fightman80
New member
There was a crap load of snow dumped on us earlier in the month! Less then 2 weeks later... and it is pretty much all gone! I was actually wearing shorts and sandals too today, as it was almost 25* Celsius!
Fightman's Build Thread
- Thread starter fightman80
- Start date
There was a crap load of snow dumped on us earlier in the month! Less then 2 weeks later... and it is pretty much all gone! I was actually wearing shorts and sandals too today, as it was almost 25* Celsius!
BigFishAllDay
New member
Dude! You're a machine lately. Give the guy a running engine and he'll mod till his arms fall off.
The truck waxed up real nice. Those reflection shots are crazy... neither of my trucks shine like that.
The truck waxed up real nice. Those reflection shots are crazy... neither of my trucks shine like that.
fightman80
New member
Thanks Bigfish! It's all thanks to NuFinish and the Scratch Remover I use... both are inexpensive at under $25.00 for both!
Today was the day I got started on my LED Dash light conversion!
I got them in yesterday, and will add them to my LED strip I plan on using in the "TRD" screen.
I also got my LED Map lights, here's a shot of the map lights installed and on:
After that was done, it was time to get started on my dash! First thing I did was tackle the instrument cluster. I figured that this would be the worse part, and wanted to get it over with! (turned out not being the worse part... more on that later!)
The gauge cluster was pretty basic, a few screws, some tabs to push and it all came apart! The 3 cluster bulbs were simple to find... they were even colored differently from the others!
Here's a pic of one of the cluster bulbs VS the old bulb:
The key ring followed, and was also simple to remove and replace with the small wedge bulbs. I had to file the corners off of the wedged part, in order for the bulbs to fit in the bulb sockets.
Comparison shot of LED VS old wedge bulbs:
I used these in the Key Ring, Climate Control, Gear Shifter lever, ashtray, and a few other places.
One thing I should mention, the Ashtray had a green plastic piece inside which gave the light a green color... I took my dremmel to it, to get rid of it!
Here's a pic of the green piece I've mentioned:
The lighter bulb was a major PITA! I didn't realize that you couldn't replace that one, and it broke inside the housing! I tried fabricating my own with parts from the original housing, and a left over screw-in bulb...
Unfortunately, it didn't work, as I didn't have a soldering gun, so this light will have to remain extinguished until I get one.
Now for the goods! Here's some comparison pics for you!
The old lighting setup:
AND... The new!
Now I have to take some daytime shots of the TRD screen for you... because that has changed! I ended up spray tinting the screen to make it almost completely black, but it lights up blue when the light is on! Those pics will follow tomorrow...
I'd like to thank GottabeTRD, Rickashay, and everyone else who contributed to my research faze for this Mod!
Today was the day I got started on my LED Dash light conversion!
I got them in yesterday, and will add them to my LED strip I plan on using in the "TRD" screen.
I also got my LED Map lights, here's a shot of the map lights installed and on:
After that was done, it was time to get started on my dash! First thing I did was tackle the instrument cluster. I figured that this would be the worse part, and wanted to get it over with! (turned out not being the worse part... more on that later!)
The gauge cluster was pretty basic, a few screws, some tabs to push and it all came apart! The 3 cluster bulbs were simple to find... they were even colored differently from the others!
Here's a pic of one of the cluster bulbs VS the old bulb:
The key ring followed, and was also simple to remove and replace with the small wedge bulbs. I had to file the corners off of the wedged part, in order for the bulbs to fit in the bulb sockets.
Comparison shot of LED VS old wedge bulbs:
I used these in the Key Ring, Climate Control, Gear Shifter lever, ashtray, and a few other places.
One thing I should mention, the Ashtray had a green plastic piece inside which gave the light a green color... I took my dremmel to it, to get rid of it!
Here's a pic of the green piece I've mentioned:
The lighter bulb was a major PITA! I didn't realize that you couldn't replace that one, and it broke inside the housing! I tried fabricating my own with parts from the original housing, and a left over screw-in bulb...
Unfortunately, it didn't work, as I didn't have a soldering gun, so this light will have to remain extinguished until I get one.
Now for the goods! Here's some comparison pics for you!
The old lighting setup:
AND... The new!
Now I have to take some daytime shots of the TRD screen for you... because that has changed! I ended up spray tinting the screen to make it almost completely black, but it lights up blue when the light is on! Those pics will follow tomorrow...
I'd like to thank GottabeTRD, Rickashay, and everyone else who contributed to my research faze for this Mod!
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PitbullRescuer
New member
Looks great. How long did it take you to do?
Zachpins34
New member
looks great fightman! whered u order the bulbs? what a difference!
fightman80
New member
Thanks for the compliments guys! Pittbull, it took me the better part of the day, but that was because I did some extra work on the AC button, and the cig lighter light. The AC button worked out, but the Cig Lighter light is going to require the use of a Soldering gun.
Basically, the AC button bulb was an easy swap. However, the letters "AC" stayed green, be cause the button had a green film on the back, which made the light that color. I took the entire button apart, and sanded the green film off the back of the button cover, and then painted on my own letters. Then I went to install the button, and realized that the "AC" was upside down! Frustrated and tired, I took the entire button apart again, only to realize I didn't have to! That being said, I had already done so, lost on of the small springs inside, and had to search for that on my garage floor for half an hour! Then I take the bulb out with a screw driver, but had to lightly pry it out. I decided to use the tip of my hobby knife (picture a Surgeon's scalpel), but the blade sent the bulb into orbit, and I had to spend some time to look for that! FML! In the end, I got it done, It's not perfect, but it passes. The worse part of this whole ordeal.... I didn't have to take the button apart to sand the back of the button face... I only had to poke it out of the front using my hobby knife!
A ton of time wasted there.... lol!
Zachspins34, I got the bulbs from superbrightLED's.com, and the list for my 98 from Rickachay:
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/84811-98-sr5-dirt-duster-build-15.html
I believe that different years of 4Runner's, require different bulbs. So do some research.
Basically, the AC button bulb was an easy swap. However, the letters "AC" stayed green, be cause the button had a green film on the back, which made the light that color. I took the entire button apart, and sanded the green film off the back of the button cover, and then painted on my own letters. Then I went to install the button, and realized that the "AC" was upside down! Frustrated and tired, I took the entire button apart again, only to realize I didn't have to! That being said, I had already done so, lost on of the small springs inside, and had to search for that on my garage floor for half an hour! Then I take the bulb out with a screw driver, but had to lightly pry it out. I decided to use the tip of my hobby knife (picture a Surgeon's scalpel), but the blade sent the bulb into orbit, and I had to spend some time to look for that! FML! In the end, I got it done, It's not perfect, but it passes. The worse part of this whole ordeal.... I didn't have to take the button apart to sand the back of the button face... I only had to poke it out of the front using my hobby knife!
A ton of time wasted there.... lol!Zachspins34, I got the bulbs from superbrightLED's.com, and the list for my 98 from Rickachay:
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/84811-98-sr5-dirt-duster-build-15.html
I believe that different years of 4Runner's, require different bulbs. So do some research.
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ameining
New member
Fightman, as always I love looking through what you have come up with for your rig. I am on the fence about some interior modifications. I did all the simple LCD conversions, but have not chosen to take it any farther.
That being said, I dig the TRD at night....very awesome and would go with my TRD theme on the interior.....boo you, you may have me spending more $$$$!!
Haha, nicely done sir
That being said, I dig the TRD at night....very awesome and would go with my TRD theme on the interior.....boo you, you may have me spending more $$$$!!
Haha, nicely done sir
fightman80
New member
Thanks Ameining! I always like to hear feedback on these mods, let's me know if I'm doing something right, or messing things up!
As promissed, a daytime pic of the TRD screen..... now tinted!
Turned out pretty good.... what do you guys think?
As promissed, a daytime pic of the TRD screen..... now tinted!
Turned out pretty good.... what do you guys think?
fightman80
New member
Thanks JC12! It's a mod I've always wanted to do, and my buddy Lee, helped me figure out how to tap into the illumination wire on the back of my radio to figure it out!
Now to figure out my electrical issue! I wanted to do it today.... but the wife wants to torture me with some shopping today.... FML!
Guess I'll have to wait til tomorrow.....
Now to figure out my electrical issue! I wanted to do it today.... but the wife wants to torture me with some shopping today.... FML!
Guess I'll have to wait til tomorrow.....
fightman80
New member
Alright... so it looks like I've exceeded my bandwidth on my other Photo bucket account! I'm not sure how to fix that without paying for it.... anyone know how?
Anyway, today I fixed my electrical gremlins.... kinda embarrassed to say this... but my battery was dead! Looks like my HID's were on a little too much the other day when I did the LED install, and killed my battery. I've searched every bit of new wiring, tested it with a Multi-meter, and it all looks and is working fine!
After that got sorted out... I got to work on soldering my lighter light. I used the left over bulb I had glued it to the black housing for the lighter light. Then soldered the 2 terminals to a couple of wires, and hard wired that to the existing wires for the plug that ran power to the light. Pics of that later.
A couple of weeks ago, I ordered this little bad bay from E-bay for around $5.00.
I opened up my center bezel, and pulled the clock. Here's a pic of the stock color:
I ended up using this color:
And it made the light look like this:
and a night shot:
Overall shot of the lights including the cig lighter light, and clock:
Do you guys like the clock color?? Should I try to swap the color so it's whiter??
Anyway, today I fixed my electrical gremlins.... kinda embarrassed to say this... but my battery was dead! Looks like my HID's were on a little too much the other day when I did the LED install, and killed my battery. I've searched every bit of new wiring, tested it with a Multi-meter, and it all looks and is working fine!
After that got sorted out... I got to work on soldering my lighter light. I used the left over bulb I had glued it to the black housing for the lighter light. Then soldered the 2 terminals to a couple of wires, and hard wired that to the existing wires for the plug that ran power to the light. Pics of that later.
A couple of weeks ago, I ordered this little bad bay from E-bay for around $5.00.
I opened up my center bezel, and pulled the clock. Here's a pic of the stock color:
I ended up using this color:
And it made the light look like this:
and a night shot:
Overall shot of the lights including the cig lighter light, and clock:
Do you guys like the clock color?? Should I try to swap the color so it's whiter??
LDForget
New member
Your about as racist as i am!
fightman80
New member
Lee, if you're so racist.... then why do you drive a Honda?? lol!
t4r4life
Elite Member
um I'm chinese
Hepar
New member
Then you should have suggested yellow.
