LED light swap (lots of pics! dial-up=bad)

[Randy88FJ62]

is there a thread that shows how to take the dash apart so one can change the bulbs? cause i still have some LEDs left over from when i swapped my 4runner dash lights to LEDs. Its good to know they use the same base.

The dash can be taken apart easily. It has a few screws and that's about it. You can do it without a pictures.

-Randy

 

[sl33py]

is there a thread that shows how to take the dash apart so one can change the bulbs? cause i still have some LEDs left over from when i swapped my 4runner dash lights to LEDs. Its good to know they use the same base.

It's super easy. job.

take your screwdriver.
5 screws - 1 each bottom corner, one middle each big gauge, and one low center over column.
pull out as far as you can.
reach back and disconnect speedo cable
pull out further.
disconnect plugs for electrics.

You will have your entire gauge cluster in your hands now.

Literally 5 min if you are slow. Getting it back together is a bit more of a pain - mainly due to my big hands. I found just enough slack under the dash by pedals to get the speedo out far enough to re-connect and button it back up in reverse order.

Once you have it out you flip it over figure out how many of what color you need... Easy as that.

GL!

rob

 

[Belize Off Road Team]

How many bulbs are behind said dash? It sounds like i may not have enough left over from the 4Runner to do the FJ60 dash.

 

[sl33py]

How many bulbs are behind said dash? It sounds like i may not have enough left over from the 4Runner to do the FJ60 dash.

I have the list above of what i used with quantity and cost. (edit) - POST #4

GL!

rob

 

[Randy88FJ62]

It's harder to reinstall the dash than it is to take it out. The speedometer cable is a PITA. The wire connectors are not long enough so that becomes a pain as well.

 

[sl33py]

It's harder to reinstall the dash than it is to take it out. The speedometer cable is a PITA. The wire connectors are not long enough so that becomes a pain as well.

I've done it a couple times now and have larger than average hands. If you reconnect the wires first, it's not so bad. I can't imagine doing the speedo then the wires though!

If you do it in the order i showed, i think you'll do fine. Especially if you have regular/small hands! Mine were scraped to , but i got it done!

the trick (thanks for help guys) turns out to grab the slack from under the dash by pedals and then pull to get just enough room to reconnect speedo.

anyway - just got my goodies from $OR (inclinometer) so need to get some more LED's before i install it. Another Red one for it and still need one for the heater controls.

Also - i got one of the cig lighter 1/2 watt LED flashlights too (told you i was a LED geek). PRetty damn cool. It plugs right into the cig lighter and shows charging w/ red light. supposedly 2 hrs burn time from a charge (but takes 8hrs to charge) - i've used mine several times already since it's nice and small, plus always handy!

Here it is from superbrighleds.com:

rob

 

[mot]

Rob,

You're bad man for tempting us to spend even more $$ than you already have done!!!

 

[Randy88FJ62]

Yeah, you SOB, that looks like a cool idea.

I was looking at their other LED strips and ideas for inner roof lighting of the back came to mind as well as some map reading lights in front...

 

[CDUFF7]

could you post a link, when I google the sight I am only seeing "sponsered links"

 

[kevin in okinawa]

any 24v applications anywhere?

 

[JLH911]

Good lord that's bright! The red looks like a furnace!

 

[Off Duty]

We converted all the dome lights in our patrol cars to red to protect against the loss of night vision and reduce the interior glare making you a silouette!

Those look great but they seem a little bright for my taste. Might try a lesser wattage LED.

I do like this mod though, thanks for the post

 

[sl33py]

Thanks guys! I chose red for the same reason Off Duty. Not that i am wearing night vision goggles or anything...lol. but i did learn that BRIGHT blinking lights or constant bright lights (blinkers and 4wd) are not helpful at night and distracting. So switched to red for this go around.

They really aren't too bad. I did a drive down to BFE last week when i dropped the truck off for H55F transplant and it was DARK! had them turned down and no issue at all. Even on bright they aren't too bad.

I'm going to have to shoot a quick vid of these - hopefully to show it more clearly. My D300 is a FANTASTIC low light camera (especially w/ 2.8 lens) so it appears brighter than it is. My el-cheapo vid camera should show it a bit clearer...hopefully.

I also got some new LED's (go figure). I'm swapping a bright red LED into inclinometer before install so it will match. Plus tried 2 diff red ones for heater controls. Plus played around w/ some for the dome light/rear light.

Here's the one for inclinometer: (EDIT - new bulb version)

Here's both i tried for the heater controls:

(EDIT - both the small circular and the brick version in colors i wanted)

(i think the 4 bulb festoon is too dim. the 9 LED square works better and was same as i have in my original blue swap.) (EDIT - i'd go with the newer HP festoon like the 4HP below and use a gel for whatever color you want. The 9 LED "brick" is pretty low power)

Also, have George's LED dome light (TaskLED Home) (i have older style. White LED lighting) so tried superbrightleds.com 2HP for new dome light. Need to try these side by side for comparison - but seems really nice and 7.00 instead of 30.00! (i've had George's for 3+ yrs and it's great, but LED's have come a long way...)

Here's the (EDIT - 4HP now only one available) one (also fits in heater controls if you want bright white light (EDIT - probably pretty bright - gel?)).

I tried the 6 HP LED like above HP2, but is too long (37 or 38mm) so won't fit without getting creative...

Also, probably get 1 more of the 2HP above for rear interior light as well.

Hope that helps - thanks for the feedback!

rob

 

[sl33py]

To compare the Dome lights:

I have old style from George (taskled.com)

Like this:

works awesome, very bright, but a bit tight width wise, and i put a bit of elec tape on back to cover it just in case. The new one looks like it might fit better:

but says 70 lumens (vs original 1 Watt) - so assuming it's dimmer?!?

Again, until i can compare side by side I can't say which is brighter/better... However i do like the price difference of 7.00 for the 2HP in post above, vs 30.00 for george's fine LED's.

I'll update when i have both in my grubby little hands...

and to be clear - i'm going to compare the old style w/ the 3022 xhp2 from superbrightleds.com. I won't be purchasing the new version of George's LED dome light.

rob

 

[sl33py]

any 24v applications anywhere?

Kevin,

Loved Okinawa when visiting last year! Lucky guy!

I see that George has the dome light in 24v. (taskled.com)

Also checked superbrightleds.com

Operating
Voltage Range
Unit: VDC​

Current Draw
@ 12 Volt
Unit: mA​

Single LED
Luminous Intensity
Unit: mcd​

Dominant Wavelength / CCT*
Unit: nm / K​

Beam Pattern
Unit: degrees​

WLED-CWLX​

Cool White​

8~30​

70​

24000​

9000​

120​

hope that comes through. It looks like some may be compatible w/ 24v+.


I see it doesn't come through well, but hope you get the idea. cut out some of the unnecessary ones. volts 8-30 (so i read that as 24v OK).

GL!

rob

 

[Spook50]

Got home ahead of schedule (thanks to getting kicked out of Kyrgyzstan), and the LEDs are on order. Can't wait to get 'em in and set up. Next up: the relay mod for the locks and windows.

 

[Mikesta]

Got home ahead of schedule (thanks to getting kicked out of Kyrgyzstan), and the LEDs are on order. Can't wait to get 'em in and set up. Next up: the relay mod for the locks and windows.

Welcome back Spook. Beer???

 

[Spook50]

Welcome back Spook. Beer???

Sounds good to me. I'll give you a holler once I make it over the mountains. Hopefully I'll get to take a long weekend here within the next month (gotta go over to have the Clarion installed at some point soon too)

 

[Spook50]

I just completed the dash light upgrade in my fj62. I used the High Power Red LEDs for the dash lights and they are plenty bright. They fit great, and the amount of light is perfect. In the fj62, there are a couple of mini lamps as well--one for the high beam, and one for the seat belts. Here is what I installed:

4 Red LED High Power P/N WLED-XHP for the instruments
3 Green LED standard power P/N WLED-x-x LED 90 degree for turn signals and 4X4
1 Amber LED standard power P/N WLED-x-x LED 90 degree for Check Engine light.
2 Red LED standard power P/N WLED-x-x LED 90 degree for the brake and battery lights
2 mini 74-x white LEDs for the seat belt light and the high beam.

I also got a red festoon3022x4 LED for the heater controls but it wasn't bright enough and the green filters block most of the light. The red WLED-x-x LED for the rear window and antenna switches was also too dim. So I am ordering green ones for those and higher power. We'll see how those go.

I had thought the seatbelt and high beam indicators were still 194 bulbs stock. Not so?

 

[sl33py]

I also got a red festoon3022x4 LED for the heater controls but it wasn't bright enough and the green filters block most of the light. The red WLED-x-x LED for the rear window and antenna switches was also too dim. So I am ordering green ones for those and higher power. We'll see how those go.

Another option... I ordered the 7$ 2 HP LED festoon. It's white - so i also ordered a red gel for theater lights. I'm going to cut the gel out and put it on the back of the heater controls on the inside flush. This should work REALLY well, and provide plenty of illumination for those controls! I got the Gel (a whopping 6-7 bucks - 10 w/ shipping i think) and there is enough to 20 controls...lol. GF is going to use it for something i think.

anyway - i'll get pics of how i do it and post up.

And spook - welcome back brotha - thanks for your service!

rob