DIY: Interior LED swap (cluster, HVAC, switches, window, *steering wheel)
- Thread starter darkie3495
- Start date
MasterAtArms
New member
Anyone know if these will work for the gauge cluster, HVAC, and LCD display swaps? https://www.superbrightleds.com/mor...gauge/neox-led-bulb-instrument-panel-led/220/
dgwood12
Member
Would you mind linking to this post? I just spent the past 25 minutes looking for this post in this thread and could not find it. Maybe i'm just blind? Thanks!
dgwood12
Member
Thanks for listing the post numbers. I was able to figure out that the reason I didnt see them is because I was going through the thread on my phone in the Tapatalk app. For some reason, the image of the spreadsheet doesnt show up in tapatalk. I hopped on here on my computer and found them much easier that way. Thought I was going crazy...went all the way back to in the 800's and didn't see anything.
Thanks for putting this thing together!
gshadow325
New member
I bought my LEDs and was going to attempt to install them. I gave up 5 minutes after I opened it up. Promptly messaged Alex.
A little collage of before and after.
A little collage of before and after.
skyrocket101
New member
Hi guys, got a quick question. I just acquired used 2007 T4R SE and one bulb is out on my LCD screen. I was thinking replacing all HVAC and LCD bulbs with LEDs and found some information referring to NEOx bulbs. So do I need 2 NEO 4 mm and 6 NEO 3 mm bulbs (https://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/subminiature-bulbs/neox-led-bulb-instrument-panel-led/220/)? Do I need to drill the holes in order to fit the LEDs? Thanks in advance.
CookieRoe
Senior Member
Solving the DIM reverse polarity mod............
Not completely happy with the brightness of the reverse polarity mod WITH the 12V mod, ordered these:
Even with the NEO bulbs, you only have 2 bulbs (LEDs) trying to light up the HVAC display. With these (pic below), you have 18 LEDs/ft. Our displays are 4 3/4" or about 5". That's about 7 LEDs per strip. What I had in mind was to put 2 strips in there. That's a total of 14 LEDs. These LEDs are also the brightness they had in the color/size we need. Will report back with Alex's findings.
linky: https://www.superbrightleds.com/mor...leds-per-foot-3-chip-5050-smd-leds/1465/3284/
Not completely happy with the brightness of the reverse polarity mod WITH the 12V mod, ordered these:
Even with the NEO bulbs, you only have 2 bulbs (LEDs) trying to light up the HVAC display. With these (pic below), you have 18 LEDs/ft. Our displays are 4 3/4" or about 5". That's about 7 LEDs per strip. What I had in mind was to put 2 strips in there. That's a total of 14 LEDs. These LEDs are also the brightness they had in the color/size we need. Will report back with Alex's findings.
linky: https://www.superbrightleds.com/mor...leds-per-foot-3-chip-5050-smd-leds/1465/3284/
gshadow325
New member
Literally 2 posts above yours. Read his signature. Click on the link.
emelianenkov
New member
PM sent
gshadow325
New member
bumping up a old tired yet useful thread.
i love my cluster done by ^^^^^^ each and everyday i get into my truck.
now that it gets darker earlier in the winter time. i get to enjoy it more on the commute home!
i love my cluster done by ^^^^^^ each and everyday i get into my truck.
now that it gets darker earlier in the winter time. i get to enjoy it more on the commute home!
gshadow325
New member
you and alex should get together and do one. east vs west
you guys are both talented installers. Even with my years of soldering experience i didnt want to tackle this job with no prior experience or knowledge. these are just too small for a old man like me to dick around with hahahahaha
Cisco Kid
Member
For everyone that hasn't seen what the HVAC screen looks like taken apart, here are some pics. These also show the process I used to take mine apart.
This is what you will see when you remove the circuit board from the housing. The pins you see going up to the lcd screen were run through the plastic and then soldered to the circuit board. The lcd is covered with some blue painters tape in this picture.
Here is what I did to get the pins for the lcd to separate from the plastic housing. This was done using a dremel with a small cutoff wheel and a small pair of snips. Take your time with this part as you can easily damage the pins for the lcd if you get in a hurry.
Here is the whole thing just for reference on where I cut it.
To get the plastic housing separated from the circuit board, there are a few screws that need to be removed on the backside of the board. Then you will need to tilt the plastic away from the board in the direction of the pins on the lcd. The pins will need to be bent a bit to get the lcd to dislodge from the plastic. There are also some leds for the airbag on/off indicators that will need to be bent in the same direction to get the plastic piece out. This is not a great picture for showing how I did this, but this is what you will end up with after you get the white plastic piece out.
There is a white piece of plastic that goes behind the screen and is used to diffuse the light.
Here is what the white plastic piece looks like after everything is taken apart.
I did leave as much plastic as I could where the pins for the lcd screen are so that they stay separated.
Here are some better pics that show how the bulbs are covered.
Here is the backside of the plastic. This is the side where the bulbs are inserted through the board.
It would take some work with a dremel to get an led strip in there but it could be done.
This is what you will see when you remove the circuit board from the housing. The pins you see going up to the lcd screen were run through the plastic and then soldered to the circuit board. The lcd is covered with some blue painters tape in this picture.
Here is what I did to get the pins for the lcd to separate from the plastic housing. This was done using a dremel with a small cutoff wheel and a small pair of snips. Take your time with this part as you can easily damage the pins for the lcd if you get in a hurry.
Here is the whole thing just for reference on where I cut it.
To get the plastic housing separated from the circuit board, there are a few screws that need to be removed on the backside of the board. Then you will need to tilt the plastic away from the board in the direction of the pins on the lcd. The pins will need to be bent a bit to get the lcd to dislodge from the plastic. There are also some leds for the airbag on/off indicators that will need to be bent in the same direction to get the plastic piece out. This is not a great picture for showing how I did this, but this is what you will end up with after you get the white plastic piece out.
There is a white piece of plastic that goes behind the screen and is used to diffuse the light.
Here is what the white plastic piece looks like after everything is taken apart.
I did leave as much plastic as I could where the pins for the lcd screen are so that they stay separated.
Here are some better pics that show how the bulbs are covered.
Here is the backside of the plastic. This is the side where the bulbs are inserted through the board.
It would take some work with a dremel to get an led strip in there but it could be done.
Last edited:
CookieRoe
Senior Member
Nice!! Alex [MENTION=63211]emelianenkov[/MENTION] is working on a "solution" to fit a couple of strips back there to accommodate more LEDs. Having 2 tiny bulbs/LEDs is pathetic. My brother's RAV4 radio suffers from the same "brightness". It's also pathetically dim.
We expect the following results:
see the attached photo taken from oznium's site that shows the polarity mark and how to be able to identify direction.
i highly suggest you take pictures of everything with a high resolution camera to be able to double check in case you have any questions during the job. do this BEFORE you take off any LEDs.
i highly suggest you take pictures of everything with a high resolution camera to be able to double check in case you have any questions during the job. do this BEFORE you take off any LEDs.
Attachments
Similar threads
