Dim Dash Lights

[custodian]

Dash lights are dim in the 85 C10, even after putting new bulbs in, can't hardly see the dash at night. Any thoughts to make them brighter?

 

[SquareRoot]

How old are you? lol. Eyesight is the second thing to go I've discovered. I thought memory was the first but I can't recall.
Seriously, maybe the rheostat is going bad. If you have 12+ volts, the bulbs are in the sockets, the cluster is relatively clean, there's not much else to check. I have Dakota VHX LED gauges in mine. Night and day difference....no pun intended.

 

[WP29P4A]

Could also be a bad ground.

 

[custodian]

How old are you? lol. Eyesight is the second thing to go I've discovered. I thought memory was the first but I can't recall.
Seriously, maybe the rheostat is going bad. If you have 12+ volts, the bulbs are in the sockets, the cluster is relatively clean, there's not much else to check. I have Dakota VHX LED gauges in mine. Night and day difference....no pun intended.

67. I think I'll put a new light switch in first, just have to figure out if it's a 7 or 8 pin. Still has the original switch from the factory.

 

[Soundmound]

1. LED bulbs make a huge difference.
2. Paint white or foil the back of the cover if you need even more brightness.
3. I did the switch too. Did not notice a difference, but it also isn't the best Wells switch I ever got. Has to be monkied with to get the headlights on.

 

[custodian]

1. LED bulbs make a huge difference.
2. Paint white or foil the back of the cover if you need even more brightness.
3. I did the switch too. Did not notice a difference, but it also isn't the best Wells switch I ever got. Has to be monkied with to get the headlights on.

Checking in on LED's.

 

[FireTruck1984]

Dash lights are dim in the 85 C10, even after putting new bulbs in, can't hardly see the dash at night. Any thoughts to make them brighter?

Did you replace the bulbs with the LED type? They made a big difference for my Dash, and I lined the back of the black gauge surround with chrome tape.

 

[custodian]

Did you replace the bulbs with the LED type? They made a big difference for my Dash, and I lined the back of the black gauge surround with chrome tape.

No. Might be doing the LED's.

 

[AyWoSch Motors]

Dash lights are dim in the 85 C10, even after putting new bulbs in, can't hardly see the dash at night. Any thoughts to make them brighter?

Foil tape line the gauge refector bezel. Made a huge difference for me.

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[BadBowtie]

Just cheep 194 LED replacements is all we did in our 1984 Silverado.

They alone made a world of difference. I cleaned the clear lens with glass cleaner while I had it all apart too- This is no show truck by any means either.

-Jon in TX.

 

[custodian]

I believe I'll replace the light switch, put in LED's and paint or cover the backing plate. That should do it, I hope!

 

[Soundmound]

Make sure you paint the gauge cover not the backing plate, unless it is rough or dirty. The lights reflected back from that plastic dress up cover.

 

[VaughnsC30454]

Not sure if this is the place for it or not, but not only are dash lights dim, oil pressure gage drops after warm, like pull over and check it now low, voltmeter is on break more than works, po did a mess of new on her. I discovered that a Chevy starter positive lead can't handle any more torque that resting Your hand on it, because the starter was new, so I figured it was the hap hazard 6 ga lead going down there, nope, couldn't even separate it from starter in truck. Tossed it all. It's good to go now. Be careful who You pay to say "it has more new than I can remember.".

 

[Albrigap]

You do know that turning the light switch left/right makes the dash lights brighter or dimmer?

 

[BadBowtie]

And that porcelain around the coil wire cracks/breaks causing most "lighting" issues.