Cluster Bulbs
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Logistics Pro
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 3,534
Likes: 497
From: NC
Cluster Bulbs
The cluster on my 2000 is dim between the 40 and 70 MPH range, I have replaced some of the bulbs but for some reason this one is still dim, does anyone have a diagram of what bulbs light up which item? I know that this one is a small bulb.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 1,209
Likes: 171
From: SoCal
While you have it all apart, why not switch to led bulbs? Quality ones will last forever and they can get much brighter. And that dim area between the 40 and 70 MPH range, it's never as bright as the rest of the cluster. Mine have been replaced and replaced again, still the same issue. There have been many threads and posts about this issue. Chalk it up to Ford quality...
Thread Starter
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Logistics Pro
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 3,534
Likes: 497
From: NC
While you have it all apart, why not switch to led bulbs? Quality ones will last forever and they can get much brighter. And that dim area between the 40 and 70 MPH range, it's never as bright as the rest of the cluster. Mine have been replaced and replaced again, still the same issue. There have been many threads and posts about this issue. Chalk it up to Ford quality...
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5th Wheeling
Joined: May 2022
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I’m swapping my 05 to LED this week. It has all T5 lamps, but they have different wattages for the two sizes. The brighter ones do the general lighting and the dimmer ones are turn signals and some other things that are TBD. Warning lights are soldered LEDs on the board, not easily replaceable.
5th Wheeling
Joined: May 2022
Posts: 25
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And with LED lamps, the dim area on main speedometer and tachometer is absolutely visible.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 1,209
Likes: 171
From: SoCal
Maybe someone can chime in with a reason and a fix.
5th Wheeling
Joined: May 2022
Posts: 25
Likes: 9
I struggled with the brightness from the most popular T5 based on the 3030SMD and the 76MD chip. They were 200 lumens which was too much, and made the dark spot very pronounced, and the brightness too high. Then signals and hi beams indicators were almost painful at night.
Finally settled on the 3014SMD chip, at 40 lumens. This brightness adds a little punch to the cluster, but still blends in with the rest of the truck. The hotspots and dark spots are barely noticeable. These are the model I bought, in white: https://a.co/d/f85mPlX
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Logistics Pro
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 3,534
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From: NC
After driving the truck the other morning I found my high beam light burned out. I pulled the cluster, replaced the high beam and parking brake indicator bulb. While in there I looked at the 40-70 bulb, it is working. I am having a hard time finding the correct bulb number, I am sure it is a higher intensity bulb than the standard bulb. Not interested in going LED.
Cargo Master
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 3,106
Likes: 539
From: Rock Hill, SC
After driving the truck the other morning I found my high beam light burned out. I pulled the cluster, replaced the high beam and parking brake indicator bulb. While in there I looked at the 40-70 bulb, it is working. I am having a hard time finding the correct bulb number, I am sure it is a higher intensity bulb than the standard bulb. Not interested in going LED.
This part number and callout says it's for indicator bulbs with the white base and 17 required, whereas the gauge illumination is a black base. So this may be the High Beam bulb.
Thread Starter
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Logistics Pro
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 3,534
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From: NC
IIRC without pulling the cluster again, the only white base was the bulb for the 40-70 illumination, the only other bub with a different base is the theft light. This is crazy!