Diff. lock bulb replacement

[Myke456@aol.com]

Someone on the list asked me for the following. I lost his address, so am
posting for that reason, plus there's probably a few others that could use
it. I recently replaced the soldered bulbs that illuminate the diff lock
outlines on the center console. (Not the green diff lock "on"
indicators-althought replacement should be similar). This was done on my 87
5kcstq, others may be similar.

Remove diff. lock panel-snaps out-I had radio out anyway-gives more room. 
Pull off cig lighter lead, pull out cig lighter bulb(while your there-is it
working?)
There is an elect. harness connected to the back of the panel-pull off.
Pull off front knob, don't loose the orange illuminator thingie.
3 screws hold a circuit board onto the back of the panel-remove it carefully.
There are 5 tiny bulbs soldered onto it. Test, find, remove the bad ones-must
test at the base of each bulb, not at elect. connector (read on).
HARD PART-finding exact replacements-these all glass bulbs are about 1/8 inch
dia X 3/8 inch tall with hair like wires coming directly out of the base
where they get soldered to the board. Diameter is critical, if too wide, or
too tall-won't fit back into the panel. I never found exact replacements.
Closest thing was from a model train place: 12v "grain of wheat" bulbs (Radio
sHack had similar). Smaller in diameter-so OK. Long wires get snipped and a
short bit stripped and soldered onto the board.
ABOUT THIS BOARD-there is nothing else on this board except the bulbs and the
pins for elect. connector-so nothing else to melt with that soldering
iron-but note: each bulb does not get 12v. By following the circuits it
becomes apparent one of them runs >>through<< 2 bulbs, dividing the voltage.
This seems strange until until one realizes that these 2 "dim bulbs" are
intentional (maybe even 6v.)-they go behind the diff. outlines producing that
soft illumination. One of the others illuminates the knob outline and the "1"
and "2". The remaining two are for the green indicators.

  ([____]=====OOOO=====[____])   87 5kcsTQ, 196k miles
 []]]]]]]][Mike Aiello][[[[[[[]     original owner
___\}}}/________________\}}}/_______myke456@aol.com
       Dutchess County, NY