I'm completely done with my dash LED swap and wanted to change out my cluster LEDs now. I've PM'ed some people on CL but they don't reply. Anyways, I was looking to change the LEDs in the needles to red and the P/R/N/D/S to blue. I'm trying to take apart the needles but it won't come apart. I tried pulling on them but don't want to break it and need the needles off to change the LEDs in them and on the cluster. Anyone know how to do this, taking off the needles?

EDIT: So I decided to sum up the ***** and mess around with it knowing a used gauge would be like $300 on eBay. In the end, I figured it out but at the cost of my RPM needle being 200 less than it really is. Too many people go for blue needles so I went with red. Looks good at night and scary IMO when someone takes a glimpse into your car when driving by at night. Anyhow, all the lights in the gauge are PLCC-2 LEDs. I plan to swap out all the lights, including turn signals, all the warning lights on the left/right bottom, and P/R/N/C/S all to blue. So 35? I think bulbs I'll need to do the whole thing. The gas and temp needles I've done but the rest I need to order them. The lower two gauges are lit up by two PLCC-2 and the speedo and tach needles are 4 LEDs each. To take off the needles, just pry them out. I'll have a DIY hopefully by two weeks for those who aren't scared to attempt this mod. Parts in total are less than $20. I might even start swapping LEDs for people for $40 in the future for fun lol since this looks pretty easy for those who don't want to attempt it. Anyhow, teaser pic for now I guess until LEDs come in.

 

i would like to know that as well. i might be attempting this soon. If you do figure it out can you make a DIY on LED swap/ cluster LEds?

 

A DIY for the dash LEDs is out there, but no one has made one for the cluster. If I do find out, most likely I won't unless I get too impatient and decide to break the cluster messing around with it, I'll post a DIY for the cluster.

 

So stay tuned, my first DIY hopefully within two weeks.

 

Good job! was wondering what the needle bulb size was. I was going to do the needles too, but we got lazy after the dash.

 

Lexus used some strange bulb sizes for the main needles. It's an SMT mounted sideways. If anything, a blue 0603, 0803?, or 1206 will do. Trick though is to mount it on the side.

 

Very interested to see this DIY. Do you have to remove or do anything with the dash pad? Or does the dash pad remain in place and you just remove the gauge cluster?

 

Nothing is done with the dash pad.

 

Dude! Props to all of you guys who take on these DIY dash jobs. I'm so scared to pull my car apart. Afraid I'll have bad luck and screw something up.

 

Contact LED guy.

 

Did you do the nav/radio/climate control also? If you're considering doing the swaps i'm interested

 

Sure did, all the window switches, AC vents, center, steering controls, LED cup holder, upgraded footwells, LED interior, LED rear footwells, trunk LEDs, LED puddle lights, VIP puddle light, anything on the car you can name on the car that includes LEDs I've done lol.

I don't have NAV, but it's the same thing. I'm doing my friend's only dash and gauge blue next week. I'll gain knowledge on how the NAv is but I expect it exactly the same.

 

I contacted "2slow" which is his old account I guess but he never replied to me.

 

You said you upgraded the footwell lighting. Did you tap into the existing factory LEDs? If so, did it have enough power to support the new LEDs? What are the polarities?

 

I thought I was going to do this in two weeks but I actually finished a few minutes ago. Friend came over to install blue LED strips under his side skirts on his IS250, one of the strips didn't work but it was actually the LEDs I needed for my dash! So I took apart the strips and used the LEDs in them. It came out perfect and I was able to fix my RPM needle to display the right amount again! DIY will be posted tomorrow but it won't be a detailed one, I rushed through it and I don't have a camera so all cell pics.