Hey folks, my New Rochelle HD service department wants to charge 2 hours @$105 per to install the smart siren on 2008 FLSTN softail deluxe. I realize it's behind the splash guard but they're saying they have to take the wheel off?. Legit or are they pushing it a bit?

 

According to the instructions the splash guard has to be removed to install it. Some people say they've removed the splash guard w/o removing the rear wheel. I did my own on my '13 FXSB, and I had to remove the rear wheel. If you have a bike stand you should be able to do it yourself if you have the tools.

 

Thanks.. I'm in Manhattan so nowhere to work on the bike outside of the quick street jobs.. I guess I'll suck it up.

 

Not sure how handy you are but I did it on a 2017 without a jack and only a few screw drivers.... remove the seat and the ECM "look down thru the hole" to see the plug, then lay down along the side, remove a screw that holds the splash cover, MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A FLASH LIGHT... Once you see it/ Its real easy.... Wish you posted sooner, I was just on SI and NYC.....

 

If you haven't taken her to the stealer yet, this actually is a very quick/easy street job. I did it a while back on my 2007 FLSTN. You don't need to jack it up, remove the wheel, or any of that nonsense. This will be long step by step but don't be intimidated - it's a VERY easy/quick job.

1. Remove your seat to give you access to the narrow frame area by the battery. You'll use this area at the end to secure your antenna.

2. Get down on the ground on the right side next to the middle of the bike.

3. Just in front of the bottom of rear tire, a few inches off of the ground, you'll see two little bolts holding the black plastic splash shield in place. Remove them and set aside.

4. That splash guard is hooked/clipped at the top. With the bottom two bolts out it now has some play. Work it around, gently, side to side and up and down until the top unhooks.

5. Once the top is unhooked, slide/work the splash down to the ground and back (as low and tight as it will go against the tire). You can see it at the bottom of the attached picture (it's got a notch on top, that's the notch that was hooked up top in step #4).

6. There will be a wire (marked #2 in my picture) that goes to a connector which will be clipped in a little holder (holder marked #1 in my picture). Unclip the connector and move the connector/wire aside.

7. Work your siren into the area, with the siren's antenna and connector ultimatelyfacing up.

8. Connect the wire/connector to your siren.

9. You'll see a little area where the siren will clip into place very low, and kind of block the view of the TSSM (the TSSM is the thing with multicolored wires in my attached picture). It's is very easy to visually "miss" the place where it clips in. Actually clipping it in takes about 2 seconds but it feels like I spent forever looking for the right spot. And once you see it it's so obvious that you'll feel silly for ever having missed it. If you're having trouble finding it as I did, you might slide the plastic shield up over the tire at this point to give you more room to look for it/clip the siren it in.

10. Once the siren is clipped in place, I suggest testing everything works as it should with the alarm/siren before buttoning everything back up.

11. If everything works, you can now fish the antenna wire straight up and through an opening on the right side of the bike under where the seat was, gently bending the antenna wire to the left, and laying it sideways. Use the supplied Velcro strips (or buy new ones at the home supply store if your siren didn't come with any) to secure the antenna in place, making sure the antenna portion of the wire (the last 6 inches or so, with the different jacket) doesn't touch any metal.

12. Rehook/reinstall the splash guard. Reattach the seat.

13. Enjoy your new siren!

 

Plus side if they remove your rear wheel they have to do a belt adjustment to realign it.....