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gauge cluster lights brighter info pics aslo

i need to get a pic of mine, i just changed the bulbs out so far, didnt have time to pull the cluster out completely with all the painting i did over the weekend on other things. just changing the bulbs made a huge difference tho. i can imagine after i paint it, its going to be crazy bright. ill get a pic after that.
 
Here is a before pic with it painted and new bulbs
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This is after I changed to LED's
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Blue85 said:
You could also bypass the flex altogether and wire this combo into the harnes, but it would require removing every socket to pull the cluster. The gauges always seem to work, so I figure the flex design is OK in general - the problem is with those little sockets.
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I've had very intermittent issues with the gauges, eventually my plan is "hard wire" everything (gauges being easy since they have threaded posts) but the bulbs are the common problem. My solution is to wire everything into a male/female connector so that you can pull the cluster still. Just need to find one with enough terminals.

You can buy 12V LED dimmers quite cheaply on ebay, so as long as you were willing to gang all the lights up on one wire (no problem with the LED's) and run a separate dimmer, LED's are viable. I have the dimmers, I just haven't tried them.

My Dad swears the LED's he used in his cluster do dim with his stock headlight switch, it's just not much adjustment before they turn off completely of course.
 
I have leds in mine and they kinda dim, but I think its more to do with a ****ty corroded dimmer switch than the leds. I got mine from superbrightleds.com, I also have an led bulb in my dome light, and a 8 inch strip of leds in my cargo light. I am planning on putting oval led stop/tail/turn lights in my rear bumper due to the stock lights on these being too dim to be safe imo. Sounds like I'm a little nutso about leds, nut I just want as much light as possible where it is important
 
I will say this: SMD's are the way to go if you want better light diffusion. You can even get them in the 194's.

You can get the stop/turn SMD bulbs off ebay for pretty cheap, and they seem to be slightly brighter than the incandescents. You need to get as many SMD's as you can per bulb though.
 
Whats an smd? I don't like the look of leds behind a colored lens, that's why I want to go with a flange mount truck/trailer leds in my bumper.
 
SMD = Surface Mount Device. They are a little box with solder tabs on the side, as opposed to leaded devices which have, well... leads.

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As for an LED dimmer, I would want one that is triggered to run proportional to the main dimmer. I wouldn't want to bring in a separate knob for just the cluster. I think that would leave just the T-case shifter light?
 
A proper SMD bulb in the tail light positions do not look like LED's, other than being a bit brighter, and the on/off way they operate. They do not give the "pinpoint" look that you get from the normal LED bulbs. Something along these lines: http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-1157-1016...pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr However, you must be careful with the LED's in the various locations that they aren't too tall to clear the lens. And the LED color should match the color of the lens...red for red, amber for amber, white for clear/white, etc. I have not found that the backup lights are better with LED's though...LED's lose too much light through opaque lenses, which incandescents do not.

I haven't spent a ton of time trying to come up with a method, but I have yet to figure out how to incorporate/adapt a PWM dimmer into the stock dimmer switch...maybe one of our electrical geniuses can come up with a simple way to do so. It would be nice if there were cheap PWM dimmers that reacted to the decrease in voltage coming out of the dimmer switch, instead of using a knob. Although the stock dimmer itself is typically a problem, and would be nice to eliminate completely.

I had thought of taking a PWM dimmer apart, and seeing if the adjusment knob could be drilled through. Push the stock dimmer handle through the PWM dimmer, mount the dimmer solidly, splice the PWM input to one of the terminals that is "on" with the headlights, done.
 
Them smd's look like way too much work. I have access to the cutter to punch in the correct holes in my bumper and can get lights almost or free. Just gotta tap into the wiring then, and I'm cool with that. If I was worried about looks, then id look into something that worked in the stock housing. Prolly gonna throw a flood light or two down under on the frame for a reverse light.
 
Too much work? They plug into the stock socket, you put the lens back on, and you are done! My comment about fitment was simply their height. Measure stock bulb, get similar height SMD bulb.

Edit: I think I see what you meant, you thought you have to assemble them yourself....you can buy the completed bulb incredibly cheap: http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-1157-1016...pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr $4.69 shipped for two. As I mentioned though, just have to be careful of height. Those would probably fit, but they were just ones I found quickly, many auctions list the dimensions.

A lot easier than mounting in the bumper, where they will be more exposed to moisture, and don't require splicing.
 
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I just mounted a set of these under the bumper for now. Got them at academy for like 25 buck. Just wired them up with a relay to turn them on.
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They work pretty well too.

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dyeager535 said:
Too much work?

Edit: I think I see what you meant, you thought you have to assemble them yourself....you can buy the completed bulb incredibly cheap: http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-1157-1016...pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr $4.69 shipped for two. As I mentioned though, just have to be careful of height. Those would probably fit, but they were just ones I found quickly, many auctions list the dimensions.

A lot easier than mounting in the bumper, where they will be more exposed to moisture, and don't require splicing.
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Yeah, I thought it was a build-your-own-light deal. I ordered a pair of them ones you linked to. For $5 I'll roll the dice and see how they work. Thanks!
 
dyeager535 said:
Too much work? They plug into the stock socket, you put the lens back on, and you are done! My comment about fitment was simply their height. Measure stock bulb, get similar height SMD bulb.

Edit: I think I see what you meant, you thought you have to assemble them yourself....you can buy the completed bulb incredibly cheap: http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-1157-1016...pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr $4.69 shipped for two. As I mentioned though, just have to be careful of height. Those would probably fit, but they were just ones I found quickly, many auctions list the dimensions.

A lot easier than mounting in the bumper, where they will be more exposed to moisture, and don't require splicing.
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JUNK!!!!!!

Not worth it. Very, very dim and one self destructed upon installation. I'm on a quest for good bulbs like this now...
 
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