I finished the LED swap in the cluster gauge, going mostly white with some blue/green for the various info lights. But the stupid needles are still orange. With white LEDs behind them, they're a lighter orange, but orange nonetheless.

Anyone know how to get the needles apart to scrape off the orange paint? Or where I can buy different color needles?

Thanks!

 

with a blade, scrape paint, repaint.. theres a DIY on SL...

 

acetone (nail polish remover) will take the orange paint off.

 

Don't scrape the needles... They are clear, and will look bad when you repaint them. Just use some q-tips and rubbing alcohol. You should cut the round center part off first though. If you flip the needle over, you'll see two little "nubs" you should shave those off so that you can get it all apart. Remove the old paint. Repaint the bottom side of the needle. Wait for them to dry, and put them all back together. Use a tooth pick and just barely put enough super glue to cover the top of the "nub scar", that should hold them together. I did mine sky blue almost 2 years ago, and they still look good. Oh yea, use acrylic paint to paint them, just in case you decide to change the color later. Nail polish remover, or any other acetone based paint remover will make the clear parts cloud up. There's a diy with pics somewhere on here.

This is for a first gen tc, not 100% sure about the second.

 

^Exactly what I needed Aphex. Thanks!

 

I want to know it the needle a very diffuicult to removed or is they where glued on the shaft,I know that I have tu pull them but I just want to know when to stop lol because I had broke in the past the needles in my protege and I dont want to mess up again I am ok with soldering its just that **** needles thanks a lot have a nice

 

it's not hard to remove...

unless you're yanking the thing stupidly at an angle instead of straight out... then you won't have any issues.

 

i know this is an old threat but mightyp did you ever re-color your needles and if so can we get a pic of what you went with im looking to do something similar and a visual would help a bunch

 

His build thread has pics:
https://www.scionlife.com/forums/sho...&postcount=222

 

It would appear Errikos is correct and I never posted up pictures of the needles once I got them done. I'll take a picture in a few and post it up. I just went with white.

 

Here's one from before. Picking the color is pretty easy. just get some nail polish. I tried gold and blue just for the fun of it. Gold looked great. Blue was kinda dark. If you don't have any paint on the needles, they just look dark grey.

 

how many LEDs did you end up needing all together

 

Thats awesome i might do 2 color on the needle blue near the mount spot ans then red at the very tips thanks for posting it up!!

 

17 to do the 3 main gauges and needles. I don't remember if the little display needed an led or just to remove the filter.

Obviously you'd need more to do the warning lights and if you mess one up.

 

i know nothing about nail polish will any type work??

 

i remember a write up on how to do the LED swap does anyone know were it is

 

I'm on my cell can't link you but its stickied under interior near the top

 

haha i thought i had seen it in someones build so i was looking all through peoples builds haha

 

Lol I printed it out at work today its great when you don't have to pay for the ink XD

 

okay i think this would be sick for the tach

http://youtu.be/iT60Ngcxgr0

to do this would you just use a red led for the 3rd led on the tach needle?
and what about nail polish? would you paint it white and will the color light up for whatever spot this is?

i wanna do this for the tach and for the spedo if possible

for reference this is the led board slickstick led layout