LED Cluster
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 335
Likes: 3
From: Lodi, CA
2001 CLK55 AMG
LED Cluster
Hello Ladies and Gentlemen.... I've wanted to update the look of my cluster, not necessarily to Blue, but just to a cleaner look, as I came from a later model SC400 that had a very crisp instrument cluster. This has been 3 weeks of trial and error, and, after thinking I broke a bunch of B8.5d LED's, I realized the method to get the best dispersion without having to go crazy custom in the dash. You do need a dremel and soldering iron, but no modding will be done to the actual cluster. There is a specific B8.5d LED you will need to purchase, with the large circular circuit board on it, this will allow the footprint necessary to de-solder it from the base it comes with, and solder it onto the original OSRAM green bases inside the MB Cluster. I got to this point because I tried so many different aftermarket B8.5d's and none fit properly, even with cutting, that I broke all 10 of the ones I bought.... I then thought, well, I could just solder it to the tabs of the original bulb sockets... That worked like a charm, and they fit as they are supposed to! Being SMD LED's, they are bright and I don't have hot spots in the illumination. Here are a few after pics, I will be doing a full write up tonight when I get home and can take pictures of the sockets as I modded them.
Member
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 116
Likes: 0
From: Pensacola, Florida
2000 CLK320
Hello Ladies and Gentlemen.... I've wanted to update the look of my cluster, not necessarily to Blue, but just to a cleaner look, as I came from a later model SC400 that had a very crisp instrument cluster. This has been 3 weeks of trial and error, and, after thinking I broke a bunch of B8.5d LED's, I realized the method to get the best dispersion without having to go crazy custom in the dash. You do need a dremel and soldering iron, but no modding will be done to the actual cluster. There is a specific B8.5d LED you will need to purchase, with the large circular circuit board on it, this will allow the footprint necessary to de-solder it from the base it comes with, and solder it onto the original OSRAM green bases inside the MB Cluster. I got to this point because I tried so many different aftermarket B8.5d's and none fit properly, even with cutting, that I broke all 10 of the ones I bought.... I then thought, well, I could just solder it to the tabs of the original bulb sockets... That worked like a charm, and they fit as they are supposed to! Being SMD LED's, they are bright and I don't have hot spots in the illumination. Here are a few after pics, I will be doing a full write up tonight when I get home and can take pictures of the sockets as I modded them.
Pics are not showing up.
