I figured I'd just make a thread for my swap. I just got home with my spare cluster not too long ago. (Thanks Brian!) I've already got almost everything apart on it, including the needles. Seems like it's going to be pretty fun. Only thing I'm worried about is the PRND21... I haven't taken it apart to see how it's illuminated just yet.

 

it should get light through the window just like everything else does, should be able to use a ribbon right square underneath.

 

Yupp I got it out.. It works with a cable like a clutch. You can sand it off just like the faces. Now time for the odometer! I'm going to knock this whole thing out in 20 minutes! lol

 

Ok completely apart now.. And I'm Not sure exactly how I'm going to light the gear selector since there will be nowhere to mount the ribbon behind it.. I'll post pics in a sec.

 

Well, if it has green on the inside then it must be getting its lighting from somewhere, which means unless you have a magical 6th bulb in the back, that the 5 bulbs that I had would light up your prndl. My guess is that putting a ribbon under the bottom of the far right needle would more than do the job.

 

ya the drivetrain selector gets its light from the bulbs, I had a bulb burn out on the far right and it made the selector dim as well...

 

 

Needle.. Different then my needles. JP7 said I could sand them and make them work perfect without new needles.

 

My test:

I took a Taurus needle, which i think is exactly the same style needle Cameron has.
(Being that the plastic is molded clear, with orange paint on the ends)
And I also took my stock 04 Ranger Edge cluster needles (which are molded orange)

I sanded off the orange paint on the taurus needle, too see if blue LED would shine through and it does. I used a paint pen to paint it blue (You could probably use any color)






Here i taped some LED's to my desk and hooked them to a 12v transformer.


Here I put the needles in a piece of cardboard and put it over the LEDs


Here I did the same thing as before but I put a blanket over my head and the tripod so that the picture would be "nighttime dark"


So it appears you will NOT need aftermarket needles if you carefully sand off the colored paint.

 

SWEEEEET!! Those look sick!

 

I suggest 600 grit sandpaper for the needles. I just talked to my dad and he has a black face 08 ranger. His needles are the same as yours, clear inside with paint on the top/bottom. It appears the black-faces have the advantage on this one. I assumed (incorrectly) that all needles were the same on the 04+ clusters.

I still think you should paint the hats a different color than the black they are.

 

Man. you sure didn't waste any time did you.

Looks great man, can't wait to see it finished.

 

Got the gauge cluster cleared and it's almost done drying. I was right about the gear selector being a pain. I just ruined the one from the black cluster. You cant sand them down like the gauges. I sanded right through the black background around it.

 

I have mine Cam. I'll go get a picture of it real quick. Hang on.

 

Here's mine... I just applied some blue transparent glass paint to mine and with a blue LED behind it it really lights up Bright blue!

 

Nice. So you just painted over the green?

 

Subscribed!! I wanna do a 04+ cluster that lights up orange.....

 

That would be awesome

 

I feel honored shane! I'm sitting in calculus 2 and all I can think about is nodding my cluster! Lol.

 

nodding? lol. You sleepin' in class again?????

 

Modding. That was another gay iPhone correction. It doesn't like the word mod too much.

 

Update:

Got the needles sanded down clear. My leds should be in soon. I put the cluster back together to give a preview of what it looks like. In the end the needle hats will be red, needles will be painted blue on the bottom (maybe), and the gauge faces will be white!

 

I checked today in my truck and my needles are actually only blue on the top part that is closest to the driver. They are clear on the bottom.

 

Cam what about only doing the tips blue on the needles?

 

Needle update.. Not sure If i like the way they light up. I might end up ordering needles from Rusty afterall.