Cluster bulbs

[TheRealCJ]

Hi all, the lights in my instrument cluster a absolutely woeful, I'd say at least half of them a blown or very dim, and I was wondering if they are easy to replace. If so, what model of bulb should I be buying?

 

[Poser]

What year is your truck/instrument cluster?

09/73 and later take a 194 series bulb that can be found in various forms/brightness along with those you have the LED option.

 

[nick1860]

ditch the bulbs and wrap the inside face of the cluster with EL Wire it will work like a brand new car

 

[lostmarbles]

Hi all, the lights in my instrument cluster a absolutely woeful, I'd say at least half of them a blown or very dim, and I was wondering if they are easy to replace. If so, what model of bulb should I be buying?

Easy enough for me on my 1979..



Original dim bulbs:







PS. Pays to disconnect the battery too when mucking around behind the dash (to avoid sparks and avoid burnt fusible links).

 

[Chamba]

Easy enough for me on my 1979..

Original dim bulbs:

Yip, then remove those silly stamped metal helmets (except in Australia where everything must have a helmet) which cover the cluster lights and your gauges will be so bright you'll need to use your dimmer switch.

 

[lostmarbles]

Yip, then remove those silly stamped metal helmets (except in Australia where everything must have a helmet) which cover the cluster lights and your gauges will be so bright you'll need to use your dimmer switch.

Some of us aren't lucky enough to have a dimmer control Chamba.

Maybe you're just trying to make me jealous of another of your special FJ40LX features?

And I found those new bulbs gave me enough illumination without the need to hack away at my exquisite helmets...

There are quite a number of threads on this bulb topic that TheRealCJ may like to search for and read too...

Marshall and Drew are two authors that come to mind... But their MUD names have just dissolved from my memory for the time being ...

Ah.... Grasped one .. Trollhole and ahmmmmmmmm

waiting for the other to come....

Got it ....Amaurer..

(s*** the old brain's slow this morning.... I think i can foresee a time when my mind is permanently blank ... Now there's a worry and a half.......)

 

[1911]

ditch the bulbs and wrap the inside face of the cluster with EL Wire it will work like a brand new car

+1

A photo of mine:

 

[nuclearlemon]

$5 worth of led bulbs (to replace the two bulbs in our 62) garnered this (oh, we did remove the helmets too)

 

[TheRealCJ]

Thanks for the info, guys! Unfortunately I *AM* in Australia, so the shrouds have to stay. But I'll replace the bulbs as soon as I can!

 

[bj40green]

Removed the "helmets" (bulb covers) and shields, painted the inside white and replaced the OEM 3W bulbs for 5W bulbs. Or go for the LED bulbs.
NOTE: scratch the paint from the ground square for the FUEL gauge after painting.


The result with 5W bulbs


For the whole story click here: -► clusters-gauges-odo-meters

Rudi

 

[TheRealCJ]

Thanks for the info guys! Can I just confirm that the bulbs I need a 194/T5 wedge bulbs? I don't' want to order the wrong parts...

 

[nuclearlemon]

Thanks for the info guys! Can I just confirm that the bulbs I need a 194/T5 wedge bulbs? I don't' want to order the wrong parts...

what year is your rig? the earlier models used a bayonet style bulb instead of a wedge

 

[TheRealCJ]

1979, post-January, it has the 50/50 Amp ammeter

 

[Chamba]

You can. Go on superbrightleds.com and get the 180 degree ones with the highest lumins. I got green ('cause green is a Cruiser colour), but you can get other colours.

They will ship to Australia and luckily Gillard was sent packing before she could figure out a way to tax items under $1,000 so it won't cost much.

 

[Coolerman]

How about this night vision version? (I know not the best pic)

This was a cluster from an FJ45 I received. I was doing a full new harness including the gauge cluster harness. It was the LED rope stuff.

Isn't there a thread or sticky about ALL the bulbs for EVERY year here?

 

[Chamba]

I would not want the globes actually shining through the glass like that. The above site does sell red as well. I had all red in my plane but I prefer green in my car; my night vision is usually shot by street lights when I'm driving.

 

[Coolerman]

That shot was with it laying down on a bench and the camera was at an angle. When actually mounted in the vehicle the individual lights were not visible. I personally would not run red. I actually prefer the incandescent look over LED light in the FJ40. Now in my Xterra Pro-4X I'm a little more open to bling!

 

[lostmarbles]

..Isn't there a thread or sticky about ALL the bulbs for EVERY year here?

Here's the two threads I was thinking about earlier Mark:

From Trollhole.....
https://forum.ih8mud.com/40-55-series-tech/69423-light-bulbs-land-cruisers.html

and from Amaurer (strip lighting)......
https://forum.ih8mud.com/40-55-seri...n-mechanical-gauges-into-stock-cluster-3.html

 

[TheRealCJ]

well, I got the LED bulbs for it, and they are definitely better... but it turns out none of the original bulbs have any problems with them. With the new LEDs, the right side lights up as before, much brighter of course, but the left side is still dark and awful.

I had a good long look, and it seems to me that the left side of the cluster's instruments are pressed tightly against the front face, meaning very little light bleeds through onto the faces of the fuel/oil guage and the left side of the speedo. Either that or there is no power going to the bulbs at all. Note the temp and amp gauges also.

 

[bj40green]

Check / clean the contacts on the bulb holder/socket. Bend up a little if necessary. Also check the islands on the print board for corrosion.


Are the turn and high beam indicators working?

Rudi