Replace lights in dash

[joyride]

I am trying to bring 83 Venture back to life. I have pretty much done most of the major stuff but I have not figured out how to get into the dash to replace 3 bulbs. Is it necessary to remove the dash or can the bulbs be replaced without removing the dash. It seem like a lot of trouble to remove the dash.

[Venturous Randy]

Not a big deal to take off the windshield trim and windshield and top of dash cover. I hate to say it, but if this is a big deal, you really don't need a 27 year old motorcycle unless you have plenty of money to pay someone else to work on it.

RandyA

[joyride]

Thanks. I think I am doing ok for a bike that had no brakes and replace forks seals. I was in the process of taking all the front flaring off and I figured it had to be a simpler solution than removing everthing just for 3 bulbs. I find this forum very helpful and offer some great ideas to solve problems,

[Condor]

As long as you're in there replace 'm all. I think there's about 8? The Sylvania 158 or equivalent bulb is what you need. They're available at any autoparts store...

[timgray]

I replaced my illumination bulbs with red tinted ones. Makes the dash light up red and is easier on the eyes in the dark.

[Flyinfool]

There was a thread not to long ago where someone replaced their dash lights with LED lights.

LEDs have the advantage of they are not likely to burn out in your lifetime and he said that it allowed him to see the the indicators in direct sunlight.

I had been thinking about doing the LED bulbs just for the added brightness so that I can see the turn and neutral indicators in the daytime.

 

Bulbs are cheap, your bulbs are old. As long as you have it apart replace all of the dash lights and all of the indicator lights.

[icebrrg3rd]

As long as you're in there replace 'm all. I think there's about 8? The Sylvania 158 or equivalent bulb is what you need. They're available at any autoparts store...

 

Just changed mine - there's 4 for illumination - 2 ea on both sides of the tach & speedo -and I think there's 5 for idiot lights - 2 turn signals, neutral, high beams, lights. They're at the upper level of the dash, so removing just the windshield & dash cover will give you access like randya said.

 

I can now see my computer & clock now!

 

-Andrew

[timgray]

I tried the LED lights for illumination.. It's like looking at headlights. the red bulbs were dimmer and comfortable. I did put in 1Watt yellow ones for the blinker indicators.. So I dont pull an old-fart and drive for 500 miles with a blinker on. The blinker indicators are so bright they annoy me in direct sunlight. at night they act like secondary blinkers to cars to the side as well as light me up from the shoulders on up.

[Condor]

I tried the LED lights for illumination.. It's like looking at headlights. the red bulbs were dimmer and comfortable. I did put in 1Watt yellow ones for the blinker indicators.. So I dont pull an old-fart and drive for 500 miles with a blinker on. The blinker indicators are so bright they annoy me in direct sunlight. at night they act like secondary blinkers to cars to the side as well as light me up from the shoulders on up.

 

Wow!!!! I just replaced mine and finally got to drive a little at night up in Nevada. There's a reason why they put a dash dimmer on the rest of the 1stGen's.... Out in the boonies without street lights, and only having the head light to point the way, makes having a dash lit up on high, kinda cut down on what you can see.

Which brings up another question. Will the dimmer work on LED's??

[icebrrg3rd]

Timgray, were the LEDs made for the bulb sockets, did you have to wire them up, or just stuck the wires in? Any resistors? I'm thinking of the yellow for the turns since I can't see them in bright sunlight. I can't tell if they're flashing before I lane change, but thankfully my auto-cancel works so they're not left on for miles.

 

-Andrew

[timgray]

Timgray, were the LEDs made for the bulb sockets, did you have to wire them up, or just stuck the wires in? Any resistors? I'm thinking of the yellow for the turns since I can't see them in bright sunlight. I can't tell if they're flashing before I lane change, but thankfully my auto-cancel works so they're not left on for miles.

 

-Andrew

 

Designed to plug right in. I got them off ebay, look for the bulb number + the word LED and you will find thousands of people selling them.

 

1 Watt are way too bright for anything but indicators. They have smaller ones, but I needed it dimmer than that. They also only work one way. you must plug them in and then turn on the bike and test them before you button it all up. Or you will have a 50/50 chance of them not working and needing to be flipped around.

 

I do need to find a GREEN 1Watt LED to replace the neutral light. That one is hard to see with the full sun glaring down at high noon.

 

Now to figure out how to wire in a solid state flasher with the signal cancel so I can convert the turn signal indicators on the front and back to Blind-the-cager bright LED signals.

[Flyinfool]

......

Now to figure out how to wire in a solid state flasher with the signal cancel so I can convert the turn signal indicators on the front and back to Blind-the-cager bright LED signals.

 

Look here http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showpost.php?p=498784&postcount=3.