Gauge cluster lights far too dim.

[Barbecue]

Hey everyone,

I had my truck on the road after sun down for the first time and noticed that my gauge lights are way too dim, not nearly bright enough. I tried fiddling with the knob, but no dice. Any suggestions? It's an '86.

Thanks in advance!

BBQ

[gmachinz]

You need to take the cluster apart, clean the housing, spray a high gloss white plastic paint, then re-assemble with new bulbs-LED if funds allow, and it will be more bright than you can imagine! Here's some pics of one I have...

['68 Newtricks]

I've seen a lot of people spray the pod chrome

[gmachinz]

I've tried it both ways....a bright white reflects light better than a chrome paint so that makes the illumination better.

[LilD]

I'm glad this was brought up. My 82 has the same issue. I just assumed half the bulbs were burned out. Good tips guys

[andrewmp6]

Change out the lights for leds you'll be able to read the gauges at night with them.

[motornut]

white worked great for me too,a blast of paint,the prep took longer lol
I kept the stock white,added red LEDs

[Greenlee]

Here is mine with just LED's, no paint. It was dim before I swapped in the LED's. Honestly, I don't think the paint is necessary. If mine were any brighter it would be distracting.

[Dead Parrot]

Not sure how complete your 'fiddling with the knob' was but the gauge light brightness part of the headlight switch is basically a coil of wire over which a contact rotates. It is very common for that coil or contact to get dirty or fuzzy with oil, bugs, dust, and worse. This can prevent full brightness. Since pulling the headlight switch is much easier then pulling the gauge cluster, I would check the switch first. You should be able to jumper around the dimmer to give full voltage to the lights. Then you can decide if you need still more brightness.

Make sure all your bulbs are good. Some seem to have more effect on gauge brightness then others.

[Barbecue]

Wow, everyone, thank you so much for your help on this. I'm so very impressed by everyone's willingness to help on this site. Every time I post a question, people are so eager to offer their insights. Thank you!

These are some very good tips for the gauge lighting. Dead Parrot, my "fiddling with the knob" was very incomplete haha. I think this is a great starting point. I also do like the idea of switching to LEDs. Has anyone already been so generous as to post a guide on how to complete this modification somewhere?

Thanks,

BBQ

[Greenlee]

Originally Posted by Barbecue

Wow, everyone, thank you so much for your help on this. I'm so very impressed by everyone's willingness to help on this site. Every time I post a question, people are so eager to offer their insights. Thank you!

These are some very good tips for the gauge lighting. Dead Parrot, my "fiddling with the knob" was very incomplete haha. I think this is a great starting point. I also do like the idea of switching to LEDs. Has anyone already been so generous as to post a guide on how to complete this modification somewhere?

Thanks,

BBQ

The LED's are pretty easy. They make one that slides right in just like the stock bulbs. I bought mine at Autozone. The most difficult part of the job is getting the cluster out. You will probably find that several bulbs are burnt out. I know I did.

Also, a tip on removing the dimmer/headlight switch if you decide to go that route. There is a button on the side of it that releases the shaft/knob. I didn't know that and got really frustrated the first time I tried to take it off!

Yep, this is the best automotive forum I have ever been a part of!

[hplacecf]

great thread, and timely. I came here to post today to ask the same thing about by 77 !

question:

does one have to remove the cluster to change out the bulbs?
can the bulbs be changed with the cluster in place?

[motornut]

Originally Posted by hplacecf

great thread, and timely. I came here to post today to ask the same thing about by 77 !

question:

does one have to remove the cluster to change out the bulbs?
can the bulbs be changed with the cluster in place?

Yes you can,on your back legs up
Watch the paths can twist tho.
Some LEDs work only one way, some don't dim either .

[hplacecf]

Originally Posted by motornut

Yes you can,on your back legs up
Watch the paths can twist tho.
Some LEDs work only one way, some don't dim either .

not sure I understand.

how do you swap the bulbs without taking out the cluster?

[rich weyand]

On your back, legs up in the air. That is, you can reach most of them from behind the dash by reaching way up under. They feel like on of those control knobs you sometimes see, with a bar sticking up. You unscrew them 1/8 turn and the socket comes out. Here's a pic.

[gmachinz]

Why the heck go through all that when its literally 10 minutes at most to pull the cluster out...?

[xole]

As others have said white is better....think back to elementary school and white is white because it reflects all colors.

Don't waste your time with cheap ebay or amazon LED bulbs, spend the extra money on name brand ones. You will find the cheap ones are really limited where the contacts are and do not make good contact. The cheap ones also are polarity specific so you can put them in backwards.

I really liked these but they are pricey. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AIJY2ZM/ref=oh...

[andrewmp6]

Its easier just to take the cluster out its a lot of screws but can be done.

[motornut]

what you will see looking up a 78 or 88 dash.
best way to describe getting this view?....if sitting your a 9,your gona turn into a 6 lol

[motornut]

and if the bulb or clip dosn't get in right....
it can damage the paths around the hole.
the paths can loosen and lift,I used crazy glue to repair it.
You can also check it over,and clean up the contacts if the plug is dirty.

[hplacecf]

Originally Posted by motornut

what you will see looking up a 78 or 88 dash.
best way to describe getting this view?....if sitting your a 9,your gona turn into a 6 lol

Thanks! I tried it and found that I am not Gumby...

Originally Posted by motornut

and if the bulb or clip dosn't get in right....
it can damage the paths around the hole.
the paths can loosen and lift,I used crazy glue to repair it.
You can also check it over,and clean up the contacts if the plug is dirty.

Thanks!

Originally Posted by motornut

Yes you can,on your back legs up
Watch the paths can twist tho.
Some LEDs work only one way, some don't dim either .

Thanks!

Originally Posted by rich weyand

On your back, legs up in the air. That is, you can reach most of them from behind the dash by reaching way up under. They feel like on of those control knobs you sometimes see, with a bar sticking up. You unscrew them 1/8 turn and the socket comes out. Here's a pic.

Thanks!

Originally Posted by gmachinz

Why the heck go through all that when its literally 10 minutes at most to pull the cluster out...?

because I did not know it only takes 10 minutes, and I had a 'situation' with an aftermarket stereo someone put it (see post below).

[hplacecf]

thanks for all the advice!

OP, hope this helps you too as I did not intend to hijack your thread, but instead, I sought to contribute to it.


so, here is what I did so far for my 1977 c10 (for the sake of anyone who falls over this post in the future):


I 'thought' it would be easy to just reach behind the dash and replace the bulbs. but the thoughtful posts, and pics, and me trying to reach and finding out that I am not Gumby, showed me that this would not work for me.

I did not want to take the front of the dash off because the previous owner did a half @#$ job with an after market stereo system, and I was afraid that if I went to take off the front of the dash that the dash plastic would crack. well... I was right, it broke, but such is life.


so, here is what I 'did' do:

(1)
I took the front of the dash off and it was surprisingly easy - especially once that piece broke off. lol.

(2)
I took off the clear plastic cover that fits over the gas and speedometer gauges and saw right away that part of my problem was severe hazing of the plastic. I wet sanded it with a 1500 grit sandpaper several times, and then buffed it by hand with meguiars compound 105 and then 205 - it now looks close to new and crystal clear.

(3)
I removed the metal backing that contains the red lenses for the idiot lights
and fits over the gas and speedometer gauges. that was kind of hard as I had to bend the metal going in and out - but it was doable.
the idiot light lenses(red) were also severely hazed, but I just used the meguiars compound and they came back very nice and clearer.

(4)
the speedometer gauge and gas gauge simply came right out and 'unpugged'; much easier than I thought it would be. while I had then out I cleaned and waxed them - they look great.

(5)
I had a number of bulbs that were not working, or were kind of dull and dirty. so, I bought several new ones and changed them all out. I found that some of the idiot lights did not light up - even with the new bulbs. Then I remembered the pic in this post and the comment about how you had to twist the sockets them to make sure they made good contact. I tried that and was good to go - they all light up now (only one did before).

put it all back together and am waiting for darkness to see how it looks. will report back.

[hplacecf]

dark out now.

took some pics.

pics do not do it total justice, but the gauges are easily read now (and the idiot lights are blinding - in a good way).

[ron350]

Do they make LED’s that will dim like the stock #168 hot wire bulbs?

[Sodak]

do you have that number or a link to those led's.. i'd like to upgrade as well.