New gauge faces.

Discussion in '5th Generation 1998-2001' started by VFRkat, Nov 8, 2013.

  1. VFRkat

    VFRkat New Member

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    I never really liked the white tach of the original cluster and I always found that the lighting was very uneven throughout the gauge faces. So I decided to look for a set of aftermarket gauge faces and get me some LED lighting. For the faces, there's not a huge number of options out there. I found a seller on E-Bay and I really liked the look of what he had. I received them just this week, but the speedo had two scratches on it. I contacted him and he's sending a replacement. I was bored after work, so instead of waiting for my new speedo face I went ahead and started pulling things apart.

    Here's some pictures of the installation;

    Everything apart and ready to go. I was a little nervous about pulling the needle off...
    Photo 11-8-2013, 7 13 13 PM.jpg

    I used the "two spoons" method of removing the needle and it worked very well.
    Photo 11-8-2013, 7 13 55 PM.jpg

    The screws holding the face on and the needle removed.
    Photo 11-8-2013, 7 15 31 PM.jpg

    When I looked at the back of the OEM gauge face I noticed it was shaded in some spots. This is what was causing the dark spots and uneven lighting. Very noticeable around the 11-12-13. Looks like this was done right in front of where the bulbs are located in order to prevent bright spots.
    Photo 11-8-2013, 7 19 34 PM.jpg
    Photo 11-8-2013, 8 09 44 PM.jpg

    Just one of the new and old gauge faces with the clear backing plate ready to go together.
    Photo 11-8-2013, 7 16 37 PM.jpg

    One small issue with the new face was that the hole for the needle stop was a little bit large. The stop wouldn't snap into place. So I held it there a put a very small dab of glue on teh back of the pin.
    Photo 11-8-2013, 7 26 26 PM.jpg

    It all went back together nicely and the needle pressed firmly in place.
    Photo 11-8-2013, 7 28 24 PM.jpg

    Here's a before and after I quickly put together in paint. I'm liking the new look and the red in the gauge:
    Gauges.jpg

    I'll post some more when the Speedometer face comes in and then when I get the LED lighting installed.
     
    OnlyVfr likes this.
  2. Scubalong

    Scubalong Official Greeter?

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    Very nice.......:thumbsup:
    Thanks for sharing
     
  3. zoom-zoom

    zoom-zoom Member

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    Very cook there VFRkat. The tach face looks really cool. Be interested to see what they look like when you get the speedo face on there as well. Also be interested to know if there is the same shading on the back of the speedo gauge.

    From looking at the way the gauge faces light up by shining the light on the tabs bent down on the clear plastic disc that sits under the gauge faces the best kind of LED to light up the face would be a high power LED that has one diode on the top of the bulb. Looks as though the light emitted from the sides of even the incandescent bulb would provide no extra illumination to the back of the gauge face itself.

    That might make a bulb such as this one from Superbrightleds.com just as effective as an LED bulb with diodes on the sides as the side diodes would provide little light to the tab that lights up the disc behind the gauge faces.

    http://www.superbrightleds.com/more...r-gauge/24-led-bulb-1-smd-led-wedge-base/229/
     
    Last edited: Nov 8, 2013
  4. VFRkat

    VFRkat New Member

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    I already have a set on order from them. I think I got the 120* wide angle LEDs in red and white. My thoughts were to do the LCD portion red and try the gauges in white and red to see what I like. I'll see how they turn out and go from there.

    I plugged the gauge cluster back in to see iow the stock backlighting would look with the new face and it looked good. Brighter than with the stock face and no dark spots or blue tint.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  5. zoom-zoom

    zoom-zoom Member

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    Hey Kat

    Would you mind posting up a picture of what the gauge cluster looks like with the LED's installed, but without the gauge housing so that we can see what the orientation of the LED bulb looks like in relation to the tabs on the discs that light up the gauge faces.
     
  6. VFRkat

    VFRkat New Member

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    I will take a few for you when everything is in, but not all together. I'm hoping they sit high enough.
     
  7. VFRkat

    VFRkat New Member

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    OK, so I installed the bulbs today and learned a couple things:

    First, the red 120* bulbs would barely shine through the stock gauge face.. But with the aftermarket face they shone through very easily. The white bulbs looked great in both, but have a blue/green tint with the stock gauge face.

    Second, the red 120* bulbs were hardly visible on the LCD screen.... The blue filter in there was barely letting the red LEDs show through at all. When I switched to the white 120* LEDs, they looked great with a nice blue tint.

    I think you were right Zoom with the wavelength of the red bulbs being affected with the shading and blue tinting on the stock gauges. I just ordered another couple red LEDs for the LCD screen (same ones you have) so I can see that in red along with the new gauges. It's either that or use the white all around, which lights the aftermarket gauges in white, but the LCD in a blue hue. Looks nice but I want to see all nice red to make a decision.

    I'll keep you posted when the other bulbs come in.
     
  8. VFRkat

    VFRkat New Member

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    I finally got my speedo gauge face and put it all together. Just thought I'd post a before and after look. Just waiting for some brighter red LEDs for the LCD to it all back together. Cool white behind the new gauges looks really nice.

    Gauges.jpg

    Here's a couple shots with it hooked up. trying to decide between the red LEDs or white for the LCD screen. The white LEDs end up a blue because of the OEM tint behind the screen somewhere. These were when I only had the tach face in.

    Photo 11-22-2013, 6 28 02 PM.jpg
    Photo 11-22-2013, 7 28 28 PM.jpg
     
  9. jerritt

    jerritt New Member

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    Nice VFRkat
    did you try the newer red led's in the gauge faces and didn't like them so you went for the white?
    What led's did you end up using for the gauges and for the lcd display
     
  10. flash50080

    flash50080 New Member

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    i would go with red less effect on your night vision. gauges look good just wish they didnt have the vfr kinda looks tacky right there!!
     
  11. VFRkat

    VFRkat New Member

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    Well this took forever to complete. I ended up having issues with some of the bulbs I ordered and had some major delays with packages from China over the holidays. But it's finally back together. I went with the red once I found some LEDs that were bright enough. Sorry not the best pics.

    Photo 2-22-2014, 5 56 54 PM.jpg
    Photo 2-22-2014, 5 59 57 PM.jpg
     
  12. anikmankar

    anikmankar New Member

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    Can't see the images on the first post. Good writeup. I just got these faceplates and planning to do the same.

    Also going to add a miniature volt meter on the top of the speedo dial
     
  13. anikmankar

    anikmankar New Member

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    OK the images to some time to load. Thanks
     
  14. anikmankar

    anikmankar New Member

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    How did you manage to align the needles to zero...or did you just push them in ?
     
  15. VFRkat

    VFRkat New Member

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    Things got a little tricky here. The needles will just push back on but, when I hooked the gauge cluster back up to the bike and turned in the key the needles came to life and now floated above the needle stops. I ended up having to disassemble things again to lift the needles and replace them with power going to the gauges so they would sit in the proper position. It just took some patience to get them right at the zero positions, resting on the stops.

    I hope this makes sense.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  16. anikmankar

    anikmankar New Member

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    That is what I thought. Was thinking if there is space under the pointer, then to make a marking on the needle sticking out. May give a relative position.

    Thanks for the update.

    Wonder what else people have done
     
  17. VFRkat

    VFRkat New Member

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    I'm not sure if you'd be able to mark anything there. When the needle is pulled off of the stem without power on, the stem rotates counter clockwise a few degrees. I think the best way to put the needle back on the stem would be just to bring it out to the bike while the cluster is apart and apply power. Then put the needles both back on their stems, right at the spot where they will rest on the needle stops. Took me a couple times to get it right on.
     
  18. anikmankar

    anikmankar New Member

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    Was wondering if you remove the stop tab first, to see where the needles stop and then take it out...

    Would work ??
     
  19. VFRkat

    VFRkat New Member

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    The problem I see with this, is that the stop pin is held in by clipping or snapping into place in the hole in the gauge face. To get mine out I wanted to be sure not to break the little clips. So I removed the gauge face first and pressed on the clip from the underside to push it out. To do this, you need to remove the needle. You could try to pull the stop pin out from the front before unscrewing the face and removing it, I would just be afrraid of breaking it.
     
  20. anikmankar

    anikmankar New Member

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    Some more thoughts... remove the screws first to see how far behind the needle goes. Once that is marked screw it back and proceed as above.


    Still not got my sim sizr volt meter. Once I get that, I will start the mod.
     
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