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03-06 Led Gauge Cluster Mod

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Shu Enthusiast

Shu

Posted
Posted

What bulbs are needed to just replace the stock ones instead of going with the LED's in this article?

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Shu Enthusiast

Shu

Posted
Posted

For those who do not wish to convert theirs over to LED's, I just replaced four burnt bulbs on mine. You follow the same process above except use RadioShack 12v 50 mA bi-pin lamp part number 272-1154. Unsolder the stock bulbs and bulb holders. Bend the pins on the new bulbs 90 degrees outward and then solder back in place. These bulbs appear a little different (no base holder) and a little smaller in size, but they are the same intensity and it will fix dark spots in your dash.

 

For those who have already done this, did you have any trouble getting the gauges (other than speedo and tach) to register correctly? Mine do not go back to exact zero when I shut the truck off. I guess I need to knwo if they are supposed to first of all. I have followed the instructions here to the letter and each time even after several times of unplugging the cluster and letting it recalibrate, mine still go to the mark about half way between the first and second hash above the zero line. Is this normal?

 

New Lights:

gallery_16516_3_502316.jpg

 

Is this the resting place with vehicle off for your oil, volts, gas and temp gauges?????

gallery_16516_3_470723.jpg

Shu Enthusiast

Shu

Posted
Posted

I figured out the issue with the gauges not going back to zero. I was not able to follow the directions for removal and installation of the needles as recommend in the thread. I had to install the cluster with the clear cover off. Start the truck, then shut it off. Then leaving the cluster attached, remove the needles and reset them on zero. Now they are fine. I also figured out why my temp gauge and speedo had a slight jumpiness in them from time to time. The pin on the stepper motors that the needle attaches to was not perfectly straight. I took a pice of paper and checked them all with the 90 degree edge and found those two were all so slightly bent. This caused them to jump and not move perfectly smooth. If you start your truck and the gauges return to zero and then have a slight jump in their upward movement, then check the pins. Now mine works PERFECTLY! The 12 v lights look great. I hope this helps the next guy with jumpy gauges or a few burnt out lights.

  • 5 weeks later...
CRud New Member

CRud

Posted
Posted

I have signed up for this forum just for this topic. I have been researching this for a month or so and this is without a doubt the best description I have found. It all started a when a friend of mine sold me a bag of leds (50 blue 12V 5mm). It has been a few years since my half semester of highschool electronics, so i was wondering if these would work. They are not the typical LEDs with the 2 metal prongs, mine have 2 long flexible wires. You guys seem to know what you are talking about so I thought I would ask.

  • 3 weeks later...
Shu Enthusiast

Shu

Posted
Posted
I have signed up for this forum just for this topic. I have been researching this for a month or so and this is without a doubt the best description I have found. It all started a when a friend of mine sold me a bag of leds (50 blue 12V 5mm). It has been a few years since my half semester of highschool electronics, so i was wondering if these would work. They are not the typical LEDs with the 2 metal prongs, mine have 2 long flexible wires. You guys seem to know what you are talking about so I thought I would ask.

provided they are 12v then you could use the bulb base holders that are on there stock and then push the wires on your bulbs through the base and solder to the circuit board...or just solder the wires direct to the board short so the LED's stand up on their own. Once you get it apart you will see what I mean.

  • 10 months later...
Camar0 New Member

Camar0

Posted
Posted

New to the forum. Wanted to get some input on my numbers below.

 

Would using 14.6 as the voltage when sizing the resistor fix the dimmer issue? As far as i can tell they used 12v and i measure 14.6v on mine. That makes the needed resistor about 580 ohms for 0.025 amps. Using 480 ohms on a 14.6 v source leads to 0.03x amps whick is 22% too much. I think that would mean you have to turn the knob 22% before the led will start dimming. The leds i bought are 0.025amp. However with voltage fluctuations (stereo, starting vehicle, etc) it may dim more than when you use the 480 ohm.

 

Other concern is with 14.6v i think the resistor isnt a high enough rating. P=iV. P=0.03*(14.6-3.1v led drop)=0.352w needed and i think people are using 0.25w resistors.

 

Im going to try 1/2w 560 ohm resistors on mine and see if the dimmer functions properly. Will let you know in a week or 2.

 

Thanks!

  • 3 months later...
QUICKSILVER713 Enthusiast

QUICKSILVER713

Posted
Posted

thanks to your write up i was able to install my leds

2012-04-28042424.jpg

 

i used smd 1210 plcc-2 white leds for idicaters and blue 40degree angle thats why theres a couple of hotspots but not to bright so it came out good i think

TJay74 Senior Enthusiast

TJay74

Posted
Posted

I need to do my MPH stepper motor, where did you get the motors from?

TJay74 Senior Enthusiast

TJay74

Posted
Posted

Do you have a link to the ebay ad? I have a 2001 Silverado and none of the ones I found work for that year they say.

  • 1 year later...
tyhuck Senior Enthusiast

tyhuck

Posted
Posted

OK, I realise its been a while since anyone has poted on this thread, but Im hoping someone can help me out.

 

I was wanting to convert over to some white LEDs in mine, or maybe green, and was wondering if these are the ones I needed.

 

http://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/component-leds/5mm-white-led-360-degree-viewing-angle-4500-millilumens/341/1288/#images

 

Also, which resistor will I need? My eyes are a little sensative to light at night, so would it be alright to run the 560 instead of the 470, or do I need a completely different one?

 

Finally, does anyone have any pictures of either of those colors installed?

  • 8 months later...
Christopher.Wr.Schill New Member

Christopher.Wr.Schill

Posted
Posted

OK, I realise its been a while since anyone has poted on this thread, but Im hoping someone can help me out.

 

I was wanting to convert over to some white LEDs in mine, or maybe green, and was wondering if these are the ones I needed.

 

http://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/component-leds/5mm-white-led-360-degree-viewing-angle-4500-millilumens/341/1288/#images

 

Also, which resistor will I need? My eyes are a little sensative to light at night, so would it be alright to run the 560 instead of the 470, or do I need a completely different one?

 

Finally, does anyone have any pictures of either of those colors installed?

Still need help??

tyhuck Senior Enthusiast

tyhuck

Posted
Posted

Well, sorta. I did the swap with white LEDs and 560 ohm resistors on everything in the cluster, 4wd switch, a/c controls, and headlight switch. But, I am thinking of redoing everything in green and going with some 650 ohm resistors because I still have to dim the dash so far down at night that it is hard to see my DIC or my aftermarket trans temp gauge. I was wondering if the 650 ohm resistors would work.

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