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Lights and Lighting

Page history last edited by PBworks 15 years, 11 months ago
Modify the Turn Signals to Accept Dual Filament American Bulbs
 
Go to Auto Zone and buy 2 each of the #85803 Double Contact ¾” Sockets and a pair of #1157 bulbs. You’ll spend about $9.00.
 
Remove the turn signal lights by following these steps.
1)     Remove the cover in the center, just above the tail light.
2)     Unscrew the nut holding the turn signal assembly in.
3)     Cut the two wires. Cut close to the assembly so you leave enough wire.
4)     Remove the entire turn signal light assembly.
5)     There’s a small Phillips screw inside the hole where the wires come out. Remove that screw and separate the mount from the light.
6)     Remove the clear lens.
7)     Remove the bulb (press in and twist CCW to remove it).
8)     Remove the 2 screws holding the reflector assembly.
9)     Remove the reflector assembly along with the two wires.
 
Looking at the reflector you’ll notice that the lamp socket appears to be a press fit. Actually, there is a spot weld on each side.
They look like tiny circles. Carefully center punch in the center of each of those circles.
Starting with about a 1/16” drill bit, and working up to about 1/8” or 3/16” bit, drill out the spot welds.
You can then push the socket out of the reflector.
 
Hooray! The new AZ sockets are a press fit into the reflector.
Before you put them in, remove the black plastic assembly with the wires in it.
Now, go ahead and press them in.
 
These sockets need a ground and we’ll not get it from the plastic light body.
That means you have to solder a wire onto the socket.
The socket will not accept solder as is. You’ll need to use a file or grinder to rough up the surface.
I roughed up the socket right where it sticks out of the reflector, and also roughed up the reflector where the two meet.
 
Cut a wire to about the same length and size as the two that came in the socket.
Using a fairly high heat or high wattage iron AND RESIN CORE SOLDER, solder the wire to the socket.
If you solder in just the right place, it will also solder the socket to the reflector.
Once it cools (yes, it’s still hot!) wrap a layer or two of electrical tape around the socket to keep the wire from flexing and breaking loose.
 
It’s now time to put it all back together. Go get a beer or Coke and relax a minute.
1)     Put the black plastic piece with the wires in it back into the socket.
2)     Remove the small rubber grommet with 2 holes in it in the bottom of the tail light assembly.
3)     Look inside the new socket and you’ll see a groove on each side of the socket. One is deeper than the other.
4)     Plug the 1157 bulb into the socket making sure the bottom tit on the bulb goes into the deeper groove. Press it in and turn CW to lock it in.
5)     Feed the 3 wires through the hole where the grommet was and seat the reflector in the turn light. Replace the 2 screws holding the reflector in.
6)     Feed the 3 wires into the mount. They go through the hole that has the small screw in it.
7)     Replace the small screw and tighten. The assembly is now complete.
 
Now we have to determine which wire is which.
You should know (you did mark it or use a different color, didn’t you?) which wire is the ground wire.
Connect the ground wire to the negative terminal of a 12 volt source. The bike battery or your car battery will work fine.
Connect each of the other wires, one at a time, to the positive battery terminal.
One wire will light the light brighter than the other. That wire will be for the turn signal. Mark it somehow.
The other wire will be a running light just like your tail light.
 
You can now reinstall the complete assembly on the bike.
Connect the new ground wire to the ground wire that you cut off (the black one).
Or, you could get a crimp terminal lug with a hole big enough to fit over the mounting bolt and connect the ground wire that way.
 
The wire that you marked as the brightest gets connected to the other cut off wire, either red or green, depending on which side you’re working on.
The other wire from our new bulb needs to be connected to the tail light.
You have to connect to the blue wire with the red marks.
That wire is also inside the assembly. (The “running” light wires from both new bulbs get connected to that blue/red wire).
You could just leave the running light wires dangling for now if you don’t want to connect them. 
You can finish the job later..
 
Tint the clear lenses red and reinstall them. Replace the center cover. Test your work
 
 
How to Make your Clear Lenses Red
 
There are at least two ways to make the clear turn signal lenses red.
1) Go to hobby store and buy a can of Testors Translucent Red spray paint. Remove the lenses and spray the INSIDE with the paint.
2) Buy a roll of brake light repair tape (red) and your local automotive store. Cover the inside of the lens with the tape. It works well!

 

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