front turnsignals on the rear : V-Twin Forum: Harley Davidson Forums

baroth1 · 09-01-2005, 12:17 PM

It's not really a Dyna question, but can a guy simply plug front turnsignals into the spot where the rear turnsignals go and have rear running lights?

Also, what year HD's have the tail light lens and reflector as one piece?

I have extra front turnsignals and if this would work (with a minimum of cutting and splicing) it would save me the cost of one of the add on running light conversions.

Thanks,

TomB · 09-01-2005, 12:49 PM

Almost, but not quite plug-and-play ... you have to run a wire from the harness to the running light connection.

Cop_Stanger · 09-01-2005, 12:50 PM

The rear turn signal plug is a 2 wire. I did what you want to do by using the 2 original wires where they go and then running the 3rd wire to the aux plug behind the tail light for running lights. I used the 3 wire connector and put 2 leads in the running light port with some connectors and then put connectors on the running light wires coming from the lights and just connected them to the leads coming from the plug. It works great.

Here you can see the left signal flash with the right running light lit. Now when they flash the running light on the flashing light stays lit rather than using a module where the light goes out completely between flashes.

Run.

brake. Gotta love those www.heavycycles.com lights

baroth1 · 09-01-2005, 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cop_Stanger

The rear turn signal plug is a 2 wire. I did what you want to do by using the 2 original wires where they go and then running the 3rd wire to the aux plug behind the tail light for running lights. I used the 3 wire connector and put 2 leads in the running light port with some connectors and then put connectors on the running light wires coming from the lights and just connected them to the leads coming from the plug. It works great.

Good information, Thanks!
As I see it I can have turn signals with either aux. brake lights or tail lights. That is while avoiding the cost of one of the "kits" on the market. Just have to decide which one makes the most sense.

Cop_Stanger · 09-01-2005, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by baroth1

Good information, Thanks!
As I see it I can have turn signals with either aux. brake lights or tail lights. That is while avoiding the cost of one of the "kits" on the market. Just have to decide which one makes the most sense.

I also added the HD brake light module so I have run, brake and turn signals just like a car without separate signals would have.

KLars1 · 09-01-2005, 07:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cop_Stanger

The rear turn signal plug is a 2 wire. I did what you want to do by using the 2 original wires where they go and then running the 3rd wire to the aux plug behind the tail light for running lights. I used the 3 wire connector and put 2 leads in the running light port with some connectors and then put connectors on the running light wires coming from the lights and just connected them to the leads coming from the plug. It works great.

Here you can see the left signal flash with the right running light lit. Now when they flash the running light on the flashing light stays lit rather than using a module where the light goes out completely between flashes.

Run.

brake. Gotta love those www.heavycycles.com lights

I really like your set-up and want the same for my 05 FXDWG. A few questions:

Did you or did you not install front signals into the rear position to accomplish this? I couldn't follow...

Did you have to install the load balancer as well?

Can you list all of the parts you needed for your set-up including the LED lights?

Thanks!

Cop_Stanger · 09-02-2005, 05:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KLars1

I really like your set-up and want the same for my 05 FXDWG. A few questions:

Did you or did you not install front signals into the rear position to accomplish this? I couldn't follow...

Did you have to install the load balancer as well?

Can you list all of the parts you needed for your set-up including the LED lights?

Thanks!

www.heavycycles.com 3 wire LED turn signals, same as fronts but with red LED's.

www.biketronics.com load equalizer for the LEDs, plug and play into the harness under the seat.

Harley Davidson Auxilary brake light/turn signal conversion kit, the older one that adds just brake light function to the signals plugged into the same harness under the seat.

Datawave · 09-02-2005, 11:24 AM

Great post Cop Stanger......thanks

Cop_Stanger · 09-02-2005, 04:19 PM

I need to clarify something.

My bike was away from home when I posted this and now that it's back I see that the housings are different. But, the innards are changeable between them. Just pull the bulb out and then you'll see a couple of slots, use something to hook them and gently pull the reflector out of the rubber, I just did it on an old set and it pulls out fairly easy and then you can put the 3 wire innards in the rear housings.

KLars1 · 09-03-2005, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cop_Stanger

www.heavycycles.com 3 wire LED turn signals, same as fronts but with red LED's.

www.biketronics.com load equalizer for the LEDs, plug and play into the harness under the seat.

Harley Davidson Auxilary brake light/turn signal conversion kit, the older one that adds just brake light function to the signals plugged into the same harness under the seat.

What is the advantage of this approach over using 2 wire rear signals with the TailBones module?

I'm assuming its cost...$45 for the H-D module and some extra wiring compared to $110 for the Biketronics TailBones.

thanks,

Kevin

Cop_Stanger · 09-03-2005, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KLars1

What is the advantage of this approach over using 2 wire rear signals with the TailBones module?

I'm assuming its cost...$45 for the H-D module and some extra wiring compared to $110 for the Biketronics TailBones.

thanks,

Kevin

I tried the Tailbones unit with the LED's and they were so bright that it looked like the brake lights were on all the time. My buddies hated them and wouldn't follow me anymore, I was stuck in the back. And besides, with that setup the light just goes out to blink whereas mine go dim between blinks and look entirely factory installed.

KLars1 · 09-05-2005, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cop_Stanger

I tried the Tailbones unit with the LED's and they were so bright that it looked like the brake lights were on all the time. My buddies hated them and wouldn't follow me anymore, I was stuck in the back. And besides, with that setup the light just goes out to blink whereas mine go dim between blinks and look entirely factory installed.

Interesting...dd the brightness of the stop light go down when you switched from the Tailbones to the H-D? Or did just the brightness of the running lights go down?

Thanks again for all the info...Kevin

Cop_Stanger · 09-05-2005, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KLars1

Interesting...dd the brightness of the stop light go down when you switched from the Tailbones to the H-D? Or did just the brightness of the running lights go down?

Thanks again for all the info...Kevin

I replaced the tailbones with the 3 wire setup but still use the HD unit for brake lights. The tailbones were to make the turns into running lights and brake lights but it made the running lights too bright, thus the change to 3 wire lights to get stock like running brightness and better than stock brightness with brake lights due to the LEDs.