yosh2000's ultimate LED swap info thread

sorry guys, retired from swaps. Just too busy with family and work these days. Hopefully this thread is a resource for others.


** This is still a work in progress, i've been meaning to throw this thread up but havent had the time. Any suggestions for this thread to better serve others is welcomed! **

this is a master LED swap thread. no thrills, no chat, just the down and dirty qtys required for all years and trims for the 4th gen 4runner. my goal of this thread is to have all the info by many compiled into one single post so newbs dont have to sort through over 1,100 posts to find an answer! Some pics are my own, others i have taken from the other LED thread and the intarwebz.

if you have info/pics that are not shown and you would like them included, shoot them over to me and i'll add them to this first post to keep it all clean. hopefully this will be a great resource for many for years to come!

First off, below is a list of required LEDs for each item i know of (confirmed on my SR5, limited guys add or correct me as required):

My '05 SR5 cluster
LED qty:
Background/needles: 13
Needles: N/A
Gear shift: 8 (I always recommend doing "R" in a different color for safety)
All others: 1 each indicator


here is a white LED swap, OEM orange needles were left alone. needles are a little more orange in person. green headlight, cruise and gear indicators.


'06+ SR5 cluster (i believe this is the 06+, i know its a newer version, but i forgot to get the year of the truck when i did this)
LED qty:
Background/needles: 12
Needles: N/A
Gear shift: 8 (I always recommend doing "R" in a different color for safety)
All others: 1 each indicator



this is what the cluster face looks like. blinkers integrated into the cluster, this is why i believe this is a 06+ cluster. (i believe it was [MENTION=51046]theliman[/MENTION] 's cluster, which was an '08 sport)


'06 Limited Trim: (all limited clusters appear to be the same. 03-04 will just have 1 less gear LED due to the 4 speed trans)
LED qty:
Background: 30
Needles: 7
Gear shift: 8 (I always recommend doing "R" in a different color for safety)
All others: 1 each indicator

Locations (03-09 Limited clusters):


Swapped (white background, blue needles, blue gear shifters):


Limited needles:
to swap, cut away plastic weld on back enough to take apart. orange paint on top, chrome paint on the back. scrap the orange on top off with a hobby knife or razer blade. either leave the chrome or scrape the chrome and paint only the back white. during the day the needle will be white, but it will show whatever color LED you swapped in there.

Plastic weld cut


All apart


Orange scrapped, OEM chrome on back


Assembled (OEM chrome on back)



*SR5 Coming soon*


Second, here are links for the LEDs:

Lighthouseleds
PLCC-2 (cluster): PLCC-2 / 1210 / 3528 SMD LED
3mm (HVAC indicators, driver "auto"): 3mm Round Top LED Ultra Bright - All Colors Available!
5mm (airbag "on" and "of": 5mm Round Top LED Ultra Bright - All Colors Available!
1206 ("airbag" background): 1206 SMD LED - Ultra Bright - Available in All Colors!

superbrightleds
Neo bulbs (Neo3 is the 3mm, Neo4 is the 4mm : HVAC background and switches): NEOx LED Bulb - High Power Instrument Panel LED | Super Bright LEDs . Do note, you must do the 12v mod for the Neo4 bulbs to work in the info display area if you run these SMD LEDs.
74 (cupholders, floor shifter, glovebox?): https://www.superbrightleds.com/mor...b-3-smd-led-miniature-wedge-retrofit-car/228/

Another source for neo bulbs. The non SMD LEDs should work in the info display area without having to do the 12v mod there.
Neo Wedge

Notes:

1. SR5 and Sport clusters: LEDs light up both the background and needles. you cannot have blue needles with red background for example. i always suggest keeping the needles painted the oem orange or paint them white. any other color i just think it is too hard to see during the day and could be dangerous.
2. test
3. test

just did a limited cluster last night so was able to take pics and update. hopefully this will be helpful for guys!

Do you do this for others?

LOBO79 said:

Do you do this for others?

Click to expand...

I do [MENTION=127820]LOBO79[/MENTION]. see the last paragraph in the 1st post

Good stuff man, can't wait for the SR5! Are you going to do the HVAC cluster as well? I know there were a few different methods in the main LED thread about reverse polarity for the DIC screen too.

this is awesome, thanks for the write up. only thing I wanna ask, I'm not sure which LEDS you used for what?
and how many beers did this job take?

Fantastic info. I want to do this so badly, but just can't find the motivation. I will likely live with the orange forever..

pm'd

pm sent

For you guys with a Limited model, if you choose to leave the chrome on the back of the needle, the needle will not glow as well as having white on the back. Here are a few pictures showing what it will look like.

With chrome on the back of the needles.



With white paint on the back of the needles.

Thanks [MENTION=107314]Cisco Kid[/MENTION], I'll add that to my first post

yosh2000 said:

Thanks [MENTION=107314]Cisco Kid[/MENTION], I'll add that to my first post

Click to expand...

:thumb: If you want any more pics to add to your write up, I do have a few more that you are welcome to use. Just let me know.

yosh2000 said:

For sure, that would be great. I might even have some of yours saved pending to add, but whatever you have would be appreciated. Just email me at the address in the dirt post.

Anything for the knowledge of the forum, right?!!

Click to expand...

Absolutely! If there is anything that I have done that will help someone else out, I have no problem passing it on. Email sent your way.

Looking forward to the SR5 update. That other thread is a monster to go through and get all the correct info.

So what are the bulb quantities for each bulb type for everything on the dash and switches other than the cluster?

updated with some SR5 and sport edition clusters.

remember, the SR5 and the sport clusters use the same LEDs for the background and needles, therefore the only way you can do separate colors between the two is if you do white background and leave the OEM orange on the needles. otherwise, you will have to paint the backs of the needles white and then they will be the same color as the background at night.

yosh2000 said:

i posted a breakdown in the larger LED swap thread. you can search for that if you need it now. I will try to update this thread with that info so its readily available.

note, i think i may have had one error, the 4wd dial uses a NEO4, confirmed. cant remember exactly, but i believe i may have listed that as a NEO3?

Click to expand...

Any idea what page it's on? That thread is 91 pages long now..... talk about info overload...

How "red" are the stock painted needles with white LEDs backilghting them? I love the look in my dad's audi of all red interior LEDs with white numbers on the cluster and red needles. I would like to emulate that if I can.

[MENTION=105493]fo' runnin'[/MENTION]

S p a r k y said:

[MENTION=105493]fo' runnin'[/MENTION]

Click to expand...

Thank you so much!

yosh2000 said:

updated with some SR5 and sport edition clusters.

remember, the SR5 and the sport clusters use the same LEDs for the background and needles, therefore the only way you can do separate colors between the two is if you do white background and leave the OEM orange on the needles. otherwise, you will have to paint the backs of the needles white and then they will be the same color as the background at night.

Click to expand...

For the 03-05 sr5/sport. I assume you can't make the odometer different than the background?