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Help with dash at night

n3uka

Member
203
2
18
Location
Beltsville, MD
I have been hating driving my deuce at night because the gauges are
always a pain to see. Had a few scares at night when I look at oil gauge
and think I have low air pressure, etc. Always seem to drop the flashlight
I carry or a pain to hold when shifting.

Found a new item on a site I frequent for toys. They are a military supplier
and sell to public as well. They have a fingerlight that can be strapped to
your finger, glove, glasses etc. It has a toggle on back to turn on/off easily.
I got mine today. Haven't driven with it yet but it does light the dash nice
when sitting and holding the shifter.

link is: http://www.countycomm.com/fingerlight.htm

2 subnotes:
I have nothing to do with the site selling these nor do I profit from it.
I didn't know the best place to post this so please move if incorrect.
 

Recovry4x4

LLM/Member 785
Super Moderator
Steel Soldiers Supporter
34,012
1,810
113
Location
GA Mountains
Here's a suggestion for everyone. I have one of the LED headlights. Works great for all kinds of things with the deuce. I don't use it as much since I wired my armor dome light but its a darned useful tool. Dave, I've got some hotter bulbs for the dash for you. Also, it helps to pop the cluster off and take a q-tip with alcohol on in and clean the little windows on each gauge that allow the light to enter. There are more ways to improve gauge lighting too!
 

big daddy

New member
62
1
0
My M55 has a signal stat liscence plate light ( directs the light down ) mounted over the guages on the instrument cluster , lights up all the guages but doesn't shine in your eyes ! I'm gonna do it to my M52 also. The light is made for trucks and trailers that have the plate mounted other than below the tail light.
 

Warren Lovell

Member
476
4
18
Location
SAN DIEGO, CA
I have an aviation map light. Do a search for aircraft map light. You'll find 24 volt lights are mil surplus.

And you can move them to "illuminate" ( always wanted to use that in a sentence!) other areas!

Warren
 

Opie

New member
612
6
0
Location
Salem, VA
N3uka,

My age will be showing with this comment on your finger light, but here goes:

"E.T. phone home!"
 

cranetruck

Moderator
Super Moderator
Steel Soldiers Supporter
10,350
77
48
Location
Meadows of Dan, Virginia
When I was driving without a top, the overhead running lights provided a nice illumination of the dash. I'm thinking about adding a clear plastic skylight to my bikini top...
 

Djfreema

In Memorial
In Memorial
1,156
4
0
Location
Santa Clarita, Ca
The first time I drove in the dark I was coming down a 2 lane winding canyon road. Needless to say the lights cut out for about 1 minute with on coming traffic on the drivers side and cliffs on the passenger side with no moon light. Talk about pucker factor! Now I just stick to day driving until I can figure out what went wrong.
 

cranetruck

Moderator
Super Moderator
Steel Soldiers Supporter
10,350
77
48
Location
Meadows of Dan, Virginia
Happened to me once coming home from a trip late. When I turned on the turn signals to make the turn onto our road, everything went dark. Fortunately, no traffic and I drove the last 1/4 mile in the star light.
Now I have a relay and a switch ready to be installed to give me the override option. Circuit diagram on a separate post a few days ago.

The 3-lever light switch has a built-in circuit breaker (20 amps) and with extra lights on the trailer etc, the surge from the turn signal lights plus braking for the turn tripped the breaker. It came back on as I was making the turn at our drive way a few minutes later. :)
 

Desert Rat

New member
2,314
5
0
Here's what I did. $7 well spent. I'm planning to remove the chrome and paint it. 'Storm doesn't look quite right with chrome.
 

Desert Rat

New member
2,314
5
0
Me? No. Everything is original on the switch. This is a modification to the dash lights that are almost imposible to see at night. I reused the wire going to the dash light on the right to power up the exterior light over the gauges.
 

blasini

New member
12
0
0
I installed 2 licence plates lights within the dash fed off the exsisting dash lights nice and bright

They are hidden from view and look like a normal dash now.
 
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