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- 1984, 1997
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- 302, 2.3
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Dashboard is apart and documentation is taken. FAQ on that will be up later
SOME IMPORTANT INFO:
**1997 Ranger - stock colors**
The LED's you need to order are as follows. All colors are for a stock configuration for a 1997 ('94-current dashboards), and will probably look janky unless you also change the faceplates. The color filter (I'm pretty sure) is part of the gauge faces.
$0.79 + $0.60(green extra) = $1.39 apiece
The 194 replacement series: 6 Green ones, 120° viewing angle
FOR THE REST:
#74 LED bulbs - These are what things like the seatbelt icon and turn signals use. Order ONLY the "74-x LED Bulb". NOT "74-xHP SMD LED Bulb" OR "74-xHP3 SMD LED Bulb" as they will probably blind you.
$1.19 apiece - all colors
For the stock Ranger cluster you need to order these:
GREEN = 3
2 turn signals, speed control
AMBER = 7
4WD, 4WD Low, O/D off, Airbag, ABS, Check engine, Fuel reset
RED = 5
Brake, Seatbelt, Door ajar, check gage, Battery
BLUE = 1
HI-beam symbol
If you have an antitheft system factory installed the "THEFT" light should already be an LED, it should be fine, and I hope it is, because I can't fine a replacement for it besides a Ford Dealership. Not like its ultra important anyway. - this has to be red, the filter on the gage faces is actually clear.
ALTERNATIVES:
You can always order the above style bulbs in a white color. It should produce a similar coloring to that of the standard bulbs.
However repacing them with LED's of matching color will both brighten and increase the quality of light. The "lens" or filter or however you want to put it will only let light out of that particular spectrum. In the Rangers case, predominantly green, so only the green part of the bulb's light produced actually gets out. With a colored LED, the vast vast majority of the light produced is in a specific spectrum (a green LED produces almost ALL green light, it isn't filtered), they only color the plastic because it makes them easier to identify what color the LED is, so basically ALL of the light produced by the LED is able to make it through the green filter (because remember the filter only lets green spectrum light out) giving a much brighter and more vibrant color.
And I think that about covers it. Hopefully this help you all out, because I thought they were all 194 series. Faq will be up shortly, it's actually not that bad, I thought it was going to be much worse.
I have an '84 back home which I have to take apart yet again because it now doesn't light up at all... I can get pictured and documentation of that one too. It's kind of bastardized, but all the spots are still there. I do not have access to a Gen 2 dashboard.
Original Post:
I posted the type, amount and colors of all the bulbs nessecary on Pg 3. Not all the bulbs are 194 series replacement! Only 6 of them are.
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I threw these out there on a topic in the lighting forum. I personally have not tried these yet, but I will be replacing every single light with these guys once it gets warmer out. LED's last a crap load longer than incandescents and use less energy taboot (every little bit helps right?)
Some excerpts from the page and other parts of the site about these:
^Clicky on the picture^
**These are plenty for a Gen 3 Ranger dashboard. Anything brighter will likely blind you.**
direct swap for T3-1/4 (#194/168) filament bulbs
^I'm told Ranger dash lights are #194
Inverted cone clear lens causes the light to emit from the sides as well as the end.
^So there won't be blinding beams of light through your cluster
Built in current limiting resistor and diode to protect the LED from reversed polarity installation
The resistor keeps the LED's from getting too much amperage. LED's only work with current flowing one way, if they don't light up, flip them around and they should work fine (thats all the reversed polarity instillation part means).
These LED's will also still work with your vehicles stock dimmer switch.
The Frequently Asked Questions page has some more info on them.
Other applications Include: dome lights, instrument cluster, interior lighting, license plate, side markers, warning indicator, cab top markers, ashtray, courtesy lights, gaming lamps, etc...
And they have much more on that page for automotive applications and even more on the rest of the site.
Main site page: www.superbrightleds.com
UPDATES:
Alright, since I didn't realize that there is a BLUE filter on the back of the Rangers gages and NOT a green one, you do in fact need to shine a yellowish light from behind it to get it to show up classic green that everyone knows and loves.
Since there is a flat shipping charge for orders under $100 at superbrightleds.com, I'm waiting to figure out what our other flashlights take and order those bulbs as well (not to mention setting aside some dough.)
These are the #194 bulbs that illuminate the main part of the cluster.
in a somewhat reversed image (it's the best I can do) this is what is happening:
Only a yellow light and a (well I guess it's more a Cyan color, but still a blue) filter, and it'll come out green.
it's actually not that big of a deal. these bulbs were pretty cheap and they have plenty of uses elsewhere as lots of vehicles use #194 bulb style bases.
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