As promised, here is the write-up for brightening your instrument cluster. It's ALOT brighter than the pics show them as being. Enjoy!

http://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/758364/2

 

Oh, and yes I know the SES light is on. I have yet to get that looked at


Should this be made a sticky? Oh, and if any mods are reading this, could I have my avatar enabled? Thanks!!!

 

nice job, man!!!

finally someone actually does it and it looks good!

 

by the way, it the lighting completely even, in person? Looks like there are a few kinda bright spots in the pics, but maybe that's the camera!

 

Thanks! The left side looks fine in person, the camera does skew the lighting a bit. I do need to aim the righthand side a bit more though, I just need to back the bulb out a touch.

 

Looks great! And seems fairly simple to do. If I ever get my gauge rings ordered, I'd swap out the bulbs at the same time.

 

The only question I have is...you write:

Use the exposed wire to determine your mounting depth

how do you actually secure the new bulb in whatever depth/aim position you want it in??

 

I bet he was figuring the stiffness of the wire would hold it in place. I bet there would be some way to shim the new bulb in the hole. Or maybe make the new hole just the size of the new bulb so it would hold itself?

 

The wires used as contact extensions are used to change the mounting depth. The deeper you want the buls in the hole, the more slack you give to the wire. Vice-versa, to mount the bulb further out you would have less wire to solder to the circutboard. Oh and 5 on the stiffness comment - they provide all the strength you would need and more!

 

Yes, you could probably take a caulk or some type of modable putty to mount the bulb in place.

 

 

pretty cool writeup. Wish i tried somethign like this when i did my chrome gauge rings.

 

very helpful directions..what is the sand paper for??

 

Very nice job on the write-up too bad I'm still scared to try it. Congrats.

 

Hey. Great Write-up. Do you by chance any before and after pics. This would be great for comparison.

 

I'll just go with the Ebay specials.

 

Hey Busta - I'm assuming the brightness control for the dash lights still works after this mod, right?

Also, how's the balance between the gauge lights and everything else? If you turn the gauge lights down how bright are the rest of the lights?

 

I adjusted the bulbs last night and will post the pictures in my cardomain site tonight...looks PERFECT now!!!!!!!!

The sandpaper is used to scuff up the electrical contacts of the 194 bulb. If you don't scuff the ends up, the solder will not adhere to the ends of the bulb contacts. Additionally, that is also why I twisted the ends of the speaker wire around the contacts.

Yep, sure does!

I did a complete LED swap-out on the window controls and HVAC unit...so it blends in quite nicley!

 

looks like a great job... congrats... i'll probably try this when i have a spare cluster