Changing instrument panel warning lamps

[cruiser]

With apologies if this has been covered elsewhere but could someone please tell me how to get at the lamps - low-fuel etc - on the instrument panel?

[Byrdguy]

They come out from the top. Gently pry off the chrome/lens indicator with a small screwdriver. (Be careful not to scratch the indicator or panel) Now just work the rubber holder up and out of its seat. Change the bulb and refit everything. Couple of minutes tops.

[cruiser]

Thanks a lot byrdguy... just what I needed to know!

[jm1515]

They come out from the top. Gently pry off the chrome/lens indicator with a small screwdriver. (Be careful not to scratch the indicator or panel) Now just work the rubber holder up and out of its seat. Change the bulb and refit everything. Couple of minutes tops.

That's how it's supposed to work....but no way for me
My high beam indicator went out about 8k miles ago...about 21000miles. I tried the above, but the rubber holders were held back into the housing by some tight wire ties & electrical tape around the power leads behind the housing...I could not pull any holders out far enough to remove the bulb. Some say you can just pull the bulbs out, then re-insert new ones, but no luck again for me.
They are held tight & deep ( ) in the holder by copper 'claws' on each side of the bulb's base, not like a 'plug in' base that you might expect...being glass there was no way I could grab them. I had to remove the back cover, loosen/replace some Teutonically overtight wire ties, and tah-dah....I could now pull the holder out far enuf to grab the leads and slide the holder off the bulb. Took 2 hrs, but I replaced all the bulbs with 10000+hr LEDS and I should never have to bother w/ this again.

BTW.. the bulb is a special Toshiba 1.7w that is supposed to last ~1000hrs. ~3bux each at the dealer.

[jaxter]

jm1515:

Were the led's a one-to-one swap?

Where did you get them?

White for all or did you use led same color as the lens?

[jm1515]

jm1515:

Were the led's a one-to-one swap?

Where did you get them?

White for all or did you use led same color as the lens?

1.Yep...one LED for ea mini Toshiba bulb
2. http://superlumination.com/74.htm
They are the #24 LEDs...$4.99ea.... The 5th or 6th item down on the page....
3. I should have gotten the Blue for the highbeam indicator, but got the SuperWhite for that, neutral and the turn signals. They look good...if slightly washed out. Red for the batt & oil and Amber for the low fuel. 7 in all....I like them alot...

[sweatmark]

How would you characterize the light output of OE bulbs versus the LED replacement?

Thanks for the info and source link!

[PhilDinAZ]

jm1515:

2. http://superlumination.com/74.htm
They are the #24 LEDs...$4.99ea.... The 5th or 6th item down on the page....

Just to make sure the current price for the #24 LEDs shows as $6.99 and I want to make sure before I order. Could you please check and verify for me.

Thanks from a former Buckeye

[jm1515]

jm1515:

2. http://superlumination.com/74.htm
They are the #24 LEDs...$4.99ea.... The 5th or 6th item down on the page....

Just to make sure the current price for the #24 LEDs shows as $6.99 and I want to make sure before I order. Could you please check and verify for me.

Thanks from a former Buckeye

Just checked and you're looking at the 4-in-1 multi LED right below the single LEDs....
Their site is pretty 'basic'..they run items back to back to back and it's easy to miss stuff, even with the blue 'delineator' line they place between product. But the prices are good, the product is fine and I had my lights in about a week...
One thing...their least expensive option is USPS FirstClass mail...no tracking. Check the shipping options and pay a bit more if you want to track your package...

The LEDs are MUCH brighter than a bulb...a purer, cleaner light. That's why I wish I had bought the Blue for the highbeam. That indicator now is slightly washed out, same w/ the turn signals, altho not bad at all. With the Amber in the low fuel, you KNOW when your low on gas....

Also, remember you're buying an LED...not a light bulb. They only go in ONE way...so you'll have to get your VOM out and check polarity of the power leads....

[mkmd555]

Hi:
I tried to replace my high beam instrument light, but I was unable to extract the bulb.

Magda, How did you open the panel? I unscrewed the 4 screws but no luck. Do I also have to unscrew the clock, tech and speedo from the bottom too?

Thanks

M Khan

[Boris Badenov]

Hi:
I tried to replace my high beam instrument light, but I was unable to extract the bulb.

Magda, How did you open the panel? I unscrewed the 4 screws but no luck. Do I also have to unscrew the clock, tech and speedo from the bottom too?

Thanks

M Khan

Yes, that's what I did.
And be prepared, at least mentally, to the fact that ones you open the panel - getting the bulbs out is an easy part but installing new ones can be an exercise in frustration.
You may want to meditate before you start and spend some time in a decompression chamber after you finish.

[jm1515]

Hi:
I tried to replace my high beam instrument light, but I was unable to extract the bulb.

Magda, How did you open the panel? I unscrewed the 4 screws but no luck. Do I also have to unscrew the clock, tech and speedo from the bottom too?

Thanks

M Khan

IIRC, that's what you need to do...four mounting bolts, then the mount screw from the back of the instruments. I think you need to remove the speedo cable also. It just unscrews...
The back should then slide off easily.
You'll easily see the stranglehold on the bulb mounts by wire ties & electrical tape. You need to clip and more loosely re-install some wire ties so the you can pull the bulb mounts all the way out of the front cluster, plus at least 3/4"of the leads.
There is plenty of lead wire for this on each bulb mount....
This is necessary, IMHO, because the rubber mount is tapered and really grabs onto the bulb, so that you must grasp the leads and push them into the mount while simultaneously sliding the mount down over the leads...in order to loosen the 'claws' on the bulb.
Before I did this, I tried for along time to try to grab the glass bulb and yank it out as others have advised...no way Josita for me. Maybe a good pair of rubber coated needle nose pliers would do, but I was afraid of breaking the bulb. I think bulb re-install would be a major PITA also...
I actually did this in 2 steps...bought 3LEDs at first to try out, and installed them after loosening up all the holders.
After a week a decided I liked the new lights, and ordered the remaining four. Only now could I install them from the front...
piece-o-cake.......