guage bulbs and HVAC bulbs

[jnorion]

I just ordered mine last night so hopefully I'll be able to get to it soon.

[blue LEDz]

sweet, you might get yours before i get home to mine

[jnorion]

Does superbrightleds ship fast? They don't give a tracking number or anything.

[blue LEDz]

Does superbrightleds ship fast? They don't give a tracking number or anything.

mine were shipped USPS priority mail, if i remember correctly. yeah, shipping was super fast

[jnorion]

OK, so a quick follow up on that... I ordered my bulbs late Thursday night and they got here this morning. That is the fastest shipping I think I have ever gotten from anyone online.

[blue LEDz]

OK, so a quick follow up on that... I ordered my bulbs late Thursday night and they got here this morning. That is the fastest shipping I think I have ever gotten from anyone online.

dude, 2 days to get them?! damn that is fast

[jnorion]

I swear there is a sticky or a how to or something about taking the dash apart, but I can't find it anywhere... can someone point me in the right direction?

[blue LEDz]

radio trim removal.

guage cluster, for those that need it.

[jnorion]

I just read the one on radio trim removal... do I actually even have to take that whole piece out or can I just take the radio out? It looks to me like I can reach the bulbs through the hole without actually removing anything.

[blue LEDz]

I just read the one on radio trim removal... do I actually even have to take that whole piece out or can I just take the radio out? It looks to me like I can reach the bulbs through the hole without actually removing anything.

only one way to find out you'll have to take the radio out regardless, so see if you can, that will make it a lot easier for others to do it

[jnorion]

I installed the leds behind the gauge cluster tonight... I haven't gotten to the HVAC ones yet. I'm a little disappointed with them. Superbrightleds really aren't too bright... or maybe I just got the wrong kind. The little ones (74s?) are really bright, but the 194s with 6 leds in them just don't do a whole lot. I'm guessing it's actually the configuration of the plastic that diffuses the light, but either way it's pretty dim. The needles don't show up worth ****. And the odometer is slightly turquoise. I think I might order a set of the wide angle ones to try instead. And I think a needle kit is definitely on the way sometime when I have money.

Pics turned out too dark to really see... I'll try again when I have a chance.

[blue LEDz]

do the 194's actually light up? the 6 LED ones are supposed to be really damn bright did you try reversing the plastic holder? it's possible that they aren't lighting up cause of reverse polarity. don't get the wide angle ones, they are even dimmer

[Lil Freek]

did you take a pic step-by-step?
Blue.. if you haven't installed yours yet.. you gonna take pics?

this'll probably be one of those "bored weekend" mods for me. just rip everything out and try. but if it's dim, i don't wanna do it.

[blue LEDz]

did you take a pic step-by-step?
Blue.. if you haven't installed yours yet.. you gonna take pics?

this'll probably be one of those "bored weekend" mods for me. just rip everything out and try. but if it's dim, i don't wanna do it.

what do you want pics of? just the guage lit up? and no, i don't have the new red ones installed yet this weekend i will, though. it takes like 5 minutes to change out the bulbs. 2 screws hold the trim around the guage cluster, then there's 3 screws holding the cluster in. one is on the top in the center, the other 2 are at the bottom on each side, you can't miss them once they are out, tilt the guage cluster down enough to unscrew the metal bracket from the top. if you leave it on you are likely to scratch your interior. putting down a towel over the steering column is also a good idea, so you don't scratch the clear plastic of the guages. then there will be 2 wiring harnesses on the top left, and one on the top right. unplug and the cluster comes right out. when you have it out you'll see a bunch of green plastic plugs that hold the lights to the guage cluster. you'll be changing out 2 large ones, and 2 small ones. read through the links in the above posts for more info and pics

[jnorion]

do the 194's actually light up? the 6 LED ones are supposed to be really damn bright did you try reversing the plastic holder? it's possible that they aren't lighting up cause of reverse polarity. don't get the wide angle ones, they are even dimmer

They definitely light up... I had to wiggle them a bit and turn them around a few times until they all worked, but they do. The problem is where the light comes from. You know the clear plastic piece that's underneath the gauges that diffuses light around the cluster? It comes down and picks up light from the sides of the bulb, but the 6-led bulbs only project out the end. From the sound of it the wide angle one would appear brighter even if the actual amount of light it produces is less.

I'm considering two options right now. Since I have the reverse gauges anyway, the only thing I actually need to light blue is the odometer. I might buy the wide angle ones and try them (the pictures of your gauges are still a lot brighter than mine) or I might take the whole thing apart yet again and see about putting a blue gel around the odometer instead of the green that's already there, and then just using the regular bulbs so the needles will be lit properly.