Retrofitting/Modding my Instrument Cluster

[Sumbitch]

HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (hope that got your attention)

Howdy ya'll! I got me a '95 instrument cluster all taken apart and it's inspired me to do some LED retrofitting and modifications to my truck's cluster.

I shall post pictures later of what I wanna do that will require the advice and aid of others on this forum.

Would I be able to take the cluster interface from my truck (97) and place it in a modified/retrofitted light panel (the green backside/cover for the interface) from a 95? I don't want to use the 95 interface because my 97 interface doesn't have the "red-line" at 4k-5k-6k rpms. Its clear like the rest of the tack numbers, and the only truck I've seen with a clear one. And I like it clear. Its nice and clean looking.

 

[Sumbitch]

I would also like some plug-n-play recommendations for cluster illumination. I don't plan on swapping anything significant with colored LEDs. I just want to replace the incandescent bulbs with pure white LED bulbs for clean and clear illumination. No needle shaving, no hotglueing component LEDs behind the cluster interface wasting hours "trial-n-error"ing even and proper illumination of an exotic color.

 

[Sumbitch]

And another idea I thought of today sitting in class, was to use up some of the cluster indicators (example: check engine light, no seatbelt light, check guages light...etc) that aren't used or need not be used.

My DRL indicator light still comes on. I didn't delete my DRL's by removing a fuse, I pulled out the heatsink for them. Its the method that came up first when I googled it.

There is no reason why this light should come on anymore. But, why waste it? Whenever I install fog lights of some sort on my truck, I wouldn't mind an indicator light for them cause I'm most likely going to wire them to an OEM dash switch which in-turn will be wired to a relay. I want to simply splice into the DRL indicator light wire with power from the load side of the OEM switch and dead-end the power it normally receives from whatever sensor-type-thingy-mabobber powers it.

Thus, I turn on my fog lights by flipping a "cargo lamp" switch in the dash and the little green DRL light in my cluster turns on. When a lonely car comes up over the hill, or I run into town, I shall see that my fog light indicator is "on" and it shall remind me to turn them off (just like the high-beam indicator). I think it'd be a challenging and kick-ass mod that maintains 100% stock look.

 

[Sumbitch]

Pulled all the bulbs outta the cluster sockets and only one bulb shattered while I was wiggling it out. I'll just have to use one from my 97 cluster. Not that big of a deal.

I think I'm just going to plug-n-play my 97 cluster, rather than use two parts from two trucks to put it together.

But, assuming that the '95 circuit "ribbon" is the exact same as my 97's, I'll use the '95 to figure out what wires to splice into.

Don't need plug-n-play recommendations anymore, found the right LED bulbs on superbrightleds.com. So this thread is pretty much gonna be a log for me and anyone else who is interested in doing a simple cluster LED replacement. Stock look, but with longer lasting, better lighting.

 

[Sumbitch]

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The two red circled indicators are the ones that are free to use for auxiliary purposes. The DRL light is gonna be used for fog lights, whenever I decide to install some. The "security" light, not sure. Probably will leave that alone cause there is nothing that I could remotely use that for.

Going to replace the indicator lights with inexpensive LEDs that match the color of the indicator "lens".

Green bulbs : DRL indicator, left turn signal, right turn signal

Blue bulb(s) : High-beam indicator

Amber/Orange bulbs : Check engine light, Check gauges light, ABS indicator, security indicator (just in case)

Red bulbs : Battery indicator, Airbag indicator, seatbelt indicator, parking brake indicator

Natural White bulbs : general illumination (need 6 of them for cluster)

(just to keep all my bulbs organized)

Cool (blue) white ? (unsure if it'll look better with the natural white instrument cluster than with warm white. Maybe someone else has a more experienced answer for me) : HVAC panel illumination

Red/Amber : HVAC recirculation and A/C buttons
(unsure if red or amber indicators would look better (thinking red cause thats what I'm swapping most of the stock indicators with)

 

[Sumbitch]

http://www.diakom.ru/CAR/GMC/1997/Pickup K1500/SYSTEM WIRING DIAGRAMS/16249.pdf

Link for wires that I need to splice for indicators.

 

[2000CCSB]

I like the white LED idea. But what were you talk with switching the 95-97 face? is there a difference. Can you post up the picks of why ypu wanted to do this. here is what I want mine to look like when its done.

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Poor quality pic and its my 95 test cluster but you get the idea. All white gauges with blue needles.

CrewCab Steve

 

[Sumbitch]

I like the white LED idea. Here is what I want mine to look like when its done.

You must be registered for see images attach

Poor quality pic and its my 95 test cluster but you get the idea. All white gauges with blue needles.
CrewCab Steve

Really like that with white gauges and blue needles. Personally, I'd put teal/green behind the needles (maintain the teal/green theme in my truck) but I'm not in any mood to mess with that stuff unless I had a spare interface that matched my 97. I'll take/post a picture of it when the wind lets up outside (sh*ts flying everywhere).
I've literally never seen another truck with the exact same interface I have, so I probably won't be doing anything super special for a while.

But what were you talking about with switching the 95-97 face? ... why you wanted to do this.

I mentioned swapping out the back half of the cluster from my 97 with the 95 one I have, where the wiring and bulbs actually go. I wouldn't think there would be a difference between the back halves. I was gonna do it so that I could modify the 95 back half and then clip the 97 interface into it. This is no longer my plan anyways. I'm just going to plug LED bulbs into the sockets from the 95 and then plug those sockets into my 97. There is no way there could be a difference between the sockets.

Do ya know of a better source for natural white LED bulbs? Just curious. superbrightleds.com is nice and all but its slim pickin's when it comes to natural white. If I could get better I'd be willing to pay a bit extra for it.

 

[Sumbitch]

http://www.oznium.com/led-dimmer-knob

Read up on what great white is doing to his cluster (not quite my cup of tea, but I admire his process). He is putting one of them ^^ things in his truck and hooking it up to his lights in his truck. I'd rather have everything wired into the stock wiring so I don't have to tear EVERYTHING apart and rewire EVERYTHING. Maybe one day, but not today or any day soon.

So I'll find a nifty spot for it (maybe next to the CB radio? I dunno...) and wire it up to the instrument cluster. Don't want it to my OEM switches because they aren't very bright at full power.
Sh*t. If thats the case, I might have to wire it separately from stock wires...

 

[Sumbitch]

http://www.superbrightleds.com/more...ed-90-degree-viewing-angle-5500-mcd/705/1980/

Found some component pure white LEDs that would work if someone wanted to get even illumination behind their gauges. Maybe one day if I had the time to do it I would but I don't.