I have a 1978 F150 Supercab that I bought about 2 years ago. The dash lights are very dim. What can I do to get them brighter?

 

I think there are brighter bulbs you can put in (don't know the number) but they produce more heat and will make the plastic brittle. The instrument cluster was built with blue covres over the light bulbs. You can remove the instrument panel, take it apart and remove the covers. The light will then be white and not greenish but it will definately be brighter. Did this to a 72 mustang I own and it made a big difference in being able to see the instruments at night.

 

It the rheostat good in the headlight switch? Maybe they are not getting full power.
Jimmy

 

The contacts on the flex circuit behind the instrument cluster could be bad also but the headlight switch would be my first guess also.

 

I went through all the possibilities on mine and finally did the same as 76supercab. I just pulled the blue/green covers from the panel. The white lights look great and provide far more illumination at night.

I also tried replacing my bulbs with the colored bulbs when I removed the blue lense (you can buy at Napa) but it seems that most of the colored bulbs appear fairly dim at night too.

Ivan

 

Thanks guys!!!
I have been through all the wiring and it all looks good and I don't think that the rheostat is bad but I will check the voltage to make sure. I had to take out the instrument panel and clean all the connections were the bulbs screw in to get them all working. I think I will try what 76supercab and Ivan suggested. It sounds like that will fix my problem.