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Interior Light Color Mod

11K views 47 replies 14 participants last post by  powerstrokedkid87 
#1 ·
I've had a couple people ask me how to change the nasty stock green interior lights over to another color.. I was just sending them to the website but that website is not up anymore.

I did this mod on a 99', 00' and an 05' a well over a year ago and I might leave out a couple things so ask questions and maybe it will come back to me.

First lets get some knowledge about LEDs. LEDs have a positive and negative. The positive side is called the anode and the negative is called the cathode. The negative side has the big terminal (anvil post).
Before installing the LED check it with a mulitmeter on the continuity setting, if you put the positive on positive and negative on negative it will light up. If you check it with a battery with out a resistor it will burn up.



WINDOW AND LOCK SWITCHES
The parts:
3mm LEDs (Pick your flavor) I bought them from
62/36/2 .022 rosin-core solder
Tools(after switches are out):
Set of small screw drivers
Solder iron
Set of solder tools (recommended)
De-soldering bulb or de-soldering braid
Squeeze clamp

Take the switch out and disassemble it. The button pops off and the rest of the switch unclips and then comes apart.



Grind the top of the LED down to diffuse the light in the switch.. If not the light will point straight up and will be a nuisance while driving at night.

After the switch is taken apart use a squeeze clamp to hold the switch in place while working on it, unless you have a small bench vise.


De-solder the original LED and replace it with the new.. Pay attention what side the LED is at when you take it off so you don’t reverse polarity.

When you have soldered the new LEDs take a 9v battery and put it on the power terminals to test it.. Or plug it in to your truck and try it out.

On forgotten.net’s write up he said to use a 5.6k resistor to replace the old resistor in the switch. I did not do this and not one led has burned out yet.
 
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#2 ·
THE GAUGES

Parts:
220 Sand paper
(3) #37 wedge style LED replacements
(5) #197 or 168 wedge style LED replacements

Remove your gauge cluster from your dash and take the clear plastic part off.

Re-install your gauge cluster with the clear piece off. Start your truck and get it up to normal operating temp and mark the position of your needles with a dry erase marker so you know where they go when you get ready to put them back on….. or take a picture, make sure you have a straight on angle or your needles will be messed up when you put them back on.

After you are confident with the mark of your needles remove your cluster and pull the needles to get them off of the cluster.


If you have an automatic, unclip and slide out the gear selector. If you have a manual unclip and slide out the gear selector blank.

Pull out the trip reset button and the needle stops on the speedo and tach.

After your cluster is bare you can now SLOWLY peel off the gauge plate. Once again slowly.


Now flip the plate over and you will see the white parts that are on the back.. Those are actually green underneath and that is what is making you gauges green. You can do it how you want but I took a palm sander and sanded the green parts off so that whatever light is behind will show through as is. You can use a flash light to check the spots that you missed.


Be sure not to sand the black part of any of your warning lights because the light will show through right there. After your happy with your plate re-install everything except for your needles and the clear piece on the cluster.

Re-install your cluster in the truck, start it and get it up to normal operating temp and put your needles on . If you have a scanner you can use live data to get the RPMs and speed, I found out that you have to apply the needle while you are driving to get the correct speed back. You can use a GPS for the speed if you like.

After you have your needles installed put your cluster back together and flip it over.

Finally you are to the easy part, replace your dash lights by removing the light socket and pulling out the old bulb and replace it with the new LED. Remember to pay attention that LEDs are positive and negative unlike the conventional bulb. Your going to have to install the lights and test them before you put everything back in place.

Now re-install everything and be happy…. Something I have learned with the gauge LEDs is do not buy cheap ones because they will go out on you.
 
#3 ·
AC CONTROLS
Parts:
(3) #37 wedge style LED replacements

Remove your A/C controls and pull the three knobs out.
With the knobs out take a small screw driver and push the white inserts out.


On the main part separate the front from the back.

Remove the light diffuser and pull out the green plastic piece.

Re-install the diffuser, snap the front and back together and re-install the knobs.
Flip it over and install the new LEDs as you did on the gauges. Remember to test the lights before you install the controls. If the lights do not work, flip them around and test again.
Install and be happy
 
#4 ·
I still have to do the write up for the cruise control and head light switch.. Bare with me because I forgot how to do it and I have to take mine apart to remember it..
I know the cruise sucked to figure out but I have it done and will let you know how to do it as soon as I can.
 
#8 ·
i really want to do this but the odometer in the 05+ cluster and the auto climate control concerns me, i dont want blue leds everywhere and green odometer and ac components
 
#10 ·
The 05+ gauges are the same they just use different lights... And what kind of ac controls do you have? If you have a Lariat you just have to desolder the old LEDs and install the new ones, but get smaller LEDs because the stock ones are tiny.

If you have an XLT I believe they might be the same way

The best way to get the old LEDs out is delsoder one side stick a small screw driver under it, lift up and then de solder the other side. Just take your time and you'll get it.
 
#9 ·
Would love to do this put I am sure I would screw it up. Great write up though
 
#20 ·
Have you taken the upfitters apart yet? From what I remember those were pretty easy after you get them apart.

I can't remember what I did with 4x4, I think I took the old light out and put in the led and soldered a resistor inline with it.

The headlight switch was a pain in the butt, I had other lights in the truck freaking out after I put it in the first time so I took it out and re did it.. What I do remember is that you have to snap it apart and melt it back together.. Sorry I'm not much help on this one..
 
#22 ·
!! I forgot to check the polarity of the resistor and I already put everything back together SO, your going to have to hook your battery back up after you disconnect your airbag and connect the lights and put the LEDs on the terminals and mark your polarity. I do believe the positives and negative I said in the second part are right but still check it before you put it back together. !!

CRUISE CONTROL

Parts:
1- 5.6K Resistor
3- 3mm LEDs ...Pick your flavor
62/36/2 .022 rosin-core solder
Small zip ties

Tools:
Small screw drivers
8mm socket and ratchet
Soldering iron
And what ever you use to take your battery off.

First disconnect your battery so you don't blast your face off with the air bag.

Remove the two caps on each side of the back of the steering wheel with a small screw driver.. Keep an eye on these because they tend to fly sometimes.


Remove the two 8mm bolts holding the airbag on. Now pull your bag off and remove the horn and air bag wires (red and black connectors) and set the bag aside.


Now look at the back side of the switch and take a screw driver and push one of the clips in and pull straight out on the switch to get it out. Unplug switches from your steering wheel.


I didn't get any pics of the dis-assembly of the switches but take your small screw driver and and lightly pry the buttons out of the switches.

Take the rubber out of the switch.

Lightly pry the "board" out of the switch.
Now if this happens while your getting the button out...

DON'T SWEAT IT and be mad while your working on the switches. Just melt the tab back to your button and your good to go.

Ok the On/Off switch is easy, cut the old light(conventional light, not LED) out and KEEP the old wires going to the light attached to the board.

Feed your LED through the holes where the light was and solder the leads to the wires of the old lights.
IF your old wires fall off you can solder the LED leads to the board, but it is difficult to do because of the material the board is made of.

The picture sucks but here is the first one.


Now put your switch back together and dis-assemble the other one.

Ok on to the Res/set/coast switch.. This one has two LEDs.

Do the same thing you did on the last switch...for the top LED.

This is where it gets tricky
Your going to need your other LED and resistor.

Solder the negative LED lead to the curved part of the switch (Look at the picture to see what I mean)

Now solder the positive side to the resistor and solder the resistor to the part that is soldered in the picture.



Before you assemble the switch test it out.

Lastly you have to melt the back of the switch housing where the resistor is so you can correctly assemble it.
My picture sucks but you get the idea.
 
#23 ·
I know the solder looks like crap but you'll see when you go to solder on the POS board. Good luck! And when you put the switches back on make sure you zip tie the wires to the steering wheel or else the airbag with squish them and then you'll be wondering why your horn is going off for no reason. lol
 
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