I just bought a '98 Ranger, and a few of the instrument cluster lights are out. I am going to replace the lights--all of them--, and found this thread to be useful for all the major gruntwork.

So here's my question...I want to use LEDs, but an unsure of which color to go with. Various sites I've looked at that sell LEDs recommend matching the LED color to the lens color. What about the lights that "spill" across colors, for example the green speedometer numbers to the white odometer. If I used a white LED in that slot, and a green LED in the turn signal slot, is the color going to be way off, or mostly unnoticeable? Or would it be a better idea to go with white across the board?

(I haven't torn the dash apart yet so I'm not really familiar with it, is the "spilling" even a problem? Or am I right in assuming different places on the dash share individual bulbs?)

I'll probably go ahead and make the idiot lights whichever color they are, I was just wondering about what somebody else has done and how they like it. Anybody have pictures of what they've done on their truck already?

By the way, does anybody have a favorite place to get their LEDs, or any warnings to stay away from certain places? I've been looking at SUPER BRIGHT LEDS home some, are there any FTE sponsors?

Thanks!
Daniel

 

i did this to my 97 mustang...I think I used the W-5 leds..it took 7 of them to do my cluster and a/c panel..I used the cool white..it made the cluster a bright blue like some of the pioneer radios...my cluster was blue from the factory but they put bulbs that put off a yellow tint and of course yellow and blue make green...Im thinking of doing the same thing to my 03 superduty to match my JVC head unit..good luck..

 

LEDs are very directional, so your not going to get much spill over. There is no problem with going with all white, but it's going to be a bit more expensive. Green and Red LEDs are cheaper to produce so they will cost the least.

 

these leds that I used gave the most lumens output and had a bigger directional light pattern..I dont have any dark spots on my cluster like you may see on some of the others that I have seen..but good luck in whatever you decide..I paid like $35 give or take..