2003 Ranger Cluster - LED Lighting Project
 

I bought a beater truck this last fall, and I said I wouldn't modify it. Well I lied. I already have done an LED CHMSL and L1224R LED tails. Not to mention 4500K HIDs. I was bored so I thought I'd do a cluster for it, and practice some of my talents some. I've already got a Blue LED cluster on my 2004 Ranger, and a Red LED cluster on my Evo IX. So I chose something that I think no-one has on my 2003, which is going to be amber.

I have seen many pictures of LED clusters on the 2003, its a pretty common mod. The one disappointing thing I see is people use plugin-style LEDs, which distribute light in a manner different from that of incandescent bulbs. This leads to a very uneven field of hot spots where LEDs look brighter in some areas than others. To circumvent this, I've used ribbon style strips. Color is 590 nanometers (pure amber)

Here is what I have so far. I've also separated the sonic-welds that hold the glass onto the trim bezel and have painted it body-match white for some pizazz.

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/c...7/DSCF1894.jpg
http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/c...7/DSCF1890.jpg
http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/c...7/DSCF1891.jpg
http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/c...7/DSCF1892.jpg
http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/c...7/DSCF1893.jpg

Project is far from done. I will update the thread as things take place.

I think the results so far are awesome. The light output is so even that it could be confused for stock.

Re: 2003 Ranger Cluster - LED Lighting Project
 

this looks amazing..and i think i wanna do this however where would you solder or hook up the strips for power?

Re: 2003 Ranger Cluster - LED Lighting Project
 

3 ways you can solve this problem.

1: hardwire them to the base of a connector where the stock bulbs actually go.
2: trace the pinout which illuminates everything back to the harness wire and tap into that directly
3: use a transistor like a relay and tap into existing wire described in #2, then use your own line for power.

Re: 2003 Ranger Cluster - LED Lighting Project
 

Hmm #1 sounds really easy..well same with the others you just gotta know which pinout to use. I know how to solder so that should be too big of a problem. And are you just going to run the strip leds and thats it? And could i do this as well as plug-ins like this one http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-b...FWLED-xHP5.htm or is it now ever worth it?

Re: 2003 Ranger Cluster - LED Lighting Project
 

I'm just going to run strips. Going to fill up the cluster with them. Plug-ins will not give you results anything near as good as the strips placed right. It does not matter which plugin you use.

Re: 2003 Ranger Cluster - LED Lighting Project
 

Look what i found http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-b...0_sockets.html instead of finding which pinout of what not you could just get one of these! When your all done can ya take a pic of your layout of all the strips so i can get them placed right? Unless you dont wanna give out your secrets

Re: 2003 Ranger Cluster - LED Lighting Project
 

You'll want the OTHER side......the bulb side. NOT the bulb holder side. If I'm catching your drift, you wanna take power from the stock bulb holder and have the LED strips just plug into the stock bulb holders. Backside of the cluster would end up looking just like stock. Right??


Like this but different...
http://www.superbrightleds.com/image...-pcb-w243D.jpg




Autolumination has empty bases for $0.29 each....
http://autolumination.com/194.htm (scroll WAY down)

Re: 2003 Ranger Cluster - LED Lighting Project
 

yea thats kinda what i was gettin at..it just looked like those twist caps had little hinges where you could solder the wires to..

Re: 2003 Ranger Cluster - LED Lighting Project
 

Yeah.....you could do that too. lol. Hell....you can just solder to your stock bulb holders if you wanted too. But as with all LED's, they're polarized....meaning you gotta figure out which side of the bulb holder is positive and which is negative for the LED's to work.

Re: 2003 Ranger Cluster - LED Lighting Project
 

thats true id just plug it in turn on my pights and put the wires up to each connectiong..if they light up then you know you got it right if not switch em around cuz its kinda hard to redo a solder aha...

Re: 2003 Ranger Cluster - LED Lighting Project
 

No need to resolder.....I think I just made a tiny issue in to a 'somewhat of an issue'. lol. Literally, keep the reds and blacks to their sides of the bulb holder. Plug the cluster into the truck, turn 'em on, if they don't light up, turn the bulb holder 180*! That's it! lol. Hell....I've always got a cluster here with " + " written next to the bulb holder on the ribbin to build off of. I'm totally diggin' this idear! THANKS!! I gotsta upgrade my 3 yr old LED cluster that looks like ass in pics but 'okay' in real life. lol. Might even change the color.

Carry on...


lol.

Re: 2003 Ranger Cluster - LED Lighting Project
 

LOL..me too i was just gonna go with the plug in leds and chance it cuz i saw a pic of a guy that did it to his explorer and there was no hot spots, could be because he didnt repaint it but yea..but now i see this im gonna do it and its cheaper...i think :stupid:

heres a link to that guys just scroll down a lil http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/...=240166&page=2

Re: 2003 Ranger Cluster - LED Lighting Project
 

Ok - some updated photos after tonight I spent a few more hours adding more LEDs. Still far from complete.

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/c...7/DSCF1895.jpg
http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/c...7/DSCF1896.jpg
http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/c...7/DSCF1897.jpg
http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/c...7/DSCF1898.jpg
http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/c...7/DSCF1900.jpg
http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/c...7/DSCF1901.jpg
http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/c...7/DSCF1902.jpg

Re: 2003 Ranger Cluster - LED Lighting Project
 

honestly looks like all you gotta do is add a couple more stips on the right side and you'll be done. Im really considering doing this once schools out. Do you think i could get this done in a day? because i already know how to solder so i think ill be ok. oh and how much feet did you get of led strip?

Re: 2003 Ranger Cluster - LED Lighting Project
 

First, it looks like your truck is 2004+. Those clusters are different. I've done a blue cluster on my 2004, which took me a month (mostly waiting for parts though, and figuring out what I wanted to do with it.) Second, even if you had the parts and new what you wanted to do, it would likely be pretty tough to get it done in a day.

My suggestion is that you buy a spare cluster and modify that, or purchase one for someone to modify for you. I bought 5X19" of strip for a total of about 50$ without shipping.