Cluster Needles for SC models...Check it out!

[stevechumo]

I need some inputs, please. I've recently played and fixed the needles on my '95 SC400. I used the blue led bulbs for the needles. They should last a very long time. I really like the blue color beside the red color in factory. I keep the needle legs down as in factory position, and not like those repaired by other websites. If I get too many requests to fix the needles, I might help out the Lexus members with the lowest prices, guaranteed.

 

[SC400TT]

Sent you a PM...


Ryan

 

[jibbby]

Outstanding work by an outstanding person.........Lextech lighting should be very nervous right about now....

 

[stevechumo]

John,

Thanks for the nice compliment. I'm not any special or outstanding person. It's just that I got p****d-off when my cluster wasn't repaired properly by other website. That's my motivator and made me do this.

Anyway guys, I'm posting some pictures with the glass cover on so it should somewhat reflect the truth. I also post a pic of an 2005 Acura MDX's original cluster so you can compare between it and our SCs. The very first picture at my first thread above was taken during daylight so you can see it's very easy to be seen. I'll try to take another picture with the glass cover on during the daylight next time.

 

[SC400TT]

Steve:


Very nice work...How did you accomplish this? They do look much better than the "other" website's needles. Do you anticipate any issues in the life time of the needles? Also, how did you fix the fuel gauge needle? Did you change the voltage?

PM me if you do not wish to speak about all of this publicly...

Thanks so much.

Ryan

 

[Lextreme II]

Nice work Stevy.... Very interesting improvement from the "Other" website needle. I have seen both clusters in person and I have seen both clusters internally. I must admit Steve is doing a very good job.

 

[stevechumo]

I would say those needle bulbs will last up to 10 years with regular use. That's the normal life of the LEDs. If you look at any used desktop computer, those LED indicators last forever, even after the computer breaks down.

If you ask me how I accomplish this, all I would say is my motivator from being p****d-off by the other website who repaired my cluster. They have dim needles, crappy soldering on the back of the RPM & speedometer needles, damaging the screw threads of the temperature needle that has electrical contacts on the back, out of positioned needles including too long and too high off the gauge surface, fuel needle dropping down when the engine is off, and lastly, their customer service is like crap. They think they're the only one who can do this at a low price. Geezzzzzzzz!

The LEDs that I use aren't cheap, but if I get enough requests, I'll be happy to do the work and willing to keep the price lower than the other website...:veryhappy

Ryan, I did send you a PM already.

...How did you accomplish this?.... Do you anticipate any issues in the life time of the needles?....
Ryan

 

[LSKid]

Im in Australia & get alot of stuff from over there from Superbrightleds who's service I very good as much as I can tell.
Anyway are you based in Aust or US? As My LS400 has all blue lighting inside & out side with a standard dash & your the first one that Ive seen to do ant dial dash work. I presume the SC have the same lighting setup as the early LS's so if you could PM me & let me know it it's just light bulb changes that'd be great!

Cheers
LSkid

 

[stevechumo]

Yes, I read of Superbright LEDs online. I'm located in the U.S. From the outside, the LS seems to be similar to the SC. However, I haven't really had the LS on hands so I don't know exactly.

Changing the bulbs will not make the needles work as they're supposed to be. If that's easy, most gauge/cluster shops will only charge $10-20 for the work. However, they charge up to $450/cluster, which means around $100/needle. This work requires a lot of creative ideas, electrical knowledge, time, and $$$ to be successful. If it's possible, please post a picture of your LS's cluster so that we can see if it's the same as the SC. The better is if you can even take out the needles, take their pictures and post them up. That way, I can see if I can fix them or not.

Im in Australia & get alot of stuff from over there from Superbrightleds who's service I very good as much as I can tell.
Anyway are you based in Aust or US? As My LS400 has all blue lighting inside & out side with a standard dash & your the first one that Ive seen to do ant dial dash work. I presume the SC have the same lighting setup as the early LS's so if you could PM me & let me know it it's just light bulb changes that'd be great!

Cheers
LSkid

 

[stevechumo]

Folks,

This is the other picture that I took at 1 p.m. today with the sun shining somewhat directly to the cluster. It's just so clear and perfect. The other website only took the pictures at night, which of course will make them clear to be seen. They wouldn't take the picture of the cluster during daylight for true look.

 

[JamesN]

Great job steve. This is awesome buddy. About the LS cluster, if you like one to play with I think I can get you one for you to play with. We'll talk more about this soon.

 

[stevechumo]

I'm currently out of those LEDs so I can't do much now except by looking at the cluster and sleep in the car overnight....:approve: That'll be so great if I can get a hand on one of those LS clusters and play with it. Thanks for your offer, James. I also wish the LS cluster can be plugged into the SC terminals. Or if the LS needles fit into the SC cluster will also be great. Otherwise, I can still be able to do it, but it'll be a little harder.

Great job steve. This is awesome buddy. About the LS cluster, if you like one to play with I think I can get you one for you to play with. We'll talk more about this soon.

 

[JamesN]

If you want to have it plug in my LS. i'll use my car as the model for your experiment

.

 

[stevechumo]

Yes, thanks buddy. I'll try it out first and then I'll let you know.

If you want to have it plug in my LS. i'll use my car as the model for your experiment

.

 

[stevechumo]

Super White background is finally done

Hi guys,

I've successfully upgraded the backlighting to Super White. It's so smooth and totally surfaced up comparing to yellowish factory background. No wonder many of us upgraded the background to white. My digital camera can't capture all the contrasted details, however, they are all even. Any inputs, please?

 

[WDoherty]

looks good man

 

[jibbby]

Nice nice nice, good work Steve....Looks amaziing...

Lextech lighting better watch out because there is a new kid on the block....

This is what you get for $300 at Lextech, ouch......

 

[stevechumo]

Nice nice nice, good work Steve....Looks amaziing...

Lextech lighting better watch out because there is a new kid on the block....

This is what you get for $300 at Lextech, ouch......

Thanks, John. Yes, I noticed you were a little stung by Lextech's price. I'm stung, too. If I were Lextech, I'd charge only $200. I just don't want to rip-off Lexus members.

Right now, I got more supplies and I can do any colors on mostly any needles that have the clear plastic strips on the needles, except '95 and later models that have red/amber plastic strips on the needles. Because of the red/amber cover strips, other colors won't show their true colors, however, red strips and inside white LED might mix in and give amber. I'm not a pro artist in color mix but I guess so.

Does anyone know how to remove epoxy safely off the things that it's stuck on? Please show me how.

 

[jibbby]

The only problem is removing the needles without breaking them...On a 14 year old Lexus car the needles tend to not want to come off...I broke a few in my day....Looks great anyway, excellent work.....

 

[stevechumo]

The only problem is removing the needles without breaking them...On a 14 year old Lexus car the needles tend to not want to come off...I broke a few in my day....Looks great anyway, excellent work.....

They might be broken. The reason is the needles got hot and make the plastic bases stick to the pins. That's why most needle bases have some tiny hairline cracks around. I always glue around the bases to make sure they won't crack again. And I'm carefully enough so that the needles can be removed off the cluster easily just like new.

I actually asked for how to remove the epoxy not because there's any epoxy on the needles in factory condition, however, I ask to remove the epoxy due to the needles that were repaired by the other website (you know who). They dumped a lot of epoxy (too much weight) on the back of the needles. On my needles, I only put a necessary amount so that the epoxy can be removed easily in case I need to repair them. But that small epoxy amount will surely hold everything for the rest of the car's life if not being removed. Also, the bad consequence of the other website's needles in the future will be the sagging of the springs that turn the needles. Reason: those needles are a lot heavier than the weight the springs can hold.