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Instrument Panel LEDs


adam2kgt said:
This "film" that you guys are talking about, where is it? I had my cluster out, and it had green covers over the bulbs behind the gauges. Popped them off, and installed red bulbs I bought at an auto parts store, 194R's. I'm going to try blue too. I'll try to get some pics in the next day or two.
Click to expand...

Your dash is a lot different than the newer trucks being discussed. As I recall, the bulbs in our trucks are white originally, but it shines thru a green covers that you saw. It would be fun to change them, but I like green...
 
i am trying to make my mind up if i want to go blue or red I am putting a pioneer head unit in so i was leaning blue but my truck is red so i am undecided what do you guys think.



Ranger005.jpg
 
personally i would go blue. my ranger is red and my deck is blue. im actually have second thoughts though now that i found white face gauges that light up blue or green
 
Darkhorse88 said:
i am trying to make my mind up if i want to go blue or red I am putting a pioneer head unit in so i was leaning blue but my truck is red so i am undecided what do you guys think.
Click to expand...

I would go blue to match the HU.
 
in answer to the scraping of paint on the instrument cluster/gauges...

basically, after i got my dash out, i removed the plastic cover, pulled the needles off, and pulled off the actual gauge face. Flip it over, and it's white, with a type of translucent paint for the actual dials of the gauges. i took a razor blade and scraped all the paint of the desired numbers/letters of the tach, speedo, oil pressure, coolant temp, volt and gas gauges so my red lights shone through. I am in the process of "re-calibrating" my needles (any suggestions would be great) but it looks quite nice! i have pics i will post later....
 
i think i will also switch to LEDs; i am waiting for one more pack to come in on order (there is two per pack and i only got two packs, so i am short 2 :icon_rofl:)..i switched out my old gauge faces with ones from a 98 ranger..some of the idiot lights don't match up (my fuel reset is actually my door ajar and my check engine light is the water in fuel light; whatever the **** it was doing on a ranger IDK:icon_confused:)...the way it turned out is the faces look stock in the morning/day but at night is shines through nice!
 
What do you guys think about these white face guages? im having a little trouble deciding but i think i might do it.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Parts-Accessories___1991-1994-Ford-RANGER-W-Tach-White-Face-Glow-Gauges-27_W0QQitemZ180313531710QQddnZPartsQ20Q26Q20AccessoriesQQddiZ2811QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMotors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories?hash=item180313531710&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245&_trkparms=72%3A543|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318

they have it for the AC/heat panel too

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Parts-Accessories___1991-1994-Ford-RANGER-Glowing-AC-HVAC-Panel-HEATER-619_W0QQitemZ360116587447QQddnZPartsQ20Q26Q20AccessoriesQQddiZ2811QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMotors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories?hash=item360116587447&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245&_trkparms=72%3A543|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318
 
On our dashes (90-94) to remove the cluster pull out the ashtray. Behind it are 2 screws. Take them out and the dash surround will come off by GENTLY prying toward you with your hands. The head unit will want to come with it so be ready to use whatever tool you use (for the factory unit I use landscaping weed block anchors). Once the dash surround is off look at the cluster. There are 4 screws at the upper corners and inside the lower corners. Do not remove the smaller ones for the clear cover! You will need to access the bulbs from the back instead of removing the gauge faces, course if you are comfortable with removing the gauges and have done it before by all means go for it! I did mine from the rear. Just be ready to take your time! My hands are somewhat large and I had to be patient while doing this. My cluster only came out about 4 inches cause of the wiring harness and didn't want to screw the pooch! It took maybe an hour to do and the LED's WILL change the face color! No SCRAPING NEEDED! My gauges are VERY blue now!
I bought 10 bulbs and it took 8 for the dash. Be sure to leave the warning lights as they are unless you have a major fetish for 1 color!! LOL:icon_bounceblue:
 
OH! Does anyone know how to remove the bulbs in the HVAC????? I looked all over it and can't find an access port to them! That's all that's left for me to be BLUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :dunno:
 
 
to answer the HVAC question, its probably easier then the gages, you just have to pull off your bezel, pull off the knobs, then there are two screws on each side of the HVAC panel, once you get that out, the face is just clipped onto the rest of the unit, pull that off and you can get the green plastic piece out (dont even have to scrape anything, its just a sheet of plastic) switch your bulbs then re-assemble! and tada!

HVAC010.jpg


HVAC009s.jpg


it looks good with a blue HU :icon_thumby:

they are brighter then the pic shows them, my camera just isn't very good for pictures without the flash.

(ps- those two bright lights are switches for fog lights)
 
Last edited:
93splash: in that video, thats just bulbs without removing the green paint? i may have to try that then, i don't want to screw around with my cluster and pull the needles off and the gage face, cos the newer models suck for that, all mechanical and having to spin them whatnot, seems a little risky for me
 
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