the speedo back on, here is the link to the bulbs I bought,

http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-b...HP5.htm#photos

Sanding the green off was not a big deal. You have to be careful you dont sand any other colors off, I hit the door ajar a little bit so when that light comes on you can see some clear but its not that big of deal to me. I only replaced the main 194 bulbs on the back, I didnt do any of the dummy lights. I hope this helps.