Jump to content

Gauge Cluster Led Conversion


idahoBLKss

Recommended Posts

OK step two operation airbag switch...

 

ok now for the airbag switch. i went through 2 of them but the 3rd one i figured out the secrete.

this is what you start with. to get the top peice off you will need to pop the key hole round cover off first then wedge a screw driver and pry the top off (not an easy task) looks like this when done..take note to how everything looks and watch out for the spring in the bottom when pulling it apart...

PIC_0909.jpg

 

here are a series of pics when done. the circuit board is very fragile DO NOT MELT the factory soldering it will part from the circuit board and you will be SOL trust me i found this out the hard way twice.as you can see i left one of the stock bulbs because i wanted the "airbag off light" to still be red . what you need to do is cut the bulbs off leaving as much wire on there as possible so you have something to solder too...

PIC_0910.jpg

 

 

PIC_0911.jpg

 

PIC_0912.jpg

 

PIC_0913.jpg

 

PIC_0935.jpg

 

pay close attention to how things are bent and placed in the pics they are like that for fitment ,room is very tight when putting back together...

PIC_0933.jpg

 

PIC_0934.jpg

Edited by idahoBLKss (see edit history)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

http://www.ledssuperbright.com/5mm-led-c-6...ed-4000mcd-p-57

Would these bulbs work from what I read they come with the resistors already installed. Also do they have to be 180 degree face view? And could you use 5mm bulbs threw out the whole project?

 

no dont use those, you want to make sure you use flat top leds for heat reasons, and plus those were only 30* angle. the only place you want to use 5mm is in your gauge cluster because they will be too big for most of the switches .the bulbs have too fit in really tight places as you will find out and if you have any bigger of a bulb it will be hard or impossible to fit the in there.

 

these are the bulbs i got ....

 

resistors- http://cgi.ebay.com/25-pcs-470-Ohm-Resisto...8#ht_1577wt_939

 

3mm leds- http://cgi.ebay.com/100-x-3mm-FLAT-TOP-Wid...d#ht_1773wt_939

 

5mm led - http://cgi.ebay.com/50-5mm-FLAT-TOP-Wide-A...1#ht_1889wt_939

 

and he is a USA seller so i went with him :flag: . you can find them cheaper on ebay but they are in china and japan, i'd rather support fellow citizens .

Edited by idahoBLKss (see edit history)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

thank you cool. Two quick questions first does it matter how much mcd they are I saw the 3mm red only came in 3000mcd while the 5mm red came in 5000 mcd? How do you tell which side is positive and negative on the board and on the led's? Thank you again.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

thank you cool. Two quick questions first does it matter how much mcd they are I saw the 3mm red only came in 3000mcd while the 5mm red came in 5000 mcd? How do you tell which side is positive and negative on the board and on the led's? Thank you again.

 

no its just the size, and the positive side on the LEDS will be the longer leg and as far as the board goes thats why im doing this write up check out the pics and it will show you how to mount each LED so that they lite up ... it was all trial and error to figure out what one was positive (soldering and unsoldering the LEDS till they lit up) ... hours of research lol

Edited by idahoBLKss (see edit history)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

wow.. this looks like a pain in the ass!!.... but a great winter project :)...i went to a few local places electronic places.. one had a good selection of leds for about 50 cents a piece.. but didnt have any flat ones.... so why do they need to be flat? is it to widen the light spread?.. if so could u in theory just sand them flat on the tops.. sence there ment for just back lighting?.. i think im just going to order them on ebay from the guy u did.. sence there cheaper. but was just curious about that

 

2nd question... i talked to another guy who had his switched out.. and some how got red needles on his cluster? anyone know where to get thos??

 

3rd question .. any recommendations on a nice soldering station... ive seen a million of them on ebay for pretty good prices.. they have come down in $ sence i bought my last one... would be kinda cool to get a digital one... i stoped at radio shack to just see if they had leds figured they would be $$ and at close to $2 bucks a piece they would get expensive fast!!..lol but they did have a pretty decent solderin station for like $65 that was digital

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.js...oductId=3132686

but looks like its hard to get tips for it.. sooo not sure if i wanna go that route

 

atho this one kinda caught my eye.... http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...its%3DI%26otn%3

Link to comment
Share on other sites

wow.. this looks like a pain in the ass!!.... but a great winter project :)...i went to a few local places electronic places.. one had a good selection of leds for about 50 cents a piece.. but didnt have any flat ones.... so why do they need to be flat? is it to widen the light spread?.. if so could u in theory just sand them flat on the tops.. sence there ment for just back lighting?.. i think im just going to order them on ebay from the guy u did.. sence there cheaper. but was just curious about that

 

2nd question... i talked to another guy who had his switched out.. and some how got red needles on his cluster? anyone know where to get thos??

 

3rd question .. any recommendations on a nice soldering station... ive seen a million of them on ebay for pretty good prices.. they have come down in $ sence i bought my last one... would be kinda cool to get a digital one... i stoped at radio shack to just see if they had leds figured they would be $$ and at close to $2 bucks a piece they would get expensive fast!!..lol but they did have a pretty decent solderin station for like $65 that was digital

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.js...oductId=3132686

but looks like its hard to get tips for it.. sooo not sure if i wanna go that route

 

atho this one kinda caught my eye.... http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...its%3DI%26otn%3

 

well from what i was told the reason behind the flat tops is because of heat reasons they dont concentrate heat in one area. as far as red needles mybe something like this http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/RED-1oz-Nee...s#ht_1817wt_874 but im not sure??

 

as far as a soldering station i got the one from radio shack with the magnifiying glass and two lil pinchers and a hevy base for like $15 lol " digital ...psshhhh"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...