dash lights

[tommys72]

I know it's been brought up before, but with my new tac dash coming what are the best led lights to for the dash?

Thanks
Tommy
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[bbcmudtruck]

I have all aftermarket equus gauges and used the Chinese leds that come in a 10 pk for $4 dollars shipped. I got what I paid for... 6 of the 10 worked, however the ones that do work, are working great. I'm just going to order up another 10 pack to have backups. You can buy 60 leds from china for the cost of one led from oriellys or summit.

[TBONE1964]

Hey Tommy,

Funny you ask. If you subtract the 2 turn signal and the bright indicator, that is 6 bulbs for lighting. I just priced some sylvania's at auto-zone and they were around $10.00 for a 2 pac.

I am sure there are some less expensive options and also color. What color are you going with. Post a pic when you get it installed. I would love to see it done.

[JOJABOY]

Saw one the other day with aluminum duct tape lining the inner tin. Made it reflective. The the origninal bulb sockets were drilled out and green LED's mounted in them. He used black RTV around the cardboard tubes to keep light from escaping into turn signals and whatnot. Was really bright but with the green LED's it wasn't too over powering to the eye.

[Mister-B]

Originally Posted by TBONE1964

Hey Tommy,

Funny you ask. If you subtract the 2 turn signal and the bright indicator, that is 6 bulbs for lighting. I just priced some sylvania's at auto-zone and they were around $10.00 for a 2 pac.

I am sure there are some less expensive options and also color. What color are you going with. Post a pic when you get it installed. I would love to see it done.

Tom, I'm not sure about LED, because I wanted a more traditional look, but when I did my cluster restoration, I went with Sylvania bulbs that are a tad brighter than stock. I found that autozone and other parts places were considerably more then the same exact sylvania bulbs from Walmart
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[PAWS 72]

TOMMYS72 I used 17177 in mine. It
s not overly bright but enough that it doesn't hurt your eyes at nite. Got them in a box of 10 for 7.95. I got them in all my trucks. I dont want LED'S.

[68 TT]

Originally Posted by Mister-B

Tom, I'm not sure about LED, because I wanted a more traditional look, but when I did my cluster restoration, I went with Sylvania bulbs that are a tad brighter than stock. I found that autozone and other parts places were considerably more then the same exact sylvania bulbs from Walmart

There are three different wattage bulbs that are common and fit our dash bulb sockets if you don't want to spend the $ on LED but just want something brighter.

161 bulb is 2.7 watts and draws 0.19 amps
194 bulb is 3.8 watts and draws 0.27 amps
168 bulb is 4.9 watts and draws 0.35 amps

General lighting is the 161 bulb with the brighter 168 typically in the turn signal indicators and warning lights for our trucks. Putting the 168's into the general lighting spaces makes a huge difference. I have done this to every old car & truck I have owned over the past 25 years with no issues from the slight increase in current draw.

[tommys72]

Thanks guys, in gonna steer away from leds and go with one of these other options
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[tommys72]

Out with the old one, in with the tach
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[JOJABOY]

I put a club patch under the lens filling the tach hole. When I did, I used my headlight restoration kit and polished up my lens. I stripped the while lines off the center hole for the EGA.

When I did all this I cleaned up the inner tin and replaced my bulbs with 168's It brightened it up tremendously. I debated LED also but after seeing the new bulbs I was happy.

[tommys72]

I like your dash, my wife is also a Marine, she said she didn't want me to put a sticker on there though as she likes the stock look
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[JOJABOY]

I wouldn't mind having a tach. I do like the stock look. I just can't bring myself to spend the money on one. That hole just looked empty and you know how we like to put our jack on everything. Ironically, it's the only USMC sticker on the truck. It just seemed like the perfect size and fit. And since i was cleaning up my gauges anyways....

[tommys72]

Originally Posted by JOJABOY

I wouldn't mind having a tach. I do like the stock look. I just can't bring myself to spend the money on one. That hole just looked empty and you know how we like to put our jack on everything. Ironically, it's the only USMC sticker on the truck. It just seemed like the perfect size and fit. And since i was cleaning up my gauges anyways....

I hear ya... we sticker up everything. I have stickers on my car, none on the truck. And I have my last set of chevrons of my cammies poked into my garage wall also.
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