No dash cluster lights.

Just discovered I have no lights in the cluster. At night I can't see anything. It's dark so I haven't even looked yet, but where should I start? Fuse, bulb, then where

Start by making sure the dimmer switch is working (or not).

Have the same issue on my 87 D 50 the idiots lights and 4WD lights work but the dash lights and clock do nothing?

If you have parking lights but no dash backlights, check for power at the dimmer switch. The 2 circuits draw power from the same source but the only difference is the dimmer switch in the backlighting. If the dimmer is bad you can simply bridge the power across the plug for the backlighting but obviously you'll lose the (already non functioning) dimmer switch.

Everything works on mine but the dash lights and clock, headlights, parking, turn signals and dimmer function will swap some working parts around this summer and try to locate the problem that way.

Ok. I have no parking lights. Hopefully my dimmer switch works. So if they both draw power from the same source does the power go through the dash or the lights first?

check the fuse block - the metal tabs that hold the fuses lose tension, and things quit working. Check the fuses with an ohmmeter - if the fuses are loose in the holder, they can vibrate ultrasonically, and the solder run out of the fuse and disconnect the metal bar inside.

i can tell you for sure, your parking lights fuse blew up... that fuse provides power to parking and cluster lights,...
check for the 3 down side fuses on the fuse block... cant remember which fuse is

This seems to be a bigger issue now.
The lights were working. But things got weird.

The wire going into the switch as 12v with the lights on. However, as soon as I plug the wire coming out of the switch in, it cuts the 12v.

Even if I take both wires and plug them into each other, it drops the 12v's to 0.

Any idea on this? My mind is scrambled right now.

Sorry was on the wrong thread! Not sure how to delete.