Ok so I just purchased a new led tail light with the turn signals integrated into it to make the side of the bike look a little cleaner. I just got in in the mail today and guess what no instructions on how to wire the turn signals. The main pig tail just plugs right in. But the turn signals have just a single wire hanging out the back and I have no clue as to what I'm doing. Any help would be appreciated. This is on a 2001 883.

Thanks,

John

 

If it has the turn signals built in then they will get power from the main harness, there should be no other wiring necessary unless you still want to hook up your original signals.

 

Which turn signals? The new ones, the old ones, or both?

 

The new ones. The new tail light has the main pig tail, then also 2 single wires at the bottom of the housing for the leads that signal turns. I have unplugged the original turn signals since i need to access those connections.

 

The 2 Hot wires (1 ea) that went to the old turn signals should connect to the 2 remaining wires on your new light.

 

Perhaps a load equalizer is required to maintain the self-canceling feature. Newer bikes need one when LEDs are used for turn signals, but that may only be because of their factory alarm systems. Someone with more experience with the LED action might be able to clue us in. If you hook 'em straight up to the bike's turn signal leads and they act funny, that may be the solution.
I don't know chit. I just remember hearing something about it.
Let us know how it goes.

 

Well when I try to hook them up and signal a turn the original signal up front and the new signal in the back come on but don't blink. The old turn signals in the rear have been removed. The kit came with what looks like a balist resistor in an older car ( some kind of terminal wrapped in a ceramic coating) but I tried thoes too with no help. It just seems to me that since the old signals had a hot wire and a ground that the electrical system still needs this ground on the new led lights to function properly.

 

Maybe I'm unclear about the set-up, but if there were presently no ground the lights wouldn't work at all. Maybe look into one of these. I just pulled up one from Google. You can probably find it elsewhere. I hear Badland's version works well. I also hear to stay away from Biketronics version, but that was three years ago so maybe they've fixed their problem:
http://www.jpcycles.com/product/381-877

From Badlands site:
"On 2000 and up the load equalizer III is a must. It was designed for the new breed of turn signal (TSM) and turn signal security system (TSSM) modules. On TSSM models, a load equalizer I & II will cause erratic flashing and the key icon to flash and not reset to the correct code in the TSSM module. This will shorten the life of the TSSM security module, unless you are using the load equalizer III.

On aftermarket alarm systems, part of the security is for the 4 ways / hazards to flash when the alarm has been tripped. The load equalizer I will melt after an extended period of time (per the instructions) and the load equalizer II will eventually crack over years of use. My recommendation is the load equalizer III due to its solid state construction that does not use ceramic resistors.

The H-D turn signal converter, turns the rear turn signals into brake lights while maintaining turn signal function. For stock application this module works fine. However, if custom turn signals are installed and you use a load equalizer i or II, the turn signal wire now becomes live when the brake is applied. Now the load equalizer is building heat every time the brake is applied, and during the turn signal mode. My recommendation would be, to use the Load equalizer III or the “illuminator module”. Both have a built in solid state load equalizer that will not get hot, and adds the running light feature, as well as the brake light feature."