Back

Title:LED Purchasing/Replacement in 1st gen Cluster

Author:jchargu

THESE INSTRUCTIONS ARE FOR THE 86 and UP CLUSTERS

For those of you who wan't something different for their 1st gen Instrument cluster, I have written this little How to on how to change the bulbs and what to order and where to order...

This also works for changing regular incandescant bulbs, just skip to step #7.

1. Go to www.superbrightleds.com and click the LED BULBS and Products button.
2. Click BUY NOW under Automotive 12volt lighting.
3. If you want to use Matched colors for your Idiot lights then you will need to find the #74 bulbs and order the following:
   • 1 Blue(High beam light)
   • 3 amber (SES, Check Guages, Shift)
   • 3 red (Battery, Seatbelt, Brake)
   • 2 green (turn signals)
   You should end up ordering 8-10 bulbs depending on your trucks options/cluster options.
4. Next for the bigger illumnation you will want to find the (example) "WLED-W White LED bulb" Where WLED is the Wedge LED , the -W, -A,-G,-B is White, amber, green, blue ETC... These bulbs are wide angle and emit light out their sides instead of pinpointed straight forward, which is not what you want.
   Find the Color(s) you want in your cluster enter 6 (or as many as you want)as the quantity (add 1 red WLED-R4 if you have the seatbelt light is if your cluster does not have tach)
5. If you want to change the HVAC Control lights to a different color you will need to order 2 more #74 LEDS in your desired color for this.
6. Click CHECK OUT, enter billing shipping info submit and wait for the mail to come.
7. Once you recieve your bulbs... Go out to truck with the following,
   • Philips head screw driver
   • flat head screw driver
   • 10mm nut driver/socket
8. Remove Head light switch screws (2 on bottom, philips head), then remove switches from their wires (use the flathead to gently pry open clips if your fingers can't handle it)
9. Remove HVAC assembly. MUST BE VERY CAREFUL HERE (P.I.T.A.)... Remove 2 Philips head screws from cover, gently slide cover down and toward you, DO NOT PULL IF THERE IS TENSION OR YOU RISK BREAKING THE FLIMSY PLASTIC TAB THAT THE SWITCH ASSEMBLY SCREWS TO.,... Unhook wiring (unscrew 2 lightbulb sockets, remove that plug, remove selector switch plug, and fan speed switch plug, remove vacuum hoses (must remove 2 lock-type washers to get it off) finally remove the vent controll cable (another lock-type washer to get it loose from the assembly)
10. You can now look into the open holes and see the 10mm nuts holding the cluster surround on... Use your socket/nutdriver whatever you choose to loosent these 4 nuts, being careful not to lose them, then pull surround away from cluster (will need to put truck in 1st gear if an automatic).
11. remove 2 more 10mm (i believe) nuts holding cluster in, now GENTLY rock the cluster forward on all corners until it comes loose and is free, DO NOT IMMEDIATLY PULL THERE ARE STILL THINGS ATTACHED
12. Detach Speedo Cable and tach wire (if equipped)
13. Ready bulbs to be replaced.
    *******BE CAREFUL WITH THE THIN MEMBRANE TRACES WHILE DOING THE BELOW STEPS*******
    
14. One by one, Twist, Remove and replace bulbs(the 8-10 74's and the 6-7 194's) The bulbs should all pull out of their twist socket and the new LEDS should go in in their place...
15. If you decide to go even more custom and paint the background a different color other than BLUE than thats your baby to mess with, or i can make a how to on that later)
16. go back to truck, with cluster, carefully put it back into place, hooking up TACH/SPEEDO and making sure you get all the contacts correctly with the power/signal contacts to the lower left, to test to make sure you did it right put key in ignition and start the truck (tach equipped) or just turn key to RUN position to make sure idiot bulbs light
17. Temporarily hook up headlight/dimmer switch to test lighting of the 194's... Turn parking lights on to check for FULL illumination.
18. If done correctly, bolt down the instrument cluster
19. Add Cluster surround
20. Add headlight switch
21. Remove 2 74 bulbs out of HVAC lighting and replace with LEDS
22. Assemble HVAC control in reverse order from when you took it apart.
23. Turn everything on, again, checking everything
24. Wait till night
25. Check out the new hottness at night

Superbrightleds.com are already together in their housings for 194, 168, 74, 1157 1156, 3156 3157 etc... plus you can order individual LED's... Whenever you go to superbrightleds.com you select "LED BULBS AND PRODUCTS" to get to the automotive stuff NOT "LEDS" link

the site you listed above sells single LEDS only.. the site I listed are fully assembled forplug and play usage.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On Pre 86 the idiot lights, turn signal, Check Engine, etc lights use the same type of bulbs (194) as are used to illuminate the cluster.

The HVAC has only one 194 bulb in it and can be pulled out far enough to replace the bulb which is on the back, right side of the face panel. It twists out.

The gauges need to be removed from the cluster housing, to get to some of the bulbs, but the housing does not need to be removed from the dash.

The screws holding in the gauges are the same size as the screws retaining the clear plastic.

Be very careful handling the gauges and don't put the trim and clear plastic on right away. Adjustment to the gauges might be needed and its a lot easier with the plastic off.

Written by: jchargu3
Edited: AciDBatH666
Edited: 92SonomaST