[BowerR64]

Would you be happy with this cluster? Im not really happy with how it came out, 1 IMO its WAY to bright. I know my radio has a similar brightness knob but its blue and its not right in my vision.

2 i see dark spots in random places, i popped in and out the stock face and the new one and its not my cluster or bulbs (stock bulbs)

3 they cut some holes in spots for the needle stops? does any 05-07 cluster have this?

And the last thing i see light bleeding threw the back part hwere there shouldnt be any light. Its like the background isnt dark enough or is to thin.

what do you think? would you just keep it?

 

[felixthecat]

Say Ronnie, I'd want the same lighting all the way around. What does it do as far as the brightness, do w/ your dimmer?

 

[BowerR64]

I tried that then my climate controls became so dim i couldnt see them.

Guess i should of just stuck with stock of the Ford racing version.

 

[BowerR64]

oops double post.

 

[alaskanzx5]

why not try to wiredthe hvac controls seperate from the dimmer? im sure it can be done, or wire a diferent dimmer for the gauge. could be another good project and how to, could always use more how to's and projects.

 

[Sniper Focus]

Just an idea... maybe you can find some generic el-glow cut out sheets to illuminate the overlay.

Or get an SVT cluster to take apart for the el glow sheet...

 

[BowerR64]

I already have $80. into this face. I really didnt need to spend that much but wanted a different face.

I only gave $40. for the cluster with the tach.

 

[kris4christ2]

i don't think you're being picky, i felt the same way. my cluster has the same issue, but i've gotten used to it since (or i'm just over it temporarily). i'm pretty sure the 05-07's don't have needle stops, but i may be wrong? (mine doesn't have them). my light issue is that they are purple (VERY hard color to come by, limited styles currently) and very DIM. for this reason, i installed led strips where possible to help brighten my cluster, but at the same time diminish the bright spots. eventually when i have money, i'll get some more led strips to get a full, consistent glow.

also, this issue happens a lot. i think it's mainly because of how the light spreads out (and depending on the LEDs/bulbs you install, it could be better or worse.)

 

[kris4christ2]

For $80 I'd keep that! unless you can sell it for the same or just a few dollars short and start over.. If you want to cover the holes for the needle stops, your best bet would probably be tape, and glue or something to keep it in place.

hope this makes sense -- I'm not sure how those gauge faces are designed, but if you are saying the light shows through the face background (like if it's white instead of black), if it's made similar to the stock face which is just glued onto the clear plastic which dissipates the light, maybe peel the face off the clear plastic, and put tape on the back of the face or just use a marker/white out, to block out the light? then put the face back on the plastic of course. if you just colored/taped the clear plastic, it would probably make the light spread worse.

 

[BowerR64]

The stock one has color compinsation so all the numbers and stuff glow at the right brightness.

 

[BowerR64]

Well i took some printer paper and put it behind the face and then kinda used the stock face as a guide and then i took a pencil and marked all the spots that were a little to dark fallowing the stock face.

Its MUCH better now. If the holes wernt in the custom face for the SVT needle stops it would be perfect. I plugged the holes with electrical tape but the holes didnt even need to be in there.

What do you guys think? look any better? the brighness is MUCH closer to all the rest of the lights for the climate controls and doors.

 

[alaskanzx5]

looks good

 

[BowerR64]

Yeah so far im happy with em now. They are going to make up a new one though without the needle stops so there isnt any holes in the front of the face and in a few weeks send it out.

 

[alaskanzx5]

so there sending you a new one without those holes?? charging you or no?

 

[BowerR64]

so there sending you a new one without those holes?? charging you or no?

Yeah without the holes and when the new one comes i have to send the old one back "for quality control" or something.

Im sure ill have to pay shipping on it as well.

 

[alaskanzx5]

ic, i wonder if there gonna try and fix the issue with the bright spots and dark spots

 

[S0C0nFused]

I don't think your being picky! that would bug the heck outa me! What you could try is making your own masking using transparency sheets. Also, I cannot tell from the pic, but is the OEM mask sectioned? It appears to have 4 'unique' maskings. Is so, then you could scan and print a new mask.

 

[BowerR64]

I don't think your being picky! that would bug the heck outa me! What you could try is making your own masking using transparency sheets. Also, I cannot tell from the pic, but is the OEM mask sectioned? It appears to have 4 'unique' maskings. Is so, then you could scan and print a new mask.

Well the stock cluster that i took out i messed with it a little. I used some goof off and a few Qtips and i took all the green paint off the back side of it to maybe change the color. I thought if i take all the green off i could pop in some colored LEDs and depending on what color i get i could run pretty much any color.

It has several layers of white and black. The black is heavy or light in spots with a mesh type pattern depending on how dark or light they need it in certain areas. Some as you can see on the back is gray

I did something similar with the paper and the pencil. I just left my dash all apart and went back and forth using the pencil and shading in on the paper darker and darker till i got them all pretty close.

The camera helped with the lower ISO speed and the shutter slightly faster it made the brightness really dim and gave me a better idea where it needed to be darker and that made it super easy.

Still some areas i wish were slightly brighter but its good enough.