2nd Gen LED dash light Change DIY

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Bigtman07

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Awesome extra with the window switches!

Oh and Luke how did you get your color so even on your cluster? I got freakin hot spots on mine. Really startin to bug me.
 
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wermbang

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what bulbs did you use? Mine have four going out the sides with a high power out the top

I had to push the ones on the sides in a bit to fit
20071013222420-0-9017.jpg
 

SkRam

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Awesome extra with the window switches!

Oh and Luke how did you get your color so even on your cluster? I got freakin hot spots on mine. Really startin to bug me.

Try these at superbrightleds they have a even effect throughout the cluster. they even come with the twist locks so you dont have to remove the old ones!
not stepping on OP's feet but the ones recommended had the same effct ur describing

WLED-xHP5-PC: LED T10 Wedge Base Bulb w/ Twist Lock Socket

also if you have the key ring that lights up heres the bulb for that too!

74-xHP3: Wedge Base LED bulb

downloadjy.jpg


wifes hair tie dont knock lol
 
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the codes

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damnnn I like the ring! gonna see if I can get my lights this spring break!


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wermbang

wermbang

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Even if your ring doesn't light up you can make it. Just run wires. There is a bulb there I looked just need to get power to it
 

the codes

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mine lights up I just need to order all the lights lol


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wermbang

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My LED is in it, i just have to run the wire to the harness for it.
 

loki223

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Looks good, makes me wonder why dodge did something special with their twist locks, but if the ones from superbright work i'll just use those. I've done this swap in multiple makes and models, and so far it looks like this is the most complicated, not that its really that hard at all. lol Definitely gunna be the first thing i do once i start switching over to working over my interior....
 

Bigtman07

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Be careful going red. The dash numbers have a natural blue tone to them. Red may turn to purple.
 

the codes

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think I'll finally be getting the bulbs and doing this soon..been putting it off forever.

to go red (I am) you are supposed to use a small amount of acetone to remove the blue film.


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wermbang

wermbang

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yep acetone on the backs but be very careful as it eats plastic
 

Repla_Skillz

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think I'll finally be getting the bulbs and doing this soon..been putting it off forever.

to go red (I am) you are supposed to use a small amount of acetone to remove the blue film.


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Haha ok you do it first and i'll work out the problems you run into ;) haha jkjk!
 

the codes

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haha getting my bulb list together as we speak so friday I can place the order :D
 

the codes

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sure thing, if they are all correct, Ill post it up in a new thread to be stickied or just put it in this one.
 

Needaram

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I did this. It was much easier than I thought it would be. I cant say how bad he acetone part will be since I did blue lights :)
 

CLorox

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Just a few notes from my install / experience following this DIY.

First, thank you wermbang. This was a very cost-effective mod that really makes-over the night-time driving experience. I would never have thought of doing this without your excellent, detailed post and pics. I know this thread is getting old, but I stumbled on it as one of the first results in a quest to find an LED bulb to replace the O/D / Overdrive Off light. (Its a T1.5-X: PC74 LED bulb by the way if a search engine steers someone else here).

I initially followed the first post instructions and bulb recommendations and found a lot of hot-spots in the end-result. Additionally, the process of modifying the twist-locks was a bit hit or miss and time consuming. I tried adding a dab of solder to the modified twist locks, but the finished product with all lights lit still didn't look quite right and it took a lot of tweaking and pulling of the gauge cluster to get it right. To assist any others and hopefully helps someone avoid spending time and cash on the wrong bulbs, here are my notes and bulb purchases:

All bulbs were purchased from superbrightleds.

Map Lights: I used two of these bulbs to replace the map lights in my 99. The blue is a lot dimmer than the stock white incandescent. I originally ordered seven of them when trying the twist lock procedure, but they had too many hot spots in the gauge cluster application. The dimmer and less blinding color temperature is easier on my night vision than the stock whites and seems like a great fit for the map-lights.
2 WLED-x5: 194 LED Bulb - 5 LED Wide Angle Wedge Base WLED-B5: Blue

Light-up key ring: Lighting isn't perfectly uniform around the ring, but it's not bad at all, looks slick to me and slightly brighter than stock.
1 74-xHP3: 74 LED Bulb - 3 SMD LED Wide Angle Wedge Base 74-BHP3: Blue

Bulbs for dash gauge cluster back-lighting: (comes with twist locks, no manual procedure necessary to retrofit, insert into the twist lock, then insert into the gauge cluster and twist). Mine went about a quarter turn past the original twist locks. Order seven if you want to switch out the turn signal bulbs. Lighting is very even, no hot-spots with the WLED-xHP5 compared to the WLED-x5 (several hot spots).
5 WLED-xHP5-PC: 194 LED Bulb - 5 SMD LED Wedge Base With Socket WLED-BHP5-PC: Blue


Ash Tray, Cupholder, Autometer Z-series: The 194 bulbs should fit the ash tray and cup holder lights. I pulled the color filter in the cup holder light. These are barely noticeable accent lights in the stock application. Could probably find something brighter / more directional for these, but they work without modification. I bought 5 of these total (but you only need 2 if your stock) to do the ash-tray, cup-holder and my 3 Autometer Z-series gauges. The Autometer gauges are lit almost perfectly by these lights and the gauge needles seem to fluoresce a little making it FAR easier to read at night.
2 WLED-x-x: 194 LED Bulb - 1 LED Wedge Base WLED-B-120: Blue 120 Degree $1.39

Climate Control Cluster: These bulbs should fit the Climate Control cluster without modification. Again, no twist lock gutting or repair. They were a little looser than the stock twist locks, but appear to be holding in place without modification. I did not add any additional LEDs to the CC lights and while the climate control cluster is slightly dimmer than the dash gauge cluster, I don't think it is that much dimmer that I care all that much. Perhaps OP's foil mod would help here (I skipped that step).
2 NEOx-xHP: NEOx LED Bulb - High Power Instrument Panel LED NEO3-BHP: 3mm NEO3-xHP Blue

O/D Off light / Other indicator lights: OP used this bulb for his high beam indicator. Rather than switch the already blue light on my rig, I used it for the O/D light instead. (I ride with O/D off 90% of the time). The blue light is nicer to look at than the stock yellow bulb, and now I can mentally note that yellow=warning lights, don't have to see one constantly on). I don't recall needing to modify the twist lock at all on this one.
1 T1.5-x: PC74 LED Bulb - Instrument Panel LED T1.5-B: Blue $1.79

I recommend AGAINST purchasing these for the climate control lights (instead purchase what is called out above in my post for the climate control). I ordered these based on the original thread,but I could not separate the bulb from the twist lock. I broke one in the process. I am not sure if the design changed, but these appear to have resistors in the base that are glued in. I could not use or re-use these for anything on the truck. If I get bored enough, I might skip the auto-parts store LED lights and try and use this in the headlight switch with a bit of glue and solder.
3 NEOx-x: NEOx LED Bulb - Instrument Panel LED NEO5-B: 5mm NEO5-x Blue

I also recommend AGAINST purchasing this bulb. I believe the superbrightled web-site suggested this for the key ring light. It wasn't on mine, and the bayonet mount doesn't have any application that I can see on a 99 2500 CTD. Not sure what to do with this one, or if I just ordered it mistakenly. If something tells you to use it on one of the automated parts finder sites, I'd suggest you check what's in there currently and save a couple dollars.
BA9s-x-xV: BA9s LED Bulb - 1 LED BA9SF-B-12V: Blue 180 Degree 12VAC/DC

Good luck all.
99 RAM 2500 CC 5.9L CTD
 
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