08-18-2019, 12:22 AM
|
#1621
|
|
Moderator
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Got the hell out of Seattle
Posts: 1,053
|
|
Moderator
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Got the hell out of Seattle
Posts: 1,053
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by thoshall
Can you change the color of the indicator needles?
|
Yes, but you’ll have to scrap off the paint on the back of the needles
__________________
Kevin's 2008 4x4 Build Thread
Perkins Performance | Shrockworks | Demello | BudBuilt | ICON | Warn | Overland Warehouse | Goodyear | Lightforce | Spidertrax | Powertank | Complete LED Conversion
|
|
Reply With Quote
|
08-18-2019, 04:50 PM
|
#1622
|
|
Senior Member
|
|
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Chester County, PA
Age: 48
Posts: 3,803
Real Name: Ed
|
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Chester County, PA
Age: 48
Posts: 3,803
Real Name: Ed
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jdevtac
So I did a tear down of the entire panel and finally got to the LCD display. Tried a lot of light positions both directly behind the LCD and further back and they all sucked for light distribution with the LEDs. What I ended up doing was drilling out the stupid plastic pieces that block the LEDs from directly shining on the LCD. Once those were off I got MUCH better light distribution.
|
Are you talking about the white plastic ? I ask b/c I installed LED light strips and the light is extremely blotchy, looks bad. What I need a good light diffuser, but there is very little room for one between the LED strips and LCD display. Because I practically destroyed the assembly, i have a spare HVAC cluster I may go back to.
yuk
More on my what i did:
https://www.toyota-4runner.org/2041992-post1246.html
Anyway, I'll be ditching this set up and go back to how it was, but with an LED. I'm scared it may be too dim.
__________________
Current: 2005 V6 Limited 4x4. SOLD: 2000 HiLux Surf SSR-G, 1997 HiLux Surf SSR-X Limited
|
|
Reply With Quote
|
08-18-2019, 06:21 PM
|
#1623
|
Member
|
|
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Atlanta, GA
Posts: 85
|
|
Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Atlanta, GA
Posts: 85
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by CookieRoe
Are you talking about the white plastic ? I ask b/c I installed LED light strips and the light is extremely blotchy, looks bad. What I need a good light diffuser, but there is very little room for one between the LED strips and LCD display. Because I practically destroyed the assembly, i have a spare HVAC cluster I may go back to.
yuk
More on my what i did:
https://www.toyota-4runner.org/2041992-post1246.html
Anyway, I'll be ditching this set up and go back to how it was, but with an LED. I'm scared it may be too dim.
|
I’m referring to the housing that the screen sits in, not the opaque diffuser directly behind the screen. Directly in front of where the bulb goes in there is a raised part of the housing that has open “vents” directly under it where the light can shine through. This works great for conventional bulbs but cuts half the light off from LEDs giving a dim display. What I did was cut those pieces of plastic off the housing so the LEDs can shine directly onto the screen as backlight. It allows for a much better and even light distribution.
I will say there is still a degree of hotspot on either side, but I feel like a little wax paper glued to the back of the OEM diffuser would get rid of those 2 spots directly in front of the LEDs completely. You can see the hotspots in my pics. I also utilized t3 neowedges that had 2835 LEDs. They seem to give a nice wide spread of light.
|
|
Reply With Quote
|
08-18-2019, 08:37 PM
|
#1624
|
|
Senior Member
|
|
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Chester County, PA
Age: 48
Posts: 3,803
Real Name: Ed
|
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Chester County, PA
Age: 48
Posts: 3,803
Real Name: Ed
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jdevtac
I’m referring to the housing that the screen sits in, not the opaque diffuser directly behind the screen. Directly in front of where the bulb goes in there is a raised part of the housing that has open “vents” directly under it where the light can shine through. This works great for conventional bulbs but cuts half the light off from LEDs giving a dim display. What I did was cut those pieces of plastic off the housing so the LEDs can shine directly onto the screen as backlight. It allows for a much better and even light distribution.
I will say there is still a degree of hotspot on either side, but I feel like a little wax paper glued to the back of the OEM diffuser would get rid of those 2 spots directly in front of the LEDs completely. You can see the hotspots in my pics. I also utilized t3 neowedges that had 2835 LEDs. They seem to give a nice wide spread of light.
|
Right, these 2 "raise" white plastic covers. They cover the bulb from shining directly onto the LCD display.
Not looking forward to dissecting my HVAC again.
__________________
Current: 2005 V6 Limited 4x4. SOLD: 2000 HiLux Surf SSR-G, 1997 HiLux Surf SSR-X Limited
|
|
Reply With Quote
|
08-19-2019, 07:00 AM
|
#1625
|
Member
|
|
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Atlanta, GA
Posts: 85
|
|
Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Atlanta, GA
Posts: 85
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by CookieRoe
Right, these 2 "raise" white plastic covers. They cover the bulb from shining directly onto the LCD display.
Not looking forward to dissecting my HVAC again.
|
Yep those!
I actually accidentally removed them to begin with. I was trying to just make a hole for a free standing 5mm LED bulb to sit.
You don’t have to remove the display from the assembly either, just manipulate it so you have enough room to let the broken pieces of plastic slide out. What I did was take a drill with a small bit that fit through the bulb mounting holes, and drilled a pilot hole in those “vents”, then came back with a bit that just barely fit the hole and then that snapped them off just by drilling the bigger hole. Then I let the broken pieces just fall out. Just be careful not to hit the screen, but the diffuser acts as a protector anyway.
|
|
Reply With Quote
|
08-19-2019, 01:20 PM
|
#1626
|
|
Senior Member
|
|
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Chester County, PA
Age: 48
Posts: 3,803
Real Name: Ed
|
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Chester County, PA
Age: 48
Posts: 3,803
Real Name: Ed
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jdevtac
Yep those!
I actually accidentally removed them to begin with. I was trying to just make a hole for a free standing 5mm LED bulb to sit.
You don’t have to remove the display from the assembly either, just manipulate it so you have enough room to let the broken pieces of plastic slide out. What I did was take a drill with a small bit that fit through the bulb mounting holes, and drilled a pilot hole in those “vents”, then came back with a bit that just barely fit the hole and then that snapped them off just by drilling the bigger hole. Then I let the broken pieces just fall out. Just be careful not to hit the screen, but the diffuser acts as a protector anyway.
|
Very interesting that you wanted to have these floating protectors be a mount for your LEDs, the only issue with that is the diffuser. The closer you get the LED to the screen, the more of a "hot spot" is created unless you have an incredible good light diffuser. Anyway, kudos to your results, it isn't bad at all (compared to mine). Not many folks go as far as we did (dissect the assembly). I like you solution, but like i said previously, and because I did the reverse polarity mod, 2 LEDs MIGHT not be enough to uniformly light up the LCD display (enough for day visibility). i know LEDs can be manipulated (by adding a resistor........ someone correct me if I'm using the wrong terminology), so "adding power" to them is certainly an option.
__________________
Current: 2005 V6 Limited 4x4. SOLD: 2000 HiLux Surf SSR-G, 1997 HiLux Surf SSR-X Limited
|
|
Reply With Quote
|
08-19-2019, 02:14 PM
|
#1627
|
Member
|
|
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Atlanta, GA
Posts: 85
|
|
Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Atlanta, GA
Posts: 85
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by CookieRoe
Very interesting that you wanted to have these floating protectors be a mount for your LEDs, the only issue with that is the diffuser. The closer you get the LED to the screen, the more of a "hot spot" is created unless you have an incredible good light diffuser. Anyway, kudos to your results, it isn't bad at all (compared to mine). Not many folks go as far as we did (dissect the assembly). I like you solution, but like i said previously, and because I did the reverse polarity mod, 2 LEDs MIGHT not be enough to uniformly light up the LCD display (enough for day visibility). i know LEDs can be manipulated (by adding a resistor........ someone correct me if I'm using the wrong terminology), so "adding power" to them is certainly an option.
|
Yep that’s why I gave up on the 5mm LEDs for that very reason. Ended up with direct spot beams lol, so went back to neowedges in the stock position.
I think if I go back and add some wax paper at the hotspots, or get a high quality acrylic diffuser and place that at the hotspots it would be fixed.
The other idea I toyed with was an LED backlight module but then that becomes a game of more complicated wiring since they take less voltage.
|
|
Reply With Quote
|
08-20-2019, 12:15 PM
|
#1628
|
|
Senior Member
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Knoxville, TN
Age: 43
Posts: 1,932
Real Name: Mark
|
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Knoxville, TN
Age: 43
Posts: 1,932
Real Name: Mark
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jdevtac
Yep that’s why I gave up on the 5mm LEDs for that very reason. Ended up with direct spot beams lol, so went back to neowedges in the stock position.
I think if I go back and add some wax paper at the hotspots, or get a high quality acrylic diffuser and place that at the hotspots it would be fixed.
The other idea I toyed with was an LED backlight module but then that becomes a game of more complicated wiring since they take less voltage.
|
Grab your neo wedge. Run the dome of the acrylic on sand paper. Take a few mm off. This will help with the spots quiet a bit. I have considered painting said sanded part black. But have not tried that yet. Hot spots are very minimal after sanding.
__________________
'04 Sport V8
OME 885's, 1/4" spacers - 5100's at 0 - Toytec Superflexes with 1" rear spacers - 285/70/17 - SCS Gunmetal SR8's - LR UCA's - 20% front - 6000k low's and fogs - LED'd everything- Blacked out head lights - JL Sub and Amp
06 White Tundra - OME 888's and OME Shocks - JBA UCA's - AAL's - Summit Dakar's Black - NRG 285/75/17 - 20% front - LED everything.
|
|
Reply With Quote
|
08-20-2019, 02:25 PM
|
#1629
|
Member
|
|
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Atlanta, GA
Posts: 85
|
|
Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Atlanta, GA
Posts: 85
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by S p a r k y
Grab your neo wedge. Run the dome of the acrylic on sand paper. Take a few mm off. This will help with the spots quiet a bit. I have considered painting said sanded part black. But have not tried that yet. Hot spots are very minimal after sanding.
|
Mine are actually SMD’s rather than acrylic encased, but I plan to source some to do just that. My other option I’ve been thinking of is to get some acrylic sheet, remove the OEM diffuser and use the acrylic instead, and additionally get some foil tape or something to use as a reflector and see how all that works out.
Honestly though I just wish the stock setup was already LED. LEDs in what was supposed to be incandescent housing just are somewhat subpar.
|
|
Reply With Quote
|
08-21-2019, 01:15 AM
|
#1630
|
Member
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 89
|
|
Member
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 89
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Emmet
I love all of the mods posted on here, it's really motivated to do my own. Check it out. 1st pic shows the new switches I installed, a switch for the LED light bar and a switch for the rear camera instant on (comes in real handy when try to hook up the trailer). Also installed cup holder led discs as well as 4runner smokers kit with USB chargers with led rings instead of cigarette lighter. I really like how it turned out. Other pics show led swap outs on dash. Pictures don't do it justice.
|
Wow this is pretty nice ! More detail please on cup holder rings etc
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
|
|
Reply With Quote
|
08-28-2019, 02:03 PM
|
#1631
|
Member
|
|
Join Date: Jun 2019
Location: Bay Area, CA
Posts: 249
|
|
Member
Join Date: Jun 2019
Location: Bay Area, CA
Posts: 249
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by RTCt4r
Thanks to all the tips gained reading this entire thread (no small feat) I did my HVAC cluster plus some others on a rainy Saturday.
Couple minor things I learned to add here:
All my LED's were from Superbright. I emailed them before buying and despite them saying their blue Neo4 should work at 6V for the display, they did not. They did however look great w/ zero hotspots after I did the 12v mod.
|
Which NEO4 did you use for all the bulbs? They have 3mm, 4mm and 5mm.
|
|
Reply With Quote
|
09-30-2019, 01:50 PM
|
#1632
|
Member
|
|
Join Date: May 2019
Location: Georgia
Posts: 46
|
|
Member
Join Date: May 2019
Location: Georgia
Posts: 46
|
Hey guys.
Great thread, just wish it wasn't over a 100 pages long. Wish there was a way to narrow it down. I had to quit on about page 50, lots of old links and pics that are missing or unreadable.
Anyone know why all the 'photobucket' images are so lousy? I can see them being missing from the beginning of this thread, (hell, Radio Shack was still in business back then), but I see them in recent posts as well, in other threads.
Is it just me?
I bought a 2005 SR4 V8 in May.
I am wondering what lights are actually supposed to be there...in other words, I don't know what has a bulb and what doesn't.
It seems pretty dark in there.
Are there bulbs in any of the window switches?
|
|
Reply With Quote
|
10-01-2019, 04:52 PM
|
#1633
|
Member
|
|
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: Clermont, Florida
Posts: 45
|
|
Member
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: Clermont, Florida
Posts: 45
|
I've been replacing my HVAC bulbs as most of them were burnt out. Im now onto replacing my HVAC LCD bulbs but I would really rather put LEDs there.
I know I would need a Neo4 for them, I also know that traditional 12v LEDs will not work, due to the panel only receiving 6V. I have tried in vain to find 6V Neo4 LEDs but other than some dodgy websites with no way to order from there's no where to find them.
I hear about a "12v mod" but I have looked on google and here and only hear mention on it, and not a write up on how to do it. Is it worth the time and effort or should I just get Neo4's from Rock Auto and call it a day.
Im also interested in doing that reverse polarity LCD mod but, again, no clear write ups on it, but I like the way it looks!
|
|
Reply With Quote
|
10-16-2019, 07:19 PM
|
#1634
|
Junior Member
|
|
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: LA
Posts: 13
|
|
Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: LA
Posts: 13
|
Got to work with
@ S p a r k y
and it was a great experience. Pricing was very fair and even though I kept lagging on getting him my cluster, he was very professional and service never faltered. Everyone knows the quality is excellent already, but here are pics of mine after being installed. Thanks again sparky!
|
|
Reply With Quote
|
10-16-2019, 07:28 PM
|
#1635
|
Member
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 89
|
|
Member
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 89
|
He provides this as a service? you shipped him your cluster and he did it for you? I'd like to do this to my 4Runner but have zero soldering experience !
Quote:
Originally Posted by Obi Wong Kenobi
Got to work with
@ S p a r k y
and it was a great experience. Pricing was very fair and even though I kept lagging on getting him my cluster, he was very professional and service never faltered. Everyone knows the quality is excellent already, but here are pics of mine after being installed. Thanks again sparky!
|
|
|
Reply With Quote
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is On
|
|
|
|