[OklaHemi]

How To Change The Dash Lights
In a 06-08 Ram
From pale blue green
To Awesome LED Blue


This How-To will explain how to change the lighting in the following parts in an 06-08 Ram:
• Cluster
• Headlight Switch
• 4x4 Switch
• HVAC Controls
• Rear Power Sliding Window Switch
• Overhead Console
• Stock Radio (AM/FM/Sirus/Single Disc CD)
• Dome Light
• Map Lights

This article assumes you know how to remove the radio bezel, cluster bezel, and cluster. Also, to go all the way with this mod, you should have a decent comfort level with electronics and soldering techniques.


Background Information
I did this all in blue in my 08 Quad Cam Big Horn Ram 1500. I prefer consistency, so I went with all blue. It should be noted that the red highlights in the HVAC control, and the redline indicators on the stock (white) cluster disappear and do not appear to be lit. Others have gone with white LEDs to solve this problem. Other colors will not work well.
Here’s a quick physics lesson on light. A colored overlay or lens works by selectively blocking out wavelengths of light to only let certain wavelengths pass thru. A blue overlay will let only light around 450-495nm thru. This makes the light appear blue. Conversely, a red filter passes light in the 620-750nm range.
Normal filament based incandescent bulbs emit light at all wavelengths in the visible spectrum (380-750nm). LED bulbs work differently. LEDs emit only a very specific wavelength of light. For example a blue LED typically emits light only at 470nm. No other wavelengths are produced. For this reason, if you put a blue LED behind a red film, you will see no light at all through the film. The one exception is white LEDs. They work a bit differently than the colored LEDs. There really is no such a thing as a white LED. White LEDs are actually blue LEDs with a phosphor coating that glows brightly when excited by the blue light. This causes other wavelengths to be emitted making the white LED look white and not blue.
I mention this, because there are various colored films in the dash of the truck. Some parts have blue film as part of the overlay. Other parts have blue caps on the bulbs, and no blue film on the face. There are two parts with red films as part of the overlay, the redline marks on the cluster, and the hot side of the temp control. These will not light with blue LEDs. I find it to be just fine. Others have subsequently solved the problem by using white LEDs instead of blue. If you try to use colors other than blue or white, you will have inconsistent results from part to part in your dash.
I did my dome and map lights in Cool White. They are very bright, and look great with the blue dash. Since the lenses on these parts are clear, you can do these in any color you like.
I got all of my LED bulbs from Super Bright LEDs – LED Lights, Bulbs, and Accessories . These guys are great to work with, and ship orders very fast. (I hope I get a discount on my next order for all the advertizing I’m doing for them)

Bill of Materials
Use Quantity Part Color Unit Cost Total Cost
Cluster 5 B8.5D Blue 1.59 7.95
HVAC 3 B8.5D Blue 1.59 4.77
Headlight Switch 1 WLED-R-x Blue 1.39 1.39
4x4 Switch 1 WLED-X Blue 1.39 1.39
RSW Switch 1 RL3-B2030 Blue 0.67 0.67
Overhead Console 3 Neo-B Blue 1.29 1.29
Radio 10 RL3-B2030 Blue 0.67 6.70
Dome Light 1 4210-CWHP6 Cool White 14.95 14.95
Map Lights 2 4210-CWHP6 Cool White 14.95 29.90 TOTAL 69.01

I also bought 1 strip of WFLS-B300 which is waterproof flexible cuttable LED strips. Most of that went under the truck for running board lights, but 6" or so is over the cup holders and 2 14” sections light up the front floor from under the dash when the doors are open.

You’ll also need:

• Wax paper
• 1 Sheet of #74 “Night Blue” RoscoLux Gel (get this from theatrical lighting supply company)
• 11 470Ω 1/8 watt resistors
• 2 100Ω 1 watt resistors

Tools:
• Soldering Iron
• Electronics Vise, or other parts holding device.
• Pliers
• Philips Screwdriver
• Torx Screwdrivers
• Very small flat blade screwdrivers. (tweekers)
• Small Wire Cutters
• X-Acto knife
Also read the radio section here for other tools you might need if you go all out with that mod.