LED dash light conversion

[Joe69C10]

I just picked up a 99 Sierra. Ordered a 2002 Escalade cluster for it on Ebay and was wondering is anyone else has installed the Escalade gauages and if so, did you convert to LED's?

I was looking at the 194 LED lights with sockets and noticed there are 2 different styles of bulbs. One looks more directional than the other and I have seen in the past where the LED conversion sometimes makes the dash lights bright and dim in areas.

Here are the two types of bulbs.

[BTK]

I've got a denali cluster in mine now, I would recommend leaving the stock bulbs in it unless you actually solder in the led bulbs. The twist in bulbs can "leak" light everywhere and makes the gauges look blotchy. I guess if you were committed I'd get the second light you posted, you want the light emitting as straight up as possible. Another thing about the LED's are that they don't dim anymore unless you want to add some sort of relay. With my denaily cluster, I have it converted to blue led's professionally and its super bright but looks great at night.

[Joe69C10]

Originally Posted by BTK

I've got a denali cluster in mine now, I would recommend leaving the stock bulbs in it unless you actually solder in the led bulbs. The twist in bulbs can "leak" light everywhere and makes the gauges look blotchy. I guess if you were committed I'd get the second light you posted, you want the light emitting as straight up as possible. Another thing about the LED's are that they don't dim anymore unless you want to add some sort of relay. With my denaily cluster, I have it converted to blue led's professionally and its super bright but looks great at night.

Thanks! I totally forgot about the fact that I wont be able to dim them. My friend told me I would have to send the Escalade dash out to get programmed for the air bag light. Do you know if this is true? My truck is a 99 and the Escalade dash is from an 02.

[BTK]

You can do that, it has to do with the circuit setup being different between 99 and the 00-02 models. You can also do it for free with a few resistors and a soldering iron. Here is the tutorial for that:
http://www.silveradosierra.com/how-t...r-t340354.html

Personally, on the Tahoe we owned I disassembled the cluster and just broke the led bulb out with a pair of pliers. The air bag light is useless to me, especially after you wreck the damn thing and it stays on all the time... You could remove the CEL and ABS light also if they're annoying to you. I know some people get weird about it.

[Joe69C10]

Awesome! Thanks for the link. I just read it all & printed. I'm good at soldering, so I will give it a try when the new cluster arrives.

Think I will just replace the bulbs with regular ones rather than do LED's. Is there a better bulb that you know of? I wonder if Silver Star makes one that puts out a nice whiter light?

[BTK]

I don't know of any off hand, there may be a guide on another forum but I'm not sure.

Here is the thread about the twist in LED's if you're still not sure about it. The photos show the blotchy look I was talking about, may work for you just not for me.

http://www.gmtruckclub.com/forum/thr...lb-swap.16690/

[Joe69C10]

Originally Posted by BTK

You can do that, it has to do with the circuit setup being different between 99 and the 00-02 models. You can also do it for free with a few resistors and a soldering iron. Here is the tutorial for that:
http://www.silveradosierra.com/how-t...r-t340354.html

Personally, on the Tahoe we owned I disassembled the cluster and just broke the led bulb out with a pair of pliers. The air bag light is useless to me, especially after you wreck the damn thing and it stays on all the time... You could remove the CEL and ABS light also if they're annoying to you. I know some people get weird about it.

I have a question. I got my cluster yesterday. Wanted to install and test it before I made any changes since I got off eBay.. In order to remove the airbag bulb like you did, can it be done from the back side of the cluster or do the needles have to come off the gauges and it's done from the front? I hate taking the needles off...did it once on an older truck and didn't get them on exactly in the same spot and gauges were off.

If that's the case I'll do mod in the link you sent me.

[BTK]

Yeah I removed them, I just put a piece of masking tape on the cluster marked with a sharpie and popped them off with a kitchen fork. I've messed up re-clocking them, sucks taking it back apart. Just remember to only go clockwise, so if you too far you go another spin.

[Joe69C10]

One more question. In the mod above for the airbag light with the resistors & transistor: I just went to radio shack to buy the parts as listed in the article. They had the transisters, but didnt have the part # for the 10ohm 1/4 watt resistors. They DID have 10ohm 1/8th watt resistors and I picked up a pack. Do you know if it matters if the wattage is a little different as long as they are 10ohm?

[Rocfrog]

I have the top LEDs in my cluster and I LOVE it. The blue color is very uniform and looks great at night. Yes you do loose the ability to dim it but for me that wasn't a big deal.

I also just picked up an '02 Escalade cluster to put in my truck and just swapped the LEDs over and HOLY CRAP it makes it look AMAZING!!! Sadly I took the cluster back out because I'm having an issue finding some one that will do mileage correction for under $200.

Here's where I posted some pictures.
http://www.gmfullsize.com/threads/ca...luster.302877/

Nick