So I figured I would do a “how to” aka “DIY”, on replacing your gauge cluster bulbs with different colored LED’s. I could never find one on this site, only a discussion (for lack of better words) – nor any other site. I just kind of had to go along with the bits and pieces of info I got from different sources and wing it! I know some people don’t like to do that (especially me – when it comes to mechanical stuff) but with vehicle electronics I’m pretty knowledgeable, so I took a shot at it and it turned out well! Hopefully this can answer questions and help some people out! This is my first How To I’ve ever done on a forum, so bear with me and ask questions if needed. It takes a LITTLE skill, but doable for anyone with any half decent mechanical/electrical knowledge.

The tools/supplies you’ll need for the GAUGE CLUSTER are:

- LED lights (5-6 #194’s) superbrightleds.com – I purchased the WLED-X’s
- Needle nose pliers
- Vice grips
- A razor blade
- Solder and a soldering iron
- And…… The SMALLEST hex key you can find (or something of the sort)

**I’m not going to get into how to getting the gauge cluster out, I’m sure someone has already gone over it somewhere on this forum, just use the search feature. If you cannot find the info on it or figure it out on your own – DO NOT attempt this mod!!**

First, you’ll want to install the easiest replacement bulb in the whole cluster. It’s dead center almost and white, it spins right out just like any bulb socket. Pull out the old bulb; plug in the new – easy as that! It’s just like replacing any other bulb…



Next, after the plug and play, you’re going to go for the green sockets (4 of them). The sockets twist out just like the first, but you’ll soon learn the bulb doesn’t just slide out like the other!



You will have to cut the wires (that power the bulb), they are practically built into the socket with two tiny wires. Just cut both sides (the small wrap around wires), like so:



Next, I still couldn’t get the bulb out because of the twisted up wires in the socket and the bulb just felt fragile. I REALLY didn’t want the bulb to bust in between my fingers, so I used my tiny hex key to push it out from the bottom. (I accidently deleted the photo, but you can figure it out once you see it and are working on getting the bulb out. There’s a small hole in the bottom of the socket that you can poke/push the bulb out.)

Then, I took the new LED bulbs and stretched out the power wires as such…. (VERY carefully BTW!)



Instead of trying to feed your expensive LED’s wires through the TINY hole that the “stock” bulbs went through (and risk breaking off the wire), just put the new LED bulb(s) into the old sockets and make sure the stretched out wires are on top of the contacts for the socket. As such…



Next, I put the socket with the new LED’s in a pair of vice grips to hold it up. (VERY loosely – obviously) Just enough to hold it upright and secure.



Now break out that soldering iron! Solder those wires from the LED’s to the contacts on the sockets. It was a little hard with the big/cheap soldering gun I used, but I got it done… and you can too!



Here’s the finished product of socket and bulb…





Oh if you forgot the bulb #'s - look at the picture above! They're written on my hand!!! lol

Now you can pretty much just install them back the way you took them out! You’ll have to use needle nose pliers though, to get a good grip and push down and turn hard enough for the sockets to lock in their holes.



And last but not least, once everything is put back together…. You got you some good lookin’ gauges!!!





I didn’t do the how to on the HVAC controls because there is absolutely NOTHING to it, again… plug and PLAY! The bulbs are #74’s on the above referenced site; they fit RIGHT in just like any replacement bulb. To be specific, I used the 74-x’s and everything matches up perfect. I’ll TRY to get an entire shot of the interior and post tonight so everyone can see the “blueness”!

PS: This was all done on a 1997 Blazer LT, 4 Door. I’m not completely sure if it matters, though my guess would be if you don’t have a RPM gauge, it will be less bulbs! Also, I tested EVERY bulb after installed by using two wires, connected directly to my battery. That way you know everything is functioning properly before reassembling your dash, etc. Oh and make sure you hook up your light(s) switch AND DIMMER, or you’ll have NOTHING! (I made this mistake and it about drove me MAD!) ENJOY!!!

Here’s a little extra!!! A cool way to hook up a toggle switch, I figured I would take a picture of it and show you all. I had an old rear defrost switch that didn’t work. So I stripped it out, drilled a ¼ inch hole in the back for the wires to run threw. Next I drilled the ½ inch hole that the switch called for on a MEASURED piece of plastic and screwed on the toggle. Then I ran all of my lines before super gluing the plastic because after all, there won’t be much of a way to get to it after you do the super gluing. It’s pretty much a hollowed out box that fits perfectly into a pre designated area around your light controls! I will be using mine for my fog lights (and it’ll match my blue while illuminated!) Just an idea…

 

great write up, i too have thought about this but didnt see any solid how to stuff.
nice diy, good pics to.

 

Thank you sir! I have a HTC Incredible and sometimes it takes just that, INCREDIBLE pictures... and other times it has a hard time focusing? Whatever... I'm getting a camera with interchangeable lenses and such here soon! Thanks again though, it's not a hard task! Matter of fact, I'm going to take a picture of everything right now so you can see the rest. Give me five...

 

Here ya go.... like I said before though, my camera has it's good moments and these are not ANY!!!! lol If you look to the left (where you turn the lights on/off on the truck) you can see that I've even fabricated an led behind that switch. So when the lights cut on, that cuts on with it! I didn't turn on the radio either, because it looks retarded with everything else blue. It's being replaced by this Xovision In-Dash DVD Receiver - Walmart.com next week though, so it's alllllll gooooood!

 

Very nice writeup. I've been thinking about doing this and now i know how

Edit: Did you buy the 90* or 120* directional bulbs?

 

Looks like the hotspots aren't bad on the gauges. Thanks for the write up! Now I can do this lol. I may only do white bulbs, though or an ice blue...

 

120's

 

Just a couple of comments.

To save the pain and heartache it takes to bend the wires to get the bulb out of the original socket, just buy new sockets or go to a junkyard and get sockets out of a ford. GM is the only company that lightly spot wielded there bulbs in to the socket. So bending the wires might work and they might not. But ford sockets come out because they have no spot wield. Or do what I did and buy new sockets.

And different years have a different amount of bulbs you need to replace. I have a '96 without a tach at first and the led's looked pretty bad. I now have a tach from a '95 and it looks way better. But with both the '96 and '95, I changed out 5 sockets. I'm thinking the 98+ have 6 sockets to replace.

Also, I've found that 360 degree led's perform better and disperse light better over the whole cluster. So you might want to try out 360 degree led's (SMT's are preferred). Just my .02.

Here is the led 194 I used.

 

Yea, whatever floats your boat. I just didn't want to go through the hassle of the junkyard or spend the 2+ bucks a piece for the NEW sockets at Advanced auto... so I just did it the cheapest, easiest (for me) way possible. But what you're saying IS correct.

 

If I gave you the wrong impression of what I was doing, I apologize man. But I was just giving people a few alternatives. I'm not here to bash anyone, I'm here to help anyone who needs help as well as receive some help when I might need it.