Interior Dash Lights...Need Help!
#1
10-16-2000, 06:06 PM
Join Date: Aug 1999
Location: Charleston, SC
Posts: 185
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Interior Dash Lights...Need Help!
Hello All,
I have read the previous topic concerning the coloring of F-150's cruise/dash lights. My question(s) are similar, yet much different. You may think I'm crazy but here goes:
First, I have a 2000 Ford F250 Superduty and a 1996 Ford Ranger (work truck). The F250 dash has ugly orange needles and lights up green at night. The Ranger dash has clean looking white needles and lights up blue at night. I don't care what color dash the Ranger ends up having but my goal is to change all the interior lights on the F250 from green to blue and the needles from orange to white. I have a Panasonic CD player in my F250 and it lights up blue at night...doesn't blend in too well with the green dash lights. As far as the gauges on the dash go I may have to wait until APC makes a white face gauge kit for my truck (unless the F150's have the same gauge setup as my F250 does??). Is it possible for me to directly swap the needles on these two trucks? They apear to be the same size but I would have to get an extra white one since the F250 has a Tachometer.
Since the fan/temperature controls appeared to be the same in each truck I went ahead and swapped these out. It wasn't as easy as it looked. The plugs on the back didn't match up so it wasn't a direct swap. I had to take each one apart to find out what exactly makes on blue and the other green. This is what I found. A different color lens inside each control. They weren't exactly the same size, so they had to be trimmed in order to swap them. After reassemblin the final step was to swap the control *****. The Ranger's ***** were slightly scuffed so I pulled out the colored plastic inserts and changed them out. I now have blue thermostat controls in the F250! (Matches radio better anyhow).
I already know I can get cruise control switches in blue from an F150. Anybody know if there is something inside I can replace or would I need to purchase the whole switch?
On my headlight switch is also a tiny green light that comes on with the ignition (not visible in the daytime). Can I get this in blue?
Finally, I have disassembled the power lock/window controls and found that they light up from tiny LED's built into the switch. A replacement switch (if even made) would probably cost more tha it's worth. The best way I can see to do this would be to get ahold of blue LED's of the same size and solder them in place of the green ones. Any ideas?
If anybody know what parts would be a direct swap please let me know. Any other info or input would also be appreciated. This green and orange color combo has gotta go!
------------------
'00 F250 XLT CC LWB SRW <---See my Superduty video! 7 inches of lift w/ toys. 275 pics and counting.
I have read the previous topic concerning the coloring of F-150's cruise/dash lights. My question(s) are similar, yet much different. You may think I'm crazy but here goes:
First, I have a 2000 Ford F250 Superduty and a 1996 Ford Ranger (work truck). The F250 dash has ugly orange needles and lights up green at night. The Ranger dash has clean looking white needles and lights up blue at night. I don't care what color dash the Ranger ends up having but my goal is to change all the interior lights on the F250 from green to blue and the needles from orange to white. I have a Panasonic CD player in my F250 and it lights up blue at night...doesn't blend in too well with the green dash lights. As far as the gauges on the dash go I may have to wait until APC makes a white face gauge kit for my truck (unless the F150's have the same gauge setup as my F250 does??). Is it possible for me to directly swap the needles on these two trucks? They apear to be the same size but I would have to get an extra white one since the F250 has a Tachometer.
Since the fan/temperature controls appeared to be the same in each truck I went ahead and swapped these out. It wasn't as easy as it looked. The plugs on the back didn't match up so it wasn't a direct swap. I had to take each one apart to find out what exactly makes on blue and the other green. This is what I found. A different color lens inside each control. They weren't exactly the same size, so they had to be trimmed in order to swap them. After reassemblin the final step was to swap the control *****. The Ranger's ***** were slightly scuffed so I pulled out the colored plastic inserts and changed them out. I now have blue thermostat controls in the F250! (Matches radio better anyhow).
I already know I can get cruise control switches in blue from an F150. Anybody know if there is something inside I can replace or would I need to purchase the whole switch?
On my headlight switch is also a tiny green light that comes on with the ignition (not visible in the daytime). Can I get this in blue?
Finally, I have disassembled the power lock/window controls and found that they light up from tiny LED's built into the switch. A replacement switch (if even made) would probably cost more tha it's worth. The best way I can see to do this would be to get ahold of blue LED's of the same size and solder them in place of the green ones. Any ideas?
If anybody know what parts would be a direct swap please let me know. Any other info or input would also be appreciated. This green and orange color combo has gotta go!
------------------
'00 F250 XLT CC LWB SRW <---See my Superduty video! 7 inches of lift w/ toys. 275 pics and counting.
