03 COBRA DASH LIGHT OUT FIX WITH LEDs
well since the first one got lost i guess ill give it another stab! (and save this to my computer as well)
TOOLS NEEDED
T15 torques bit
Screw Driver for said torques bit
Soldering iron
Solder
Shrink wrap
Beer :beer
r and degenerate like substance needed to get you by:thumbsup:
2 Linrose Super Brite Led strips BLUE
available Colors are: RED, BLUE, GREEN, YELLOW, and WHITE
part number B26LSM6-12v LED STRIP $29.99 at Frys BECAUSE YOUR BEST BUYS ARE ALWAYS PEW PEW PEW AT FRYS! GUARANTEED
STEP 1
Open beer:beer: or any substance substituted ;-)for said beer AND READ ENTIRE HOW TO
***With your ignition on take a picture of the dash for gauge needle reference for later***
STEP 2
You may have a different dash then mine but its all the same
Remove 4 screws holding dash cover on.
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STEP 3
Remove the next set of 4 screws to release the dash BE CAREFUL your dash is a black hole of death for screws. :bash:
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STEP 4
Remove 2 electrical plugs from the back and the vacuum line from the rear of the dash and pull dash completely out.
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STEP 5
with the gauge cluster out, remove these 6 screws from the back of the cluster and remove.
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STEP 6
CAREFULLY remove the large plug with the brown wires going into it by pinching the sides and slowly rocking back and forth while pulling up and stomping your feet and whistling "mary had a little lamb". yes this is crucial to the process. Now remove small black plug with the Blue, Green, and Black wires by depressing the tab and pulling down. After the plugs are removed CAREFULLY remove the computer board and set in a safe place.
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STEP 7
flip the cluster over so you are facing the gauges and remove these 8 screws. once screws are removed the entire cluster comes apart so be ready FOR SHIT TO HIT THE FAN!!:xpl:
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STEP 8
Now whipe down with a dry paper towel of some sort around the perimeter of the inside plate and remove backing to the LED strips to install like so
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IF MY FINISHED PRODUCT WASNT BRIGHT ENOUGH YOU MAY WANT TO PUT A LED STRIP HERE
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STEP 9
REMOVE YOUR LEFT SHOE and Cut the black plug with the Blue, Green, and Balck wires off of the old inverter with as much wire as possible left. I twisted the green(+) and blue(+) together, slip a piece of shrink wrap on the wires, strip them back and solder the 2 LED red(+) leads to these wires so they all make connections with each other. Now strip the black lead(-) from the black plug, slip some shrink wrap on and solder it to the 2 black(-) LED leads. Once good solder joints have been made shrink said shrink wrap. after all said and done it should look like this.
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STEP 10
THIS WILL TAKE PATIENCE. Remove the needles from the gauge face, they will take some force but pull straight up, I read some people have used forks for this.
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Now slip the knife between the gauge bezel and the luminescent sheet and pry CAREFULLY against the glued spots on the sheet. this is a HUGE PITA but its worth it and must be done! After words you will be able to take the sheets off and set the luminescent sheet aside because we will not need it any more. now re install bezel and needles.
****the needles will be off and you will need to re-install the cluster with out the clear lense in order to set them right! this is where the picture of the dash comes in handy so you know where they go****
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STEP 11
Test your connections! i used my computers 12vdc power supply to power the LEDs to check brightness and make sure everything works. If everything is a good to go start to re assemble the cluster with the face plate first
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then flip over to install the board and the 2 plugs (big brown, and the new LED leads with the black plug)
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***LEAVE CLEAR LENSE OFF UNTIL YOU POWER UP THE CLUSTER AND RESET THE GAUGE NEEDLES***
STEP 12
using the picture you took of the dash when the ignition was as a reference in stall the gauge needles, once theyre set screw in the clear lense with the 8 screws that YOU DIDNT LOSE!
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STEP 13
If you are not completely hammered by this point then you clearly are trying, so have another beer or shot!:beer::rockon:
Step 14
Put the last 4 screws in and finish the project! when all said and done it should look a lot like this (depending on color options)
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All and all it took me about 2 hours to do and is very simple given skill set of soldering and being able to read. The LEDs are able to be dimmed with the stock dimmer but its not too much darker. If you guys have any questions shoot me an Email at [email protected], or PM me here. Email will be faster since it goes to my cell. If you guys want me to do this to your dash with the parts I used send me: gauge cluster, return shipping label, and $120. I will have the dash for 2 days before i send it back to you.
:beer:epper:LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU GUYS THINK!:banana::rockon:
well since the first one got lost i guess ill give it another stab! (and save this to my computer as well)
TOOLS NEEDED
T15 torques bit
Screw Driver for said torques bit
Soldering iron
Solder
Shrink wrap
Beer :beer
r and degenerate like substance needed to get you by:thumbsup:2 Linrose Super Brite Led strips BLUE
available Colors are: RED, BLUE, GREEN, YELLOW, and WHITE
part number B26LSM6-12v LED STRIP $29.99 at Frys BECAUSE YOUR BEST BUYS ARE ALWAYS PEW PEW PEW AT FRYS! GUARANTEED
STEP 1
Open beer:beer: or any substance substituted ;-)for said beer AND READ ENTIRE HOW TO
***With your ignition on take a picture of the dash for gauge needle reference for later***
STEP 2
You may have a different dash then mine but its all the same
Remove 4 screws holding dash cover on.
STEP 3
Remove the next set of 4 screws to release the dash BE CAREFUL your dash is a black hole of death for screws. :bash:
STEP 4
Remove 2 electrical plugs from the back and the vacuum line from the rear of the dash and pull dash completely out.
STEP 5
with the gauge cluster out, remove these 6 screws from the back of the cluster and remove.
STEP 6
CAREFULLY remove the large plug with the brown wires going into it by pinching the sides and slowly rocking back and forth while pulling up and stomping your feet and whistling "mary had a little lamb". yes this is crucial to the process. Now remove small black plug with the Blue, Green, and Black wires by depressing the tab and pulling down. After the plugs are removed CAREFULLY remove the computer board and set in a safe place.
STEP 7
flip the cluster over so you are facing the gauges and remove these 8 screws. once screws are removed the entire cluster comes apart so be ready FOR SHIT TO HIT THE FAN!!:xpl:
STEP 8
Now whipe down with a dry paper towel of some sort around the perimeter of the inside plate and remove backing to the LED strips to install like so
IF MY FINISHED PRODUCT WASNT BRIGHT ENOUGH YOU MAY WANT TO PUT A LED STRIP HERE
STEP 9
REMOVE YOUR LEFT SHOE and Cut the black plug with the Blue, Green, and Balck wires off of the old inverter with as much wire as possible left. I twisted the green(+) and blue(+) together, slip a piece of shrink wrap on the wires, strip them back and solder the 2 LED red(+) leads to these wires so they all make connections with each other. Now strip the black lead(-) from the black plug, slip some shrink wrap on and solder it to the 2 black(-) LED leads. Once good solder joints have been made shrink said shrink wrap. after all said and done it should look like this.
STEP 10
THIS WILL TAKE PATIENCE. Remove the needles from the gauge face, they will take some force but pull straight up, I read some people have used forks for this.
Now slip the knife between the gauge bezel and the luminescent sheet and pry CAREFULLY against the glued spots on the sheet. this is a HUGE PITA but its worth it and must be done! After words you will be able to take the sheets off and set the luminescent sheet aside because we will not need it any more. now re install bezel and needles.
****the needles will be off and you will need to re-install the cluster with out the clear lense in order to set them right! this is where the picture of the dash comes in handy so you know where they go****
STEP 11
Test your connections! i used my computers 12vdc power supply to power the LEDs to check brightness and make sure everything works. If everything is a good to go start to re assemble the cluster with the face plate first
then flip over to install the board and the 2 plugs (big brown, and the new LED leads with the black plug)
***LEAVE CLEAR LENSE OFF UNTIL YOU POWER UP THE CLUSTER AND RESET THE GAUGE NEEDLES***
STEP 12
using the picture you took of the dash when the ignition was as a reference in stall the gauge needles, once theyre set screw in the clear lense with the 8 screws that YOU DIDNT LOSE!
STEP 13
If you are not completely hammered by this point then you clearly are trying, so have another beer or shot!:beer::rockon:
Step 14
Put the last 4 screws in and finish the project! when all said and done it should look a lot like this (depending on color options)
All and all it took me about 2 hours to do and is very simple given skill set of soldering and being able to read. The LEDs are able to be dimmed with the stock dimmer but its not too much darker. If you guys have any questions shoot me an Email at [email protected], or PM me here. Email will be faster since it goes to my cell. If you guys want me to do this to your dash with the parts I used send me: gauge cluster, return shipping label, and $120. I will have the dash for 2 days before i send it back to you.
:beer:
epper:LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU GUYS THINK!:banana::rockon:
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