cluster swap
01-13-2014, 02:28 PM
#1
cluster swap
Been reading up on doing cluster swaps for awhilr now and decided to take the plunge. I found a fx4 cluster that I'm going to swap with my xlt cluster. I'm having a pain finding the correct leds to put in it to change the lights to red. I'm also wondering if just cleaning the green off and painting the back will be a good option? Any input is greatly appreciated. Btw I'm going to play with the xlt cluster so I don't ruin the fx4 one, if it comes out good I will sell it.
01-14-2014, 08:07 PM
#2
I've seen a couple threads where someone used acetone to wipe/scrape off the green. Can't remember how detailed the color removal was though. Are you just swapping the cluster or how far are you going? I'm going full Lariat on my XLT. Here's the threads I have been using.
Cluster swap revisted
https://www.f150forum.com/f4/cluster...visited-17748/
EATC SWAP
https://www.f150forum.com/f4/
Info center
https://www.f150forum.com/f4/how-ins...r-work-208772/how-install-automatic-air-your-f150-212023/
Cluster swap revisted
https://www.f150forum.com/f4/cluster...visited-17748/
EATC SWAP
https://www.f150forum.com/f4/
Info center
https://www.f150forum.com/f4/how-ins...r-work-208772/how-install-automatic-air-your-f150-212023/
01-14-2014, 08:19 PM
#3
I've seen a couple threads where someone used acetone to wipe/scrape off the green. Can't remember how detailed the color removal was though. Are you just swapping the cluster or how far are you going? I'm going full Lariat on my XLT. Here's the threads I have been using.
Cluster swap revisted
https://www.f150forum.com/f4/cluster...visited-17748/
EATC SWAP
https://www.f150forum.com/f4/
Info center
https://www.f150forum.com/f4/how-ins...r-work-208772/how-install-automatic-air-your-f150-212023/
Cluster swap revisted
https://www.f150forum.com/f4/cluster...visited-17748/
EATC SWAP
https://www.f150forum.com/f4/
Info center
https://www.f150forum.com/f4/how-ins...r-work-208772/how-install-automatic-air-your-f150-212023/
01-14-2014, 10:23 PM
#4
If it had auto air no your compressor will not engage. Thisguyuknow has all the wiring specifics in his threads. Yes the lights are clear for the gauge illumination. Painting the plastic red would be very difficult. You would need to spray a candy. The trial and error of using it in a clear or in a basecoat, gun pressure, nozzle pattern and ratio of pigment is just not worth it. Compatibility of the solvents and plastic is an issue too. My suggestion, should you have access to professional refinish products would be to collect several gauge faces. Prep each one to be a clear substrate. Mask off several grids on each one with a strong tape. Then you can mask multiple tiles with one exposed at a time for each mixture of candy developed. After all that, you can illuminate the backside to find the correct method.
01-14-2014, 10:41 PM
#5
I'm taking a shot in the dark on the auto air, if it does not work I will scrap the idea and continue with just doing the leds on my xlt gauges. To resourcing the other faces isn't practical but wouldve been a great option if I could do it.
01-14-2014, 10:59 PM
#7
Senior Member
I have also been curious about doing a cluster swap for quite awhile now.
Originally I wanted the lariat cluster because it had a more in depth digital information center. BUT I read alot on it and all the issues that came with doing the swap into an xlt ( I have an 05 xlt , 5.4 , 4x4 , column shift , manual air,power windows and locks truck by the way) proved to me more headache than I wanted to get involved with.
which is fine, because I actually prefer the look of the fx4 cluster. BUT I have read so many mixed things about the fx4 cluster swap. Some said it was a direct swap and everything worked except the mileage of course needing to be flashed (some however said that a dealer wouldnt even attempt flashing the mileage due to the circumstances....even when they had their original cluster in hand aswell. And some said that a cluster flash would cost equally as much as a fx4 cluster does).
I have also seen people say that the air conditioning didnt work, I have seen some say that dome lights didnt work, seat belt chime and warning light , door ajar notification , trip meter and I have also seen mention of the fuel gauge reading incorrectly.
With all those variables and not knowing exactly what to buy and not having the cash to gamble away on something like that I kind of just put it on the back burner. But I would still really like to do the swap if I knew some extremely definitive answers about what is an is not compatible.
I worked on a 02-06 style dodge ram before and I know they had all sorts of things that had to match up in order to work correctly. It had to be from the same year, the part numbers had to have a couple numbers that matched, If your truck was an auto,v8,column shift,power lock and power windows....then the replacement cluster had to also match all of that same criteria.
I wish it wasnt made to be such a complicated process, I am not trying to scam mileage as my truck has fairly decent mileage for the year (109,000). I simply want the upgraded look of the fx4 cluster.
Sorry, not trying to hijack, just interested in the thread and putting in my .02. Interested in seeing how your swap goes and also interested in the color conversion.
And I agree with the above post...I would avoid painting it!. If anything I would go to your local craft store and pick up some sheets of colored plastic film that is used for cutting out stencils and stuff (the same kind of film you find in old pairs of red/blue 3d glasses for movies). you could use that as a laminent film for the gauges which would work well for light transparency and would output good color ( I used this stuff long ago on a camaro gauge cluster that I converted to blue).
hope that give you a good idea of something to try.
Originally I wanted the lariat cluster because it had a more in depth digital information center. BUT I read alot on it and all the issues that came with doing the swap into an xlt ( I have an 05 xlt , 5.4 , 4x4 , column shift , manual air,power windows and locks truck by the way) proved to me more headache than I wanted to get involved with.
which is fine, because I actually prefer the look of the fx4 cluster. BUT I have read so many mixed things about the fx4 cluster swap. Some said it was a direct swap and everything worked except the mileage of course needing to be flashed (some however said that a dealer wouldnt even attempt flashing the mileage due to the circumstances....even when they had their original cluster in hand aswell. And some said that a cluster flash would cost equally as much as a fx4 cluster does).
I have also seen people say that the air conditioning didnt work, I have seen some say that dome lights didnt work, seat belt chime and warning light , door ajar notification , trip meter and I have also seen mention of the fuel gauge reading incorrectly.
With all those variables and not knowing exactly what to buy and not having the cash to gamble away on something like that I kind of just put it on the back burner. But I would still really like to do the swap if I knew some extremely definitive answers about what is an is not compatible.
I worked on a 02-06 style dodge ram before and I know they had all sorts of things that had to match up in order to work correctly. It had to be from the same year, the part numbers had to have a couple numbers that matched, If your truck was an auto,v8,column shift,power lock and power windows....then the replacement cluster had to also match all of that same criteria.
I wish it wasnt made to be such a complicated process, I am not trying to scam mileage as my truck has fairly decent mileage for the year (109,000). I simply want the upgraded look of the fx4 cluster.
Sorry, not trying to hijack, just interested in the thread and putting in my .02. Interested in seeing how your swap goes and also interested in the color conversion.
And I agree with the above post...I would avoid painting it!. If anything I would go to your local craft store and pick up some sheets of colored plastic film that is used for cutting out stencils and stuff (the same kind of film you find in old pairs of red/blue 3d glasses for movies). you could use that as a laminent film for the gauges which would work well for light transparency and would output good color ( I used this stuff long ago on a camaro gauge cluster that I converted to blue).
hope that give you a good idea of something to try.
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01-14-2014, 11:30 PM
#8
Good idea Dusterdude. That idea of using a thin colored stencil like plastic!
I'm going full Lariat, the dash cap, cluster, auto air controls (matching radio trim of course) the interior temp tube and the blower motor speed controller. I searched daily on ebay and called wrecking yards to track down everything and at the best price and condition. Thisguyuknow has the most comprehensive write up on this process. Once you have all the parts (column shift or console shift, the difference is only in the radio trim panel for the EATC) it's just the time to install them and swap a few wire/pin locations pretty much.
I'm going full Lariat, the dash cap, cluster, auto air controls (matching radio trim of course) the interior temp tube and the blower motor speed controller. I searched daily on ebay and called wrecking yards to track down everything and at the best price and condition. Thisguyuknow has the most comprehensive write up on this process. Once you have all the parts (column shift or console shift, the difference is only in the radio trim panel for the EATC) it's just the time to install them and swap a few wire/pin locations pretty much.
01-14-2014, 11:43 PM
#9
Senior Member
Also aside from the clear plastic colored stencil material I mentioned in my previous post.
I got to thinking about it ( I did custom vinyl graphics for about 5 years ). Why not a transparent colored adhesive backed vinyl? ( like what Is used for tinting headlights and fog lights...etc...etc...
It will give you the same result as the material I previously mentioned....EXCEPT if you went with the vinyl.....the adhesive back might aid in the installation portion of the project...being that you can just stick it in place and call it done basically.
I did a quick search on ebay just by typing in (transparent colored vinyl) and found this which would probably work for what your going after http://www.ebay.com/itm/Transparent-RED-Film-Sheet-Vinyl-Headlight-Foglight-Automobile-Car-Hobby-/151023338871?hash=item2329b14577&vxp=mtr ....And its only $6.00 shipped for 12"x9" which I would think would be enough for your project.
I am sure you could find a better deal if you looked harder. I just clicked on the first couple items on the first page of listings.
hope that helps.
I got to thinking about it ( I did custom vinyl graphics for about 5 years ). Why not a transparent colored adhesive backed vinyl? ( like what Is used for tinting headlights and fog lights...etc...etc...
It will give you the same result as the material I previously mentioned....EXCEPT if you went with the vinyl.....the adhesive back might aid in the installation portion of the project...being that you can just stick it in place and call it done basically.
I did a quick search on ebay just by typing in (transparent colored vinyl) and found this which would probably work for what your going after http://www.ebay.com/itm/Transparent-RED-Film-Sheet-Vinyl-Headlight-Foglight-Automobile-Car-Hobby-/151023338871?hash=item2329b14577&vxp=mtr ....And its only $6.00 shipped for 12"x9" which I would think would be enough for your project.
I am sure you could find a better deal if you looked harder. I just clicked on the first couple items on the first page of listings.
hope that helps.
01-15-2014, 12:20 AM
#10
I have also been curious about doing a cluster swap for quite awhile now.
Originally I wanted the lariat cluster because it had a more in depth digital information center. BUT I read alot on it and all the issues that came with doing the swap into an xlt ( I have an 05 xlt , 5.4 , 4x4 , column shift , manual air,power windows and locks truck by the way) proved to me more headache than I wanted to get involved with.
which is fine, because I actually prefer the look of the fx4 cluster. BUT I have read so many mixed things about the fx4 cluster swap. Some said it was a direct swap and everything worked except the mileage of course needing to be flashed (some however said that a dealer wouldnt even attempt flashing the mileage due to the circumstances....even when they had their original cluster in hand aswell. And some said that a cluster flash would cost equally as much as a fx4 cluster does).
I have also seen people say that the air conditioning didnt work, I have seen some say that dome lights didnt work, seat belt chime and warning light , door ajar notification , trip meter and I have also seen mention of the fuel gauge reading incorrectly.
With all those variables and not knowing exactly what to buy and not having the cash to gamble away on something like that I kind of just put it on the back burner. But I would still really like to do the swap if I knew some extremely definitive answers about what is an is not compatible.
I worked on a 02-06 style dodge ram before and I know they had all sorts of things that had to match up in order to work correctly. It had to be from the same year, the part numbers had to have a couple numbers that matched, If your truck was an auto,v8,column shift,power lock and power windows....then the replacement cluster had to also match all of that same criteria.
I wish it wasnt made to be such a complicated process, I am not trying to scam mileage as my truck has fairly decent mileage for the year (109,000). I simply want the upgraded look of the fx4 cluster.
Sorry, not trying to hijack, just interested in the thread and putting in my .02. Interested in seeing how your swap goes and also interested in the color conversion.
And I agree with the above post...I would avoid painting it!. If anything I would go to your local craft store and pick up some sheets of colored plastic film that is used for cutting out stencils and stuff (the same kind of film you find in old pairs of red/blue 3d glasses for movies). you could use that as a laminent film for the gauges which would work well for light transparency and would output good color ( I used this stuff long ago on a camaro gauge cluster that I converted to blue).
hope that give you a good idea of something to try.
Originally I wanted the lariat cluster because it had a more in depth digital information center. BUT I read alot on it and all the issues that came with doing the swap into an xlt ( I have an 05 xlt , 5.4 , 4x4 , column shift , manual air,power windows and locks truck by the way) proved to me more headache than I wanted to get involved with.
which is fine, because I actually prefer the look of the fx4 cluster. BUT I have read so many mixed things about the fx4 cluster swap. Some said it was a direct swap and everything worked except the mileage of course needing to be flashed (some however said that a dealer wouldnt even attempt flashing the mileage due to the circumstances....even when they had their original cluster in hand aswell. And some said that a cluster flash would cost equally as much as a fx4 cluster does).
I have also seen people say that the air conditioning didnt work, I have seen some say that dome lights didnt work, seat belt chime and warning light , door ajar notification , trip meter and I have also seen mention of the fuel gauge reading incorrectly.
With all those variables and not knowing exactly what to buy and not having the cash to gamble away on something like that I kind of just put it on the back burner. But I would still really like to do the swap if I knew some extremely definitive answers about what is an is not compatible.
I worked on a 02-06 style dodge ram before and I know they had all sorts of things that had to match up in order to work correctly. It had to be from the same year, the part numbers had to have a couple numbers that matched, If your truck was an auto,v8,column shift,power lock and power windows....then the replacement cluster had to also match all of that same criteria.
I wish it wasnt made to be such a complicated process, I am not trying to scam mileage as my truck has fairly decent mileage for the year (109,000). I simply want the upgraded look of the fx4 cluster.
Sorry, not trying to hijack, just interested in the thread and putting in my .02. Interested in seeing how your swap goes and also interested in the color conversion.
And I agree with the above post...I would avoid painting it!. If anything I would go to your local craft store and pick up some sheets of colored plastic film that is used for cutting out stencils and stuff (the same kind of film you find in old pairs of red/blue 3d glasses for movies). you could use that as a laminent film for the gauges which would work well for light transparency and would output good color ( I used this stuff long ago on a camaro gauge cluster that I converted to blue).
hope that give you a good idea of something to try.
The people who are reporting done light issues are the xl and lower guys. The writing in these sub models is different at the dash. I could never find a good wiring diagram of an xl so I was never able to I'd all the exact differences.
The lariat and Mark LT clusters are virtually the same, they will function fine on an xlt or higher with the exception of the previously mentioned a.c. issues and the feature that auto locks your doors when you start driving doesn't work. Never could figure out why the auto lock feature stopped working but I honestly don't miss it. The mpg count and ask the special display features do work.