LEDs for gauges

[backroad101]

Quick question. Had a light go out in my gauges and figured Id go ahead and switch to LEDs. Questions is, how do LEDs work with the dimmer switch? Are LEDs either on or off, or do they dim?

.

 

[4.0B2]

i honestly don't remember the answer to this... but there is info on this on here. just look thru the million other LED threads.

 

[That Baker Guy]

yeah they do function with the dimmer switch. i have them in mine, check my build thread to see blue ones. i got my leds from superbrightleds.com

 

[backroad101]

i honestly don't remember the answer to this... but there is info on this on here. just look thru the million other LED threads.

Looked through some threads but didn't see anything about the dimmer function

 

[backroad101]

yeah they do function with the dimmer switch. i have them in mine, check my build thread to see blue ones. i got my leds from superbrightleds.com

Thnx. Have a project for next weekend. I think I have enough 194 LEDs left over from swapping out the interior lights on my other car. They are suppose to be white but give off a blue hue.

.

 

[backroad101]

Also, correct me if I am wrong but the 194s are for the 6 gauges and the other bulbs are for warning lights?
.

 

[backroad101]

And the HVAC are 194s as well, correct? 1-2 bulbs?

.

 

[That Baker Guy]

the hvac bulbs are indeed the same. what year is your truck? mines a 93 cant remember how many bulbs i had. i know theres only one behind my hvac. and i had two left over so i put them in for my turn signal indicators.

this thread has alot of good info.
http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=29679&highlight=led+cluster

i used wledx5 from superbright.

 

[backroad101]

Started my bulb swap to LEDs Only doing the 194s (white) in the gauges and the 2 for the HVAC. Took the film out for the HVAC and for the gauges I scraped the green off the back of the gauge faces. You may laugh, but to get the green off I used a pedi paws for dogs, lol. Basically a low powered dremel and, with a soft touch, it worked great. Going to finish in the morning.

One suggestion I would have is to take a pic of your gauges beforehand so when you take the needles off you know how to put them back. I forgot to do that and will have to (Im assuming this is what I have to do?) install the gauges without needles, start the truck so they reset to "zero" then install the needles. Will prob then fill the truck up with gas then do again with the gas needle

.

 

[backroad101]

Oh, also, anyone know what model blub is used for the headlight and 4wd switches?

.

 

[backroad101]

Wanted to pick everyones' brains on y interior lights.

I like the way the white LEDs look for the gauges and that's gonna stay.

I like how the LEDs (white also) look for the HVAC, but it then makes everything else (basically the radio) look bad. I want to keep the radio ford stock

I am looking at 3 options

1) keeping the gauges LED and switching everything else back to stock green
2) Keeping the gauges LED, finding a better Ford radio and match the HVAC color to whatever I find
3) keeping both the gauges and hvac white led and figuring out what to do with the radio


What are your thoughts? What can I do to make the radio fit in with the LEDs? Is there a newer style ford radio I could use? Are there models or years of Fords (or Lincoln/Mercury) that do not use the green? I don't want to go with an aftermarket radio unless it looks somewhat like a stock radio

Thanks

 

[That Baker Guy]

get a new radio? all my lights match.

 

[backroad101]

Like I said, I don't want to go with an aftermarket radio unless it looks somewhat like a stock radio. I am big on doing things that are not stock but look stock. Any half DIN radio will not look stock and (so far) haven't found a double DIN I like (yet).

Any other thoughts?

.

 

[That Baker Guy]

as far as i know, green is the only color iv seen in a stock radio.

 

[backroad101]

as far as i know, green is the only color iv seen in a stock radio.

Even in newer radios (or Lincoln)?. I've goggle pics and they always seem to be pics with the radio off

.