I've been really wanting to do this, but I couldn't justify the cost of a new cluster. Has anyone pulled the dials off the cluster of a ralliart/TJ II/TL/TW to look at the leds? Is it going to be possible to install this without screwing speedo calibration

From the mitsu dealers diagrams, this membrane should not exist. I think that what he showed me was from a TJ series I, where the dials were indeed stuck down to the speedo face. I'll go and have a look at the diagrams for a TL today, hopefully it will make more sense.

Here's a pic of what I paid too much for...

I'll still need the needles. But I can live without it for now.

I've been really wanting to do this, but I couldn't justify the cost of a new cluster. Has anyone pulled the dials off the cluster of a ralliart/TJ II/TL/TW to look at the leds? Is it going to be possible to install this without screwing speedo calibration

From the mitsu dealers diagrams, this membrane should not exist. I think that what he showed me was from a TJ series I, where the dials were indeed stuck down to the speedo face. I'll go and have a look at the diagrams for a TL today, hopefully it will make more sense.

Here's a pic of what I paid too much for...

I'll still need the needles. But I can live without it for now.

Help! If someone can put me on the right path, I'll take pics of how its done to help out others

How much did you pay for it, was it from mitsi or else where.

How much did you pay for it, was it from mitsi or else where.

Ebay...
$107, and I dont have red needles either. Still, cheaper than the $438 ex gst for the cluster from mitsu.

Didnt they come with any instructions?

Their fairly common, I think these guys sell them: http://www.emtechautomotive.com.au
Maybe they can help you.

Didnt they come with any instructions?

Their fairly common, I think these guys sell them: http://www.emtechautomotive.com.au
Maybe they can help you.

Nah, mine are apparently genuine mitsubishi ones. I spoke to Emtech today, their ones slip over the needle, so the needle doesn't have to come off, and as such, no calibration problems. They charge about $40-50 for installation of theirs (EL gauges), said it takes a while (would have to route power to them etc).

Anyone peeled the face of their TJ II/TL gauges to look at the LED rings they use instead of globes?

The leds are just the gear selectors though, the other guages are just backlit with the normal globe.

Does anyone know about the Verada? I would love to change the main lighting to blue. I would doubt it uses bulbs as the lights is very white.

The leds are just the gear selectors though, the other guages are just backlit with the normal globe.

Doesn't appear to be in mine infortunately. Well, I bit the bullet and pulled mine apart, but my camera's battery ran out, so I've got no pics. Once you've got the speedo cluster out, remove two more screws and the clear cover clicks off. Then the black shroud that surrounds the dials clicks off, leaving the membrane. The Membrane is not stuck down at all, it is loose, held at three points, as in the sports membrane I've attached to my first post. So, if I take the needle off, then I can just swap the membranes over!

BUT, if I do this - will I ruin the calibration of all the dials? When I replaced the whole assembly, and plugged it all back in, I noticed the trip computer was reset (4D in my case), and the speedo and tacho dials were doing sweeps to the 12 o'clock position, about once every 2-3 seconds. Can I use this to determine if the calibration is off (surely if I've got the needles in the wrong position, this sweep would also be affected? Anyone got any inside info from mitsu on this!
Cheers!
Paul


BTW - good on ya Billy for giving it a go (rather than talking about doing it like me :P ). I'm going to do something this time though. Seems the TJ II is different enough to need a separate way of doing things. Will document what I do.

Sounds like the dials were calibrating themselves when you put it back together?

I should add there are more of these (+ Ralliart membrane) on ebay. If they work OK, I'll let you know. I'm hoping for it to arrive in a week, so this thread will go a little cold until it arrives.

Sounds like the dials were calibrating themselves when you put it back together?

Who knows? Maybe...

BUT, if I do this - will I ruin the calibration of all the dials? When I replaced the whole assembly, and plugged it all back in, I noticed the trip computer was reset (4D in my case), and the speedo and tacho dials were doing sweeps to the 12 o'clock position, about once every 2-3 seconds. Can I use this to determine if the calibration is off (surely if I've got the needles in the wrong position, this sweep would also be affected? Anyone got any inside info from mitsu on this!
Cheers!
Paul



I had a similiar issue when I installed those EL dials because it required the removal of the needles too. When I placed the dials on and put the needles back in, they all went haywire when I turned the car on.

I'll list what I did for each dial and I would have the car idling:

Fuel: Best to remember where your fuel needles sits before you remove it. If you don't, (like I did :nuts: ), I checked the trip (fuel to empty distance) and placed the needle where I thought it should sit based on that reading. With a steady hand carefully place the needle on the little thingy me jig.

Tacho: While idling, remove the tacho needle and carefully place it back on at around the 700-800 rpm mark. Give her wee rev to ensure the needle comes back and settles at the right rpm.

Speedo. I found a quiet straight stretch of road and set the speed alert to 60. I held the needle against the cluster in one hand and drove with the other. As soon as I heard the 'beep beep' I placed the needle on. I then slowed down and sped up to 60 to ensure that when the speed alert beeped, the needle was spot on 60. I then set the speed alert at increments of 10 up to 110 and checked the needle position. This took me a few goes as it was hard to keep a steady hand whilst driving.

Temp: The amount of time it takes to get the speedo needle on it should be at operating temp. lol Just place the needle at around the half way mark.

Turn the car off and turn it on again and hopefully the needles will be recalibrated.

Doesn't appear to be in mine infortunately. Well, I bit the bullet and pulled mine apart, but my camera's battery ran out, so I've got no pics.

yeah series 1 TJ had globes but not series 2.


So, if I take the needle off, then I can just swap the membranes over!

BUT, if I do this - will I ruin the calibration of all the dials? When I replaced the whole assembly, and plugged it all back in, I noticed the trip computer was reset (4D in my case), and the speedo and tacho dials were doing sweeps to the 12 o'clock position, about once every 2-3 seconds. Can I use this to determine if the calibration is off (surely if I've got the needles in the wrong position, this sweep would also be affected? Anyone got any inside info from mitsu on this!


your a braver man than me to swap it over! the sweeps it did when I unplugged the batter but when I unplugged itovernight the needles went up to a certain spot and staid there unitl I turned the key. problem in vic is that with laser you only get 2 km/h tolerance

yeah series 1 TJ had globes but not series 2.



your a braver man than me to swap it over! the sweeps it did when I unplugged the batter but when I unplugged itovernight the needles went up to a certain spot and staid there unitl I turned the key. problem in vic is that with laser you only get 2 km/h tolerance

Yeah, I'm getting worried about doing it now. my fuel gauge is sticking, i think the original membrane must be pushing on needle shaft. I'm moving to NSW in a week, so maybe it is not wise to have an inaccurate speedo! There is a speedo recalibration place here in Adelaide that reprograms the odometer if you get a new/second hand one, I'll get a quote from them for replacing the membrane. Tried Emtech, they said their dials fit over the needles, so there is no need to take them off. Does anyone know if Mitsu has a tech support number for unusual problems like this? I'm getting sick of looking like a complete w&*ker at the spare parts places asking the same questions, and getting no answers.

Find your local instrumentation repair place - usually someone like VDO does these, they should be able to fit the parts and recalibrate ACCURATLY with no problems.

Cheers
Heath Young

Find your local instrumentation repair place - usually someone like VDO does these, they should be able to fit the parts and recalibrate ACCURATLY with no problems.

Cheers
Heath Young

Cheers, I think that would be a smart move. I'll do that.

Let us know how much it costs i will be do this mod soon.

Let us know how much it costs i will be do this mod soon.

The place that will do it in Adelaide, Gaugeworks on port road will charge $80 with a recalibration. I think that is much wiser, I know its correct then

The place that will do it in Adelaide, Gaugeworks on port road will charge $80 with a recalibration. I think that is much wiser, I know its correct then

Well, I did it! But. now the illumination seems way too dull! Gaugeworks did a good job, recalibrated the speedo, and I've got the peace of mind that it is accurate. BUT, there is a bit of a white halo around the needles, and the red writing on the dial face is not very bright. As I've got LED illumination, there is bugger all I can do about it.

So,
a) Does the 'sports' membrane require a different LED 'bulb'
b) Does anyone with a proper sports dash find the illumination a bit dull? Do you get a while halo around the needles?

Still, it seems to look Ok, even with the orange needles. The illumination problems may be normal, as my dials were not very bright before...

damn does anyone know if u can get these bad boys for a 98 TF

Did you think of getting clear red modeling paint and painting your needles from orange to red. As of your lighting situation try jaycar you might be able to change the resistor to gat a brighter light out of the LED's.

Did you think of getting clear red modeling paint and painting your needles from orange to red. As of your lighting situation try jaycar you might be able to change the resistor to gat a brighter light out of the LED's.

Looks too hard. To get at the LED, you have to take off the entire overlay, and needles. Then need to recalibrate. Its a very different animal to a TE-TJ series 1. I'm more worried about the numbers not being very bright at the moment though. Good idea about painting the needles, I just have no clue which paint to use.

just go down to your local toy shop and they should be able to help you.

was told many moons ago that by painting needles you add weight to the needle & extra weight will affect accuracy. may be true, may not. ask the guys who did ur dash. be a shame to have 2 pay again to have them fixed.

Try taking off the orange paint already on it with a little bit or metho or something, then replace it with a similarly thin layer of paint... that way, should be the same weight.

Called up the guys that installed it, they said the TJII is defintely has a built in LED, and it is a bit dull. The sports may have a brighter LED on the cluster. Bugger!!


was told many moons ago that by painting needles you add weight to the needle & extra weight will affect accuracy. may be true, may not. ask the guys who did ur dash. be a shame to have 2 pay again to have them fixed.

I agree, its too dodgy.

Looks too hard. To get at the LED, you have to take off the entire overlay, and needles. Then need to recalibrate. Its a very different animal to a TE-TJ series 1. I'm more worried about the numbers not being very bright at the moment though. Good idea about painting the needles, I just have no clue which paint to use.

hey they didnt leave the old overlay under there? is that on max briteness?

hey they didnt leave the old overlay under there? is that on max briteness?

Nah, they gave it back to me. I've got the brightness on high too. Looks like I'm stuck.

Hi,
I just got one of those kits off ebay too $70 but I got the ralliart red one, it looks so good:D (now that I have spent about 20 man hours on it:coffee: ). I have a 98 TH, WOW it's not a easy slip in slip out job:flame:. I had all the probs of recalabrating, posesed neadles and pulling it apart but with so many more porbs too. All the dials have individual pannels in the 98 so you have to cut out each dial and line it up to where the old ones were so they are all level with each other and you. Plus all the warning lights are in diffrent places so for a while I had TCS coming up???. So you have to use all the stock blinkers and warning decals so it works. As for the brightness I think coz it was ment to be used on the LED model it seems really bright when lit by globes but dimms all the way when dimmed. :P So only give it a go if your pritty handy in your day job or want to throw even more money at it.

Thanx Brett.

Been moving to NSW, so I've been off the net for a while, so I've not been able to put this out. The backlighting on the new membrane is pretty much unusable. Its really hard to read, and is extremely dim at night. I'm either going to have to pay from a new cluster, or pay to convert it back the way it was before. The only explanation that seems likely is that the 'sports'/'vrx' have a brighter LED setup. I'm a bit pissed with it, looks like I'm going to end up speeding more cash than I wanted

Go to mitsubishi and ask them if there are brighter/LED's available. I guess sometimes it doesn't pay to get something cheap....Maybe the red numbers aren't thin enough to let more light through... who knows