Different color instrument cluster lights

f350rebel · Apr 3, 2012

Well, I looked and looked and looked for a different instrument cluster... I ideally wanted white faces with blue lights to match my pillar gauges... but no luck other than some white stickers that go over the stock faces. so i decided to make it a DIY project. I took my gauges out, pulled the needles off, pulled off the skin with the numbers and all off, then scraped the green film off of the back. This made the gauge lights white, because that's the color of the bulbs. so I ordered some blue LED's. (only 4 like a dummy, and you need 5, so i had to order another after the fact and it's on it's way, that's why in the pic you still see white). put everything back together and bam, here's what she looks like!

purpleheart350 · Apr 3, 2012

Not bad not bad. I have been thinking about doing something like this but can't pick a color that I want. I am making the truck a gun metal grey (body) with black trim (bumpers and body trim). What do y'all think would be a good color

jacosey · Apr 3, 2012

Again with the adhesive question. Is the numbers piece like a cling? What did you use?

f350rebel · Apr 3, 2012

super glue. very very small amount of super glue in each corner.

jacosey · Apr 3, 2012

Sweet. I've been wanting to do this FOREVER but thought it was a wash without being able to buy parts to do it. I've always hated having green cluster/blue radio or whatever other combo you can think of. Off topic: is NY your home of record or are you SMCR?

f350rebel · Apr 3, 2012

jacosey said:
Sweet. I've been wanting to do this FOREVER but thought it was a wash without being able to buy parts to do it. I've always hated having green cluster/blue radio or whatever other combo you can think of. Off topic: is NY your home of record or are you SMCR?

yeah, this was really the only solution i could find... bulbs are kinda pricey though. $6 a piece...

I'm SMCR at the moment, but this is not my home of record. the wife is AD and she's the reason we're here. she's working I&I at the C130 base here. I'm trying to get back to active, but I have to do my MOS school before i can drop the package since I lat moved.

jacosey · Apr 3, 2012

Cool. Always good to talk to another Leatherneck!

f350rebel · Apr 3, 2012

how bout you? i'm assuming you're not stationed at Lipan Tx... haha where exactly is Lipan? I'm originally from Tejas as well. Lived in Allen, Justin, Terrell (just outside Mesquite), Texarkana, and a whole lot of little bitty places that aren't even on a map... lol

obs7.3 · Apr 16, 2012

www.superbrightleds.com has good prices on LED bulbs.
I bought the bulbs for the dash lights, tail lights and reverse lights.
this is the direct link for the dash lights for our trucks... wedge 194:
http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-...tion=DispPage&Page2Disp=/mini-wedge.html#wled

f350rebel · Apr 16, 2012

obs7.3 said:
www.superbrightleds.com has good prices on LED bulbs.
I bought the bulbs for the dash lights, tail lights and reverse lights.
this is the direct link for the dash lights for our trucks... wedge 194:
http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-...tion=DispPage&Page2Disp=/mini-wedge.html#wled

Yep, those are the ones I got the xHP5 ones to be exact. The "x" is the color indicator code..."bhp5" for blue, yada yada yada...I love the little suckers!

obs7.3 · Apr 17, 2012

f350rebel said:
Yep, those are the ones I got the xHP5 ones to be exact. The "x" is the color indicator code..."bhp5" for blue, yada yada yada...I love the little suckers!

hahaha so do I. has anyone done the blower control area under the radio? those are the only lights in my truck that are green still

f350rebel · Apr 17, 2012

I think i'm gonna try before too long cause all mine are burnt out and its buggin me soooo bad!!!

obs7.3 · Apr 20, 2012

let us know how it goes, i've got ball joints and a clutch to put in before i can mess with the interior anymore. haha

JohnT24 · Apr 13, 2014

Any tips on removing the dash? to get to the instrument lights..?

I have one out and need to get in there... soon.

Jaredkeller96 · Apr 14, 2014

Pretty easy, just start at the bezel. Pull the cluster. Unplug, pull plastic piece of cluster. I can have one out and apart in twenty minutes or so

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JohnT24 · Apr 14, 2014

Are there screws holding this bezel on?
Or does it pull out then snap back into place?

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1397475868.706178.jpg

Sent by mental telepathy.

Jaredkeller96 · Apr 15, 2014

Two screws holding that on. Pops off. Don't forget to unplug fuel selector. Then the cluster can be un screwed

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97stoker350 · Apr 16, 2014

How do I get the light knob off

Jaredkeller96 · Apr 16, 2014

Pull hard lol

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JohnT24 · Apr 18, 2014

Jaredkeller96 said:
Pull hard lol

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:bs:

First of all,

To remove the bezel....

#1 with a small screw driver, pop off the 2 long inserts on the dash ... there are screws under them.
THEN and only then can you start pulling back on the bezel.

#2 To remove the headlight knob, you need to sneak behind the loosened bezel and remove the 2 screws holding the headlight control... once it is loose, there is a push button on top of the control... push it and the shaft pulls out of the control. (this is how most headlight switches have worked since the beginning of time.)

If you just simply "pull hard on it" like someone else suggested ... YOU WILL BREAK IT.

#3 Go real easy with the tank control switch... the bosses that hold the screws are not that deep and will break if you manhandle it.

#4 Obviously lots of people have had the dash off before to replace bulbs...
I don't know whats so hard about giving proper directions to remove the dash.

If you just start yanking on it, you are gonna have a pile of broken plastic parts.

#5 :blah::blah::blah::blah::blah::blah::blah::blah::blah::blah::blah::blah::biggun: