cluster LEDS

[tickfrd6]

Hey I took out my cluster to swap the white lights to blue LEDs and I'm having trouble making the LEDs stay in the little holder. Do they just slide in or am I doing something wrong? Also do I need to add a resistor to the LEDs?

Thanks

[sleeper393]

your talking about the dark grey adaptor that the LED fits into ? sometimes they are to long , trim the base of the LED abit , the dark grey adaptor pushes into the cluster then twists to lock in place , make sure the LED's are in the right way as they wont work. shouldn't need a resistor , if you bought them of ebay , and they just push into the adaptor.

[tickfrd6]

I'm having trouble making them stay still. I've chopped the leds down but still keep falling out

[cougermoon]

they should just click in mate you dont need to chop anything. You cant just wack any old LED in you need the ones for those holders, you can get coloured ones of these at Malz or auto one etc. Also with the LED's most colours will not shine through the cluster as there is a colour filter on the cluster stopping any colour getting through. I have tryed this with many LED's and trust me mate... Not worth it, leave the ford ones in all day long

Good luck !!!


Will

[tickfrd6]

Ok so I got the LEDs in. They arnt the one for the holsters. It took me all day to figure out how to do it but I did it and let me tell you it's not the worth trouble LOL. I put super bright blue LEDs in and it shines a perfect blue throught the colour filter. I'll take some pics later on and post them up if you want.

Matt

[cougermoon]

Awesome mate!

[sleeper393]

au fords take t5 led's , not sure of what other models take

[sleeper393]

i have the t series facia silver and the numbers are in blue so the white led's work a treat , i found out with the xr series facia that if you run blue bulbs they dont light up the needles very well , make sure you get wide angle leds.


http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI....ht_3588wt_1137

[tickfrd6]

So I've been told it's illegal to what the blue cluster lights? What's the deal with that?

[sleeper393]

because the needles dont light up with the blue bulbs , yeah maybe deemed to have a defected vehicle , thats why i switched over to the t series facia and run white led's , as the illuminate the needles , and the t series blue numbers light up a treat. these are some that are available , if you can get an original one even better , i picked one up for $40

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Ford-Falcon-A...ht_2232wt_1162

[tickfrd6]

Yeh but it doesn't have the tickford badge on it :( LOL do you have a picture of it lit up? Would be good to see it.

[sleeper393]

i'll see if i can get a pick of mine , not real bright at the moment as i have to replace two bulbs that were dislodged on alot of bumpy road KM,s this is similar to what it would look like , but red needles on au

http://img31.imageshack.us/img31/2346/15082009001y.jpg

[tickfrd6]

I ended up taking the LEDs because it was so hard to see the needle.
sleeper393 i like the look of that t-series cluster but im not sure if i want to spend $80 on it. What about the coloured plastic things you can get from auto barn that slip over the standard globe? Would i have to get green to make it a blue light and also would the needles still light up?
Really appreciate all your help guys.

[sleeper393]

nah there **** , because the standard globes aren't bright enough the dash will be very poorly illuminated,

[JC]

If you have an AU1, the red on the needles just rubs off (with a stanley knife blade) - the needle is then clear. If you have AU2+, the whole needle is red, so just use a different volour, or do what I did, and run a red LED to light up the needle, and blue for the rest. You end up with Blue/purple/red/purple/blue - looks better than it sounds.

[tickfrd6]

Jc that sounds like a good idea. The needles light up so you can see them properly? Where did u place the red LEDs so the needle lights up re. Very intereted to know.

[JC]

Originally Posted by tickfrd6

Jc that sounds like a good idea. The needles light up so you can see them properly? Where did u place the red LEDs so the needle lights up re. Very intereted to know.

Place the red LEDS in the closest holder to the centre of the needle. Too easy.

[tickfrd6]

Thanks jc I gues it's all just a matter of trial and error getting it right. I'll go down to J car tomorrow and see how much they have the T5 LEDs for. Pretty sure they would have some there.

[sleeper393]

cheaper on ebay , 10 for $4.00 , but then you have to wait for delivery.
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/5x-12V-White-...item1c12e08c25
these are some variations above abit dearer and different type but still t5 , as i said make sure you get wide angle ones.

[ronwest]

Anyone know if the needles off a S1 cluster will fit S2/3?

I've had the blue leds for quite a while but never got around to doing anything about the needles.

edit: As long as they fit I 'spose the needles off anything (earlier Ford?) will do. Any ideas?

[TheInterceptor]

So to change the bulbs in the cluster, is it just a matter of unscrewing the cluster to get to it? Then using your average T5 wedges as replacement bulbs?

[tickfrd6]

That's it just the two screws. But he carefull pulling the whole thing out because I almost cracked the plastic thing trying to get it out. The rest is held on with clips.

Sleeper393 thanks for the link man. That's pretty cheap 10 for $4 might just snap them up and see how it all looks.

[JC]

Originally Posted by ronwest

Anyone know if the needles off a S1 cluster will fit S2/3?

I've had the blue leds for quite a while but never got around to doing anything about the needles.

edit: As long as they fit I 'spose the needles off anything (earlier Ford?) will do. Any ideas?

Yep, S1 needles fit S2/3. So do BA needles. EF/EL should as well.

[TheInterceptor]

Originally Posted by tickfrd6

That's it just the two screws. But he carefull pulling the whole thing out because I almost cracked the plastic thing trying to get it out. The rest is held on with clips.

Too easy thanks mate

[ronwest]

Originally Posted by JC

Yep, S1 needles fit S2/3. So do BA needles. EF/EL should as well.

Off to the wreckers...

Cheers mate

[tickfrd6]

Bit of an update on the change over. I went and bough the T5 LEDs, red and blue. I put them in but 2 of them arnt turining on. I've tried swapping the holders around but still nothing. Does it matter which way the go in? Apart from all the the needles light up a nice bright red and really mixes in with the blue. I once I get the rest working I'll get a photo up tonight of how it looks.
Thanks everyone for your help. Much appreciated.

Matt

[TheInterceptor]

It does matter which way they go in, + - right. so swap them around in their holders.

And dont forget the pics ;)

[tickfrd6]

Ok just swapped them around thanks for that theinterceptor. Like JC said it's more of a purle blue color but it looks good from I can see during the day. The needles look like they light up a nice red too. The only thing is the speedo needle doesn't light up all the way probably half way but as the need goes further up it starts lighting up alot more. I'll take the pics tonigt so you can see it properly.

[tickfrd6]

Ok got a pic of it. It doesnt really show justice but ill post it up anyway. The needles are red not orange dont know why it came up like that so any orange you see is red.



let me know what you think.

[XR6SQ]

looks good, I take it the orangey colour isnt showing through the numbers like the pic shows?

Im trying to figure out how to get pure white dash lights, not sure what to do about that.