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How to Change your Digital Dash Colors

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How to Change your Digital Dash Colors

Postby evil_motors » August 9th 2009, 11:52pm

so i made the best of it since my safari has the digital dash and i didnt want to figure out how to switch it to normal analog dash. And i really like the digital dash i just dont like the color of it. So i pulled it out and figured out how to change the color to just about any color you want. So here is how to do it. *side note* while you have it out you might as well re-solder the cold solder joints that way it all works like it should. I took pictures of what to look for also.

So here goes. First step Remove the guage cluster. It involves taking the surround out and then there are 4 bolts holding it in.
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Next is to remobe the black plastic guage bezel it is held in by torx bit screws.
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Now you can see some of the insides.. you can take the black plastic piece over the top light bulbs where the warning lights show up.
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This is without the black piece over the lights.
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Now flip the cluster over and you will see where the light bulbs for the warning lights twist in. you need to remove all of the light bulbs. keep track of where you pulled them from so you can put them back later.
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Lights removed
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Next you have to remove the membrane that powers the warning lights. It is held in with tiny pins and holders. you can use your fingernails like i did or get some side cutters and remove them but dont break them you need to put them back later.
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With the membrane removed you can now remove the torx screws holding the metal plate on.
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This is the back of the circut board for the digital dash. You need to remove the screws around the edge to free it from the white plastic frame.
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now that it is free from the white bracket you can take the lens cover off. just flip it over and take it off. As you can see the original guages had 2 blue films and one green one covering the lcd display.
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Here is what it looks like inside. nice huh.
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Now look over the board and look for little gaps in the solder joints. what you are looking for is on the bottom of this one.
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Solder the connections back solid and your guage cluster will work again like it was new. Next just pick up some ParCan gels from your local DJ shop or Guitar Center. And cut whatever color you want into the shapes of the original plastic plates. then put it all back together in the reverse process. I decided to use red. but the pack i bought has just about every color of the rainbow. So if i want to change to a different color later i can.
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Before with the original colors.
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New Red Digital Guages.... NICE!!!!
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Side Note. The odometer has a thick green plastic piece that is melted/fused to the cover. I will eventually change this but i didnt want to break my only cluster in case it didnt work.

There you are.. you now know how to change colors on your digital dash.. total cost... .$4.
1992 GMC Safari XT , Rhinolined interior, Fatmat walls and celing, Racing seats, Satin Black Dash, Taplock, Clear Corners, Check out my continuing thread with all my mods and lots of pictures.
http://www.astrosafari.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=3769
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Re: How to Change your Digital Dash Colors

Postby evil_motors » August 9th 2009, 11:55pm

lol i just noticed that the other guage cluster has a few less miles than my original one.. lol better switch that part out with my old one so i dont get into any trouble.
1992 GMC Safari XT , Rhinolined interior, Fatmat walls and celing, Racing seats, Satin Black Dash, Taplock, Clear Corners, Check out my continuing thread with all my mods and lots of pictures.
http://www.astrosafari.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=3769
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Re: How to Change your Digital Dash Colors

Postby astro355 » August 10th 2009, 12:26am

evil_motors wrote:

Side Note. The odometer has a thick green plastic piece that is melted/fused to the cover. I will eventually change this but i didnt want to break my only cluster in case it didnt work.



That's a good write up.

How many of those clusters do you have?
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Re: How to Change your Digital Dash Colors

Postby evil_motors » August 10th 2009, 12:40am

just 2 right now... but i think there were more at the pick and pull
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Re: How to Change your Digital Dash Colors

Postby Matrixx » August 10th 2009, 2:48am

That's a great write-up evil_motors. The Pictures really show the difference between the 2 colors. Thanks for taking the time to post it.:)
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Re: How to Change your Digital Dash Colors

Postby fede » August 10th 2009, 3:38am

It looks good man!! thanks for the write up with all the pictures!
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Re: How to Change your Digital Dash Colors

Postby Big_kid » August 10th 2009, 3:55am

AWESOME job! Thanks! I have an analog cluster, but still... good writeup!
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Re: How to Change your Digital Dash Colors

Postby evil_motors » August 10th 2009, 4:38am

welcome.. i figured someone would find it useful. I just cant leave anything stock.. gotta make it mine.
1992 GMC Safari XT , Rhinolined interior, Fatmat walls and celing, Racing seats, Satin Black Dash, Taplock, Clear Corners, Check out my continuing thread with all my mods and lots of pictures.
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Re: How to Change your Digital Dash Colors

Postby xequar » August 10th 2009, 5:29pm

Very nice! Do you suppose one could do a light frosted or clear gel to get a white color?
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Re: How to Change your Digital Dash Colors

Postby evil_motors » August 10th 2009, 8:23pm

deinately. the cover has a slightly tinted plastic glass on it so you could probably do it with no film and get the white.
1992 GMC Safari XT , Rhinolined interior, Fatmat walls and celing, Racing seats, Satin Black Dash, Taplock, Clear Corners, Check out my continuing thread with all my mods and lots of pictures.
http://www.astrosafari.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=3769
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