nadir_s

I've read a bunch of threads, but i'm wondering if there's any update...

just wanna replace my stock bulbs with something more brighter and whiter... suggestions?

I don't have to remove the entire cluster to get access to the bulbs, do I?

thanks

5Zpeed

BUMP!....i want to know too..........anyone know?

OneToughMax

yes. you have to remove the cluster to change the bulbs. check out www.superbrightleds.com. they have a great selection, or buy led's in bulk off ebay.

MAXRB8

iTrader: (19)

You'll need 5 Leds #194 bulb mount, I first used 1 led per pulb, but recently changed to 4 led's per bulb, much brighter see my web below for a comparison. The guys at Superbrightleds sell these plus $5 to ship. To get at them isn't hard at all, some threads suggest taking down the steering column, but I've never had to do that and I've been in and out of the gauge cluster at least 6 times, you remove the two screws for the panel under the dash, then remove the six screws holding the steering column cover. Drop the tilt steering to it's lowest point, remove the two screws in the upper part of the gauge cluster cover, firmly pull from the bottom of the cover where the dimmer and security switches are, unplug those switches and remove cover. Now you should see the 3 screws holding the gauge cluster, remove those and pull out the cluster, if you want to remove the cluster completely unplug the three mainwire harness from the back of the cluster and cut the zap strap holding the wire harness. Or turn the cluster enough to remove each of the 5 #194 bulb sockets. Pull out the bulbs and insert the new led's. Most of these led's are polarized so if they don't work one way, try the other. You'll need to plug-in the 3 main wiring harness's and the dimmer harness to the gauge cover bezel to make this test. Hope that's clear enough and good luck.

Nismo98

iTrader: (7)

Are those after market gauge needles as well?

Andrei

MAXRB8

iTrader: (19)

Nah, I believe the factory went to red needles post 96, mine are the same as the numbers black by day and illuminated by night

maximus_pr

iTrader: (3)

or try www.importintelligence.com

btw is the 4 led the bigger you can fit in there or can you use the 6 by instance

ny96max

I installed the 6-led blue bulbs from www.superbrightleds.com and they fit fine. Id just go with the 6-led ones over the 4 or even try the 9-led ones that just came out. Either way your dash is gonna look like the new VW's at night

Ant

nadir_s

wow great info guys. I just wante dto stick to the white because I like it.

A question about these bulbs with LEDs... i'm probably goin to get a couple 6-LED or 9-LEds but the thing is, if I buy it from these websites, the LEDs are already attached to the bulb harness thing right? Basically, I get these bulbs that have LEDs on em and I just swap it?

MAXRB8

iTrader: (19)

Yes you just swap the bulbs, you'll see once you get there, just remember they are polarized as I explained in the previous post. Good luck

MAXRB8

iTrader: (19)

The one's from your link aren't LED's, LED's will last forever and are brighter

d280c

Are you guys sure the 9-LED bulbs will fit ? It seems awfully big. Has anyone successfully tried this.

nadir_s

anyone buy any other bulbs for anything else from the site? Do they sell map-light, center console bulbs??

I am about to order a couple for both maximas i have at home.

SlackR237

I'd like to make my dash blue and brighter at night, so for those of you with 4- or 6-LED bulbs, is the light in the dash distributed evenly or are there specific spots where the light is concentrated under certain numbers/letters??

I want to avoid these "bright spots," because they'd probably bother me during night driving...

99se5spd

i tried the #74s from superbrightleds and man they were dim, the hot spots were really bad and even though they were white, them illuminated the dash in blue, not a blue tint either, i mean blue. but i guess you guys dont have to worry about that with your 194s.

Kevlo911

iTrader: (36)

Read hte Howto's on how to convert from 74 to 194.

DAVE Sz

iTrader: (2)

I'd get normal bulbs instead of LEDs. They look bad cause of the hot spots they make, just look at MAXRB8's gauges and you'll know what I mean.

Kevlo911

iTrader: (36)

You could get wide angle LEDs, They spread hte light better w/o hot spots

MAXRB8

iTrader: (19)

Yes there are some bright spots, but less so with the 4 bulbs vs the single, check my web there is a comparison on there as I've done both and you can decide for yourself on the brightspots too. I agree fitting 9 bulbs per light sounds too large to fit besides superbrightleds.com don't sell anything bigger than 6 bulbs probably for that reason. Hope this clears up the rest of the concerns

nadir_s

damn, almost forgot about this.

So yeah, it's time to order some bulbs!

5 #194 LED bulbs from superbrightLEDs.com, right? I will need 2 sets then.

Is there any other LED bulbs I can get from then for the center console?? Are they all #194? Thanks a bunch guys.

aznprid972

iTrader: (26)

center console? like the AC switches?? those are actual LEDs. you cant buy those bulbs and swap the mout that easily. you would have to desoilder it and replaced them. when ordering, you can also replace your doorlights, those are #194 size and same with the glove light. you can even try those in the front bumper lights if you want too. or even the tail lights?

kbmaxima

iTrader: (11)

can the 98-99's use the 194 bulbs? I read elsewhere that we need to use a #74 bulb.

Nismo98

iTrader: (7)

So does my 98 have #74 bulbs in the gauge cluster?

Andrei

Keyser Skoze

yea we have #74 bulbs but take my advise and dont change them. The are not bright at all and youll just end up putting the old ones in. You can make the holes bigger and solder 194's in there but that takes a bit of time and know-how. I think it would be easier to just get a cluster from a 96

Nismo98

iTrader: (7)

I tried to find how 2 on doing that, although no luck. Can sombody post a link if they can, I would really like to see how hard this process is. Also switching to a 95-97 gauge cluster doesn't sould like a good idea, I really don't know about that.

Andrei

MDeezy

iTrader: (27)

just to make sure I order the right ones.

on the web site (http://www.superbrightleds.com/leds.htm)
looking at the blue bulbs

which ones fit and work with the best. I see the :

RL5-B2545
RL5-B4630
RL5-B2430
RL5-B3023
RL5-B5515

Amd they all have different specs, which ones are the ones you guys ordered?

thanks.

hasei

iTrader: (5)

I don't understand why many of the people here say LEDs are brighter than regular light bulbs. I tried both six-mounted LEDs and regular bulbs (polargs), and ended up with regular bulbs. I tried other kind of LEDs but none of them was brighter than polargs.

If your principal concern is to make the instrument panel brighter, I think you should consider buying reputable regular bulbs. But it is easy for me to say it because mine is 1996 and required no mods to have 194s.

naguirne

hey guys,
what are the high flux leds on superbrightleds.com and do those go anywhere on a 96 maxima? and could they possibly be easier to replace with in places where it's not a simple swap but a solder/desolder situation like the a/c lights?

nadir_s

Yeah, i'm confused on the site.. i don't see anything with #194. How do I know what is what and which to buy?

hasei

iTrader: (5)

Click on link that says like "See price and buy now" then you get individual list of available LEDs, including size.

I still don't recommend LED bulbs for instrument cluster though....

nadir_s

ah ic it now, had to do an IE find.

6 LEDs or 4 LEDs..... hmmmmmmm

SlackR237

To expand on what hasei said for superbrightleds.com navigation, you go to the first page that comes up when you type the site in, click on the "led bulbs & products" button, then click the "Buy Now" button under the "12 Volt LED CAR BULBS" category.

Remember, there's two pages of LED lights, the 6-LED bulbs are on page 2 if that's what you're looking for