Tail light install
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Club Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 11,483
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From: Passaic County, NJ
Tail light install
Yes, I have the service manual. (This seems a good starting line to most threads, to cut out the extraneous "buy a service manual" posts).
I bought this light for my wg:
It has turn signals built into it. It is not LED. Standard bulbs. There are no instruction with this light but seems pretty cut and dry but the wiring seems to be a bit confusing. It has 1 wire for left ts, 1 wire for right ts, 1 power for the taillight and one ground. That's 4 wires altogether.
Looking at the service manual before oem taillight disassembly, there are a bunch of extra wires. It seems each connection has it's own dedicated ground. I'm no master electrician and wanted to know if I can twist all ground wires together to make one common connection?
Also, since the new taillight only has one power lead, is this going to cause a problem with operation? Regarding stock harness, does the taillight and brake light run through the same lead?
From the service manual, it shows a circuit board in the back of the oem taillight assembly, is this just a connection point or is there circuitry in there that I need to be concerned with?
I suspect after I swap out for the new light, I'll have some extra wires to deal with. I don't want to cause a short, and/or end up with a serious electrical problem.
I'm not an idiot but definitely want to make sure I understand what needs to be done before I start tearing into it.
I bought this light for my wg:
It has turn signals built into it. It is not LED. Standard bulbs. There are no instruction with this light but seems pretty cut and dry but the wiring seems to be a bit confusing. It has 1 wire for left ts, 1 wire for right ts, 1 power for the taillight and one ground. That's 4 wires altogether.
Looking at the service manual before oem taillight disassembly, there are a bunch of extra wires. It seems each connection has it's own dedicated ground. I'm no master electrician and wanted to know if I can twist all ground wires together to make one common connection?
Also, since the new taillight only has one power lead, is this going to cause a problem with operation? Regarding stock harness, does the taillight and brake light run through the same lead?
From the service manual, it shows a circuit board in the back of the oem taillight assembly, is this just a connection point or is there circuitry in there that I need to be concerned with?
I suspect after I swap out for the new light, I'll have some extra wires to deal with. I don't want to cause a short, and/or end up with a serious electrical problem.
I'm not an idiot but definitely want to make sure I understand what needs to be done before I start tearing into it.
Last edited by SC-Longhair; Oct 19, 2008 at 12:41 PM.
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Joined: May 2006
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Likes: 9,225
From: the 50s & the 60s
Yes, I have the service manual. (This seems a good starting line to most threads, to cut out the extraneous "buy a service manual" posts).
I bought this light for my wg:
It has turn signals built into it. It is not LED. Standard bulbs. There are no instruction with this light but seems pretty cut and dry but the wiring seems to be a bit confusing. It has 1 wire for left ts, 1 wire for right ts, 1 power for the taillight and one ground. That's 4 wires altogether.
Looking at the service manual before oem taillight disassembly, there are a bunch of extra wires. It seems each connection has it's own dedicated ground. I'm no master electrician and wanted to know if I can twist all ground wires together to make one common connection?
Also, since the new taillight only has one power lead, is this going to cause a problem with operation? Regarding stock harness, does the taillight and brake light run through the same lead?
From the service manual, it shows a circuit board in the back of the oem taillight assembly, is this just a connection point or is there circuitry in there that I need to be concerned with?
I suspect after I swap out for the new light, I'll have some extra wires to deal with. I don't want to cause a short, and/or end up with a serious electrical problem.
I'm not an idiot but definitely want to make sure I understand what needs to be done before I start tearing into it.
I bought this light for my wg:
It has turn signals built into it. It is not LED. Standard bulbs. There are no instruction with this light but seems pretty cut and dry but the wiring seems to be a bit confusing. It has 1 wire for left ts, 1 wire for right ts, 1 power for the taillight and one ground. That's 4 wires altogether.
Looking at the service manual before oem taillight disassembly, there are a bunch of extra wires. It seems each connection has it's own dedicated ground. I'm no master electrician and wanted to know if I can twist all ground wires together to make one common connection?
Also, since the new taillight only has one power lead, is this going to cause a problem with operation? Regarding stock harness, does the taillight and brake light run through the same lead?
From the service manual, it shows a circuit board in the back of the oem taillight assembly, is this just a connection point or is there circuitry in there that I need to be concerned with?
I suspect after I swap out for the new light, I'll have some extra wires to deal with. I don't want to cause a short, and/or end up with a serious electrical problem.
I'm not an idiot but definitely want to make sure I understand what needs to be done before I start tearing into it.
Yeah all the grounds can be common.
There is a wiring diagram here
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/showt...78#post2616578
.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 4,265
Likes: 99
From: Northern VA
I just tore into it... lol My light didn't come with any instructions, but the manual helped a lot. I cut my harness off and soldered the new tail light wires to the existing. Eliminated the left/right directional harness and just used the main harness wires. Not much room under the fender, so take your time. My light isn't much different than yours...
Thread Starter
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Club Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 11,483
Likes: 39
From: Passaic County, NJ
I just tore into it... lol My light didn't come with any instructions, but the manual helped a lot. I cut my harness off and soldered the new tail light wires to the existing. Eliminated the left/right directional harness and just used the main harness wires. Not much room under the fender, so take your time. My light isn't much different than yours...
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 2,555
Likes: 3
From: Clarksburg, PA
Is that going to work as a tail AND brake light?
If you don't have a dual-filament bulb then it will have to be one or the other, right?
Is it possible that the fourth wire is not a ground, but for brake or tail and that the light is ground by the mounting bolts?
If you don't have a dual-filament bulb then it will have to be one or the other, right?
Is it possible that the fourth wire is not a ground, but for brake or tail and that the light is ground by the mounting bolts?
Thread Starter
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Club Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 11,483
Likes: 39
From: Passaic County, NJ
Well, there wasn't any info in the packaging BUT it was listed in jpcycles as a "taillight/turn signal combo". Since the entire casing is metal, I suppose it's possible that it could be the ground. I haven't opened it up to see what's inside yet.
Road Warrior
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,707
Likes: 4
From: Newtown, PA
JP Cycles is always saying they have 24 hour phone support for anything they sell. Why don't you call them? Maybe they are familiar with the light and its installation. Here is their technical support contact information/phone numbers:
Technical Support Harley-Davidson& & Vintage:
Toll: 1-800-397-4844
International: 1-319-462-4816
Metric & Sportbike:
Toll: 1-800-318-6847
International: 1-319-462-3699
Hours:
Monday-Friday: 7am - 8pm CST
Saturday: 8am - 5pm CST
Sunday: We're out riding our bikes!
Richard...
Technical Support Harley-Davidson& & Vintage:
Toll: 1-800-397-4844
International: 1-319-462-4816
Metric & Sportbike:
Toll: 1-800-318-6847
International: 1-319-462-3699
Hours:
Monday-Friday: 7am - 8pm CST
Saturday: 8am - 5pm CST
Sunday: We're out riding our bikes!
Richard...
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Thread Starter
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Club Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 11,483
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From: Passaic County, NJ
I had thought about that earlier. Kinda surprised they couldn't even stick a little wiring diagram on a napkin in the package. 
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Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 2,555
Likes: 3
From: Clarksburg, PA
If you can get to the middle bulb, check for the dual filament.
If it's a single then you'll have to decide wether to run it as a tail or brake light.
Could possibly wire in a new socket with a dual filament.
If it's a single then you'll have to decide wether to run it as a tail or brake light.
Could possibly wire in a new socket with a dual filament.