Project MULE - Expedition build on a 1991 1500 4x4 Suburban

[pma4x4]

Now LMC shows it for 81-91. Here is the issue in regards tot he instrument lamps. Both the 168s and the 194s are "hardwired" (for lack of better word) into the plastic twist cap. It pretty much self destructs when you pull it out. You can see in the pictures how there is extra wire coming out of the bulb and it wraps over the metal contacts. I hit the yard down the street and got lucky. I found the gauge clusters out of a 88 ford F150 and a mid 90s Ford Ranger have regular twist caps with the tangs on them to make contact on regular 194/168 bulbs.

The grey cap is the factory GM one I took out and the black one is from the Fords. They are slightly different shaped but that twist and lock in just like the GM ones.

Assemble in reverse order.

 

[pma4x4]

If you want the brightest possible light and get all of that color spectrum from that light you need to match the color of the LED tot he color fo the lens or filter it has to go through.

Below is what I did.

White is the gauge lighting
Orange is the CEL and 4wd indicators
Red is battery, seatbelt and parking brake indicators
Green are turn signal indicators
Blue is High beam.

 

[nutt7]

Can't wait for the night pics. I plan to replace my tail light bulbs with LEDs soon...oh and doing the chrome spray to the reflectors now too. [emoji4]

 

[pma4x4]

Hey Rob, where did you get those foam baffles? Did they improve the sound? My 6x9s are playing into the abyss of the body panels...I'm hoping to get some more focused mid and mid bass sound and less of a tinny sound.

The baffles are xtc brand from crutchfield.

 

[82355]

Did you think about getting one of these?

http://www.gmsports.com/content/new-tachometer-1973-1986-chevy-and-gmc-trucks

Martin

 

[noJeepshere]

LMC also makes tachs for these rigs, and I think they even make ones that will work with the newer rigs with the electronic speedos.

 

[pma4x4]

Did you think about getting one of these?

http://www.gmsports.com/content/new-tachometer-1973-1986-chevy-and-gmc-trucks

Martin

It been filed away for later.

 

[CoJeeper]

Thanks for the info. Figured I would do the same as I have the dash all tore apart in the 91. Went to go look at the back and there were no bulbs in it! Glad I looked now instead of getting everything put back together. do you have part numbers for the LED’s you went with?

 

[pma4x4]

I'll get this numbers to ya.

 

[pma4x4]

All lights purchased from Superbrightleds.com

>>> KEEP IN MIND THESE COLORS, QUANTITIES AND TYPES OR FOR MY 1991 V1500 SUBURBAN. YOUR VEHICLE MAYBE DIFFERENT. <<<

Gauge Cluster
RED LED - #WLED-R-120
COOL WHITE LED - #WLED-W-120
BLUE LED - #WLED-B-120
GREEN LED - #WLED-G-120**
AMBER LED - #WLED-A-120

Interior
REAR DOME - #3710-CWHP6
UPPER CENTER CONSOLE DOME LIGHTS - #4410-CW9
SWIVEL MAP LIGHTS - #WLED-CW5

Exterior
FRONT FACING TURN SIGNAL - #3157-A18-T
FRONT FACING PARKING LIGHT - #WLED-A5
FRONT SIDE FACING TURN SIGNAL - #WLED-A5
REAR TAIL/ BRAKE LIGHTS - #1157-R18-T
TAIL LIGHT SIDE MARKER - #WLED-R5

Correct electronic flasher is a Littlefuse brand #FLR232BP.
This is needed otherwise your turn signals just sit there like a dead fish.

**NOTE when I install the green LEDs for the turn signal indicators they would just stay constant on when I used them. They both would also light up when I turned the gauge lights on. I think that other flasher unit maybe for them but I was just out of time on that project so I put regular bulbs back in for now and will tackle them later.

I went with built backup lights in my bumper so I don't have a part number for that one. The gauge cluster lights are a bit brighter then stock. but adding the chrome paint to the inside of the housing helped a lot. Also I guess when you spray chrome you want to spray gloss black first. It is supposed to add to the reflection properties of the chrome.

Hope this helps.

 

[CoJeeper]

Thanks. Just glad i decided to check before i got everything put back together. when i got the 91 it had the dash all apart and missing the light switch. ordered a new switch and it didn't come with the nut to hold it in place (nor the pull bar) so i have not hooked everything backup.

 

[azblazer]

The GM sports tach is oem but not for our trucks. It was made for the gm commercial side of the house that used a version of our truck cabs on the 2.5 tons much like todays topkicks. This left the fuel gauge spot open so that an dual air psi gauge and or an engine vacum gauge could be used. That being said i have seen clusters modified to use that guage...but every one i have seen looked like a train wreck.

 

[82355]

Look closer, that is not an OEM tach. It is styled after the medium duty ones though.

Martin

 

[pma4x4]

The Center console moves forward.

This was just a test piece to figure out which router bit and how it cuts certain edges.

Our new industrial sized and built cup holder!

 

[CoJeeper]

Is the floor shifter going to fit inside the console? the console I pulled out of one of the Irish Twins was not full length like yours. had a space for the TV and DVD player. Wanted to do a full length but have not come up with a design I like that doesn't interfere with the shifter.
You going to cover this? stain or paint?

 

[pma4x4]

I looked back and realized I never posted a pic of the change I did to access the 4wd shifter. The first pic is the change with the test pieces. The second is from the pictures above in the final pieces of wood.

 

[CoJeeper]

Okay. I see where you are going with it. I was looking at relocating the upper air vent down and out the sides of the console and fitting in a computer tablet/TV in that location.

 

[noJeepshere]

That's going to be a pain in the butt to reach over to shift into 4wd.

 

[pma4x4]

That's going to be a pain in the butt to reach over to shift into 4wd.

Its not that bad and its not like I am shifting it constantly like a manual.

 

[PWagon]

I know this is regressing a bit, but what size tubing did you use for the rear bumper build? I noticed that you didn't mention it in your post. I was curious about the width, height, and wall thickness. I'm considering building one soon, and I thought I'd see what you used on yours. Also, did you use a standard or heavy duty spindle for the swing gate?