cluster lighting

[LeesTruk]

Finally drove my truck in the dark, and like so many others, found most of the cluster lights out. Doing the Google dance, found most folks either using a #168 or LED replacement bulb. My question, though, concerns the sockets. Seems that my bulbs are somehow fastened to the contacts within the sockets. Is this normal, and do I just "rip" the bulbs out?. When trying to remove several of the bulbs, the contacts came out with the bulb.

[Dead Parrot]

They are a simple press in friction fit. Guessing that several decades of corrosion are causing your removal problems. Might try penetrating oil or even soaking in some vinegar. If you have a pull a part type salvage yard, replacement sockets are easy to find as even busted clusters often have several sockets left.

[LeesTruk]

Nope, no corrosion involved. The bulb leads are affixed to the socket terminals. The only bulb that Will pull right out, is the one in the socket and fiber optic cable. That socket has a different construction

[LeesTruk]

Cluster lighting, Page Two......

Ok. The sockets I've been fooling with are from a '90/'91 Suburban cluster, needed for my LS conversion (electronic speedometer). Dug out my '80 cluster, and, doncha know, they're different!! The bulbs DO just pull right out, but guess what. They DON'T fit in the later clusters. Here's a couple of pic's, with the later sockets on the left, the early sockets on the right. The earlier sockets are larger in diameter

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by LeesTruk

Cluster lighting, Page Two......

Ok. The sockets I've been fooling with are from a '90/'91 Suburban cluster, needed for my LS conversion (electronic speedometer). Dug out my '80 cluster, and, doncha know, they're different!! The bulbs DO just pull right out, but guess what. They DON'T fit in the later clusters. Here's a couple of pic's, with the later sockets on the left, the early sockets on the right. The earlier sockets are larger in diameter

ah, don't you just love GM, it seems like they pay a bunch of GM Engineers just to change things every couple of years, short becomes long, narrow becomes wide, shallow becomes deep, top becomes bottom.

Hang in there, part of the fun is figuring this stuff out, which I'm sure you will. I am tempted to punt on all the OEM gauge stuff and just roll my own using universal gauges on my '74.

[LeesTruk]

Right you are Mr. Gregski !! Shortly after my last post, I found a bulb/socket that still had a part number on it (PC168). Come to find out, the bulb and socket are built as a unit, and as such, that's the way you buy them. As a unit!! So, doing a quick looksee on ebay, I can pay anywhere from $5 to $7 per bulb for a GM replacement, OR pay $12 for 10pcs for pc168 sockets WITH LED bulbs (Chinese no doubt). So, I guess I'll do a little "foreign " investment

[Dead Parrot]

Might see if any of these would work: https://www.superbrightleds.com/cat/...cluster-gauge/

I bought some of the replacement bulbs for an 89 Suburban cluster(older style bulbs) and like the result. Made the surprising discovery that they don't care about polarity.