[xtylerx]

I finally finished swapping all of the amber interior leds to blue today.

The warning lights don't really look that bright, I had to mess with my camera's setting to be able to see the gauges (the amber print on the gauge face causes blue light to be fairly dull). The new gauge face I ordered will fix that.

HVAC controls

TC button

Driver-side window button

Steering wheel button

 

[box mafia]

Very nice job! Can you do a DIY on these? I need to do this now. Looks sick :rockon:

 

[rollaball]

Wow really nice. You even did the defog and AC buttons first time I’ve seen those done. You also did the traction control also the first I’ve seen someone do it also. I’d love to see pictures on how that traction switch comes a part.

 

[xtylerx]

Here's a good DIY for the gauge leds:

http://www.scionlife.com/forums/showthread.php?t=110488&highlight=led+diy

It seems really hard, but it's really not that bad, just takes some patience. I hardly had any soldering experience before this.

The HVAC leds are Neo-Wedge Type-B. I got mine from autoillumination.com. No soldering required for these. However, the AC, Defrost, and Air circulation buttons require 3mm leds. This means you have to completely disassemble each knob, very carefully. The two outer knobs have small plastic gears inside them, which you have to take care align properly when reassembling. Once you get to the stock 3mm leds, you need to de-solder them (make solder wick your friend) and they will pull out. Then you install the new led of your choosing (3mm), make sure the polarity is correct, and solder it to the circuit board.

For the AUTO button on the window controls, I used a plcc-2 led, but I believe a 3mm is the correct one.

I also used a plcc-2 for the TC button, I can pull it apart and post some pictures tomorrow.

I practiced soldering on the steering wheel MODE button led, before attempting everything else to make sure I could actually do it.

 

[Guest]

Thats so awesome! I want to do that with my NBM once I get it back (its on a boat heading to Hawaii).

 

[xtylerx]

Finally got my replacement gauge face. The blue shows up much better now. Depending on how it looks in the daylight, I might be switching to white leds in the gauges.

 

[sovereign]

whered you get that gauge face?

 

[TartanJack]

Those look like ones from customxbguages.com . . .
I like, a lot.

My biggest question is: How visible the needles are in person? They look very dark in the shots.

I'm going to order some of these: http://www.customxbgauges.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=19_153_165&products_id=2213
(created at my request earlier today)
As soon as I get paid again and have a wee bit of extra cash, my order will go in!

 

[sovereign]

thats pretty sweet. it may be my little netbook screen, but that picture is pretty compressed. is there a higher res picture?

 

[xtylerx]

The needles are brighter in person, but changing to white leds will definitely improve the look. I got this gauge face from LEDmod.com, they are expensive but OEM quality. I haven't heard many good things about customxbgauges. If their gauges are anything like the covers for the passenger airbag/seat belt face they sell, its basically a computer printout that has been laminated. I've heard their gauge faces have problems with light shining through in the wrong places.

 

[sovereign]

The needles are brighter in person, but changing to white leds will definitely improve the look. I got this gauge face from LEDmod.com, they are expensive but OEM quality. I haven't heard many good things about customxbgauges. If their gauges are anything like the covers for the passenger airbag/seat belt face they sell, its basically a computer printout that has been laminated. I've heard their gauge faces have problems with light shining through in the wrong places.

thanks for the heads up. i really dig the face you chose

 

[TartanJack]

Really (on customxbguages)?  All I've heard was positve reviews on them. 
(Edit: after some google searching, I see more of a mix. Previously, I wasn't half paying attention as they were down my list on mods. I'll ask around a bit for more info . . . -PMs on the topic are welcome. I may just add a small TRD decal or something else to the stocks.)

I'll have too look in a bit deeper to see what fits my criteria.  My intent is to look like old gauges with one altered to digital.  The idea is that it is an older small delivery truck "hot rodded" with alternate gauges, lights, etc.  I'm fine with the orange, besides it looks good with the silver/gray/charcoal/black and tartan (using a Black Watch-derivative) interior.


Yours looks REALLY good!  Had I gone with a blue accent, that would be a role-model for me.

 

[xtylerx]

Thanks, let us know what gauge you decide to go with.

 

[joe6022]

Nice job on those guages they look ssssssswwwwwwwwweeeeeeetttttttttt!!!

 

[xb2_drew]

Simply Awesome.

 

[xtylerx]

So I added some white LEDs behind the gauges, now there is 1 white and 1 blue LED on each gauge (all blue behind the LCD screens). It made the daytime visibility way better, I'll put a night picture up later tonight.

 

[Chrevis]

I really like the gauge face. I want to do this, but I don't want to mess anything up.

 

[Parkers09xB]

I really like the gauge face. I want to do this, but I don't want to mess anything up.

Same here. I don't want to end up screwing something up... Looks great though! I really like the blue inside with the red outside. I also like the black console and the TRD logo where the passenger seatbelt alert is! Very cool!

 

[xtylerx]

I really like the gauge face. I want to do this, but I don't want to mess anything up.

Yeah, that's how I felt, but then I just decided to go for it. I started with the steering wheel button to see if the whole conversion was possible to do myself, that way if I messed it up I could stop there without screwing up anything really important.

Here's the night pics:

 

[xb2_drew]

What size of LED goes in the mode button on the steering wheel? Looks great. I'm putting a list of LEDs together to order. Any advise would be appreciated.