"DIY MODS" and TRICKS to SAVE $$$$$$
Intermediate
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 40
Likes: 2
From: Fredericksburg Texas
Tour Pack Detail...
I started with a dirty interior with the inside lid in a silver color with a half torn weight decal, old Velcro strips and some gooey stuff...Looked like crap when open...So with a can of black epoxy (had it to paint a scratch on our black fridge) a Scotch Bright pad, razor blade and a solvent to clean everything up...Now I feel better when its open...Really cleaned it up and I'm planning on adding some LED's and other things...Didn't cost any more since I used what I found in the shop...
1st Gear
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
From: Fort Myers Florida
My opener is 12 volts, but if you have one with a 9 volt battery, you can add diodes in series with the power lead. Each diode will drop the voltage about 3/10 of a volt. My Sears opener only stays on momentarily, so if I leave the high beams on, it will not stay transmitting all the while. Good luck.
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 14,744
Likes: 402
From: Phoenix '53, '88, '09 Big Twins
My opener is 12 volts, but if you have one with a 9 volt battery, you can add diodes in series with the power lead. Each diode will drop the voltage about 3/10 of a volt. My Sears opener only stays on momentarily, so if I leave the high beams on, it will not stay transmitting all the while. Good luck.
rather than a diode, a resistor is the correct device to drop voltage.
a diode has a another purpose, if it drops the voltage at all that is incidental.
Diodes act as "one way" gates--- the current can only flow one way through them, they are used to prevent current from backing up in a circuit or to convert AC voltage to DC volts via a diode/rectifier
if you use an iphone/pad/touch, the electrical toolkit app can give you the correct resistor values for just about any task
B.) with most garage door systems you only want to send a momentary signal- for the door to move- sending a continous radio signal will only make confuse
best system for this task is a simple relay wired to the high beam switch- lots of the correct circuit designs out there
mike
Last edited by mkguitar; Oct 24, 2011 at 01:30 PM.
Cruiser
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 185
Likes: 22
From: Illinois
rather than a diode, a resistor is the correct device to drop voltage.
a diode has a another purpose, if it drops the voltage at all that is incidental.
Diodes act as "one way" gates--- the current can only flow one way through them, they are used to prevent current from backing up in a circuit or to convert AC voltage to DC volts via a diode/rectifier
if you use an iphone/pad/touch, the electrical toolkit app can give you the correct resistor values for just about any task
B.) with most garage door systems you only want to send a momentary signal- for the door to move- sending a continous radio signal will only make confuse
best system for this task is a simple relay wired to the high beam switch- lots of the correct circuit designs out there
mike
a diode has a another purpose, if it drops the voltage at all that is incidental.
Diodes act as "one way" gates--- the current can only flow one way through them, they are used to prevent current from backing up in a circuit or to convert AC voltage to DC volts via a diode/rectifier
if you use an iphone/pad/touch, the electrical toolkit app can give you the correct resistor values for just about any task
B.) with most garage door systems you only want to send a momentary signal- for the door to move- sending a continous radio signal will only make confuse
best system for this task is a simple relay wired to the high beam switch- lots of the correct circuit designs out there
mike
Great mod...I love it!
5th Gear
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
From: Edmond, OK
Garage Door Opener
2007 Electra Ultra Classic
Woodie Wallace
Edmond OK
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 5,578
Likes: 4
From: Northern California
Ever notice the underside of your chrome footboards? They are really difficult to polish...pitting and rust soon will set in. To avoid the inevitability I used Permatex Heavy Duty Rubberized Undercoating available at many auto supply stores and home improvement stores for around $5.
Remove the floorboards from the bike. Mask around the chrome sides and use a sharp blade to cut around the indentations. Stick a pencil through the mounting holes, and wooden match sticks through the weep holes. Cut off the excess material. You are now ready to go with the undercoating.
Per instructions, use a light coating and allow 20 minutes between coats. I put on four coats. My coats were "not light"...and took a couple of days to dry in the sun.
FYI, most floorboards are mounted with two 5/16 inch shoulder bolts with a 1/4 inch x 20 thread and a 3/16 inch hex head cap. The serrated flange nut (1/4 inch x 20 thread) takes a 7/16 inch wrench to remove.
Remove the floorboards from the bike. Mask around the chrome sides and use a sharp blade to cut around the indentations. Stick a pencil through the mounting holes, and wooden match sticks through the weep holes. Cut off the excess material. You are now ready to go with the undercoating.
Per instructions, use a light coating and allow 20 minutes between coats. I put on four coats. My coats were "not light"...and took a couple of days to dry in the sun.
FYI, most floorboards are mounted with two 5/16 inch shoulder bolts with a 1/4 inch x 20 thread and a 3/16 inch hex head cap. The serrated flange nut (1/4 inch x 20 thread) takes a 7/16 inch wrench to remove.
Tourer
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 290
Likes: 1
From: Ventura, CA
My solution for the garage door opener was to buy a lever switch at Fry's for $2.50 and buy a small remote from Home Depot for $25. Open the remote and solder wires from the switch of the remote to the lever switch, connectors in between so I can replace switch. I then tie wrapped the opener inside the fuse panel and used JB weld to glue the switch on the inside of the left heat shield. Now I can just reach down and hit the switch even with gloves on. No drilling, no fairing removal. Took about 15 minutes to put it all together and install.
HD Forum Stories
The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Verdad Gallardo
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In
Verdad Gallardo
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Verdad Gallardo
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept
Verdad Gallardo
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Verdad Gallardo
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy
Joe Kucinski
10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026
Verdad Gallardo
Ever notice the underside of your chrome footboards? They are really difficult to polish...pitting and rust soon will set in. To avoid the inevitability I used Permatex Heavy Duty Rubberized Undercoating available at many auto supply stores and home improvement stores for around $5.
Remove the floorboards from the bike. Mask around the chrome sides and use a sharp blade to cut around the indentations. Stick a pencil through the mounting holes, and wooden match sticks through the weep holes. Cut off the excess material. You are now ready to go with the undercoating.
Per instructions, use a light coating and allow 20 minutes between coats. I put on four coats. My coats were "not light"...and took a couple of days to dry in the sun.
FYI, most floorboards are mounted with two 5/16 inch shoulder bolts with a 1/4 inch x 20 thread and a 3/16 inch hex head cap. The serrated flange nut (1/4 inch x 20 thread) takes a 7/16 inch wrench to remove.
Remove the floorboards from the bike. Mask around the chrome sides and use a sharp blade to cut around the indentations. Stick a pencil through the mounting holes, and wooden match sticks through the weep holes. Cut off the excess material. You are now ready to go with the undercoating.
Per instructions, use a light coating and allow 20 minutes between coats. I put on four coats. My coats were "not light"...and took a couple of days to dry in the sun.
FYI, most floorboards are mounted with two 5/16 inch shoulder bolts with a 1/4 inch x 20 thread and a 3/16 inch hex head cap. The serrated flange nut (1/4 inch x 20 thread) takes a 7/16 inch wrench to remove.
BTW - I'm ashamed to admit I had a 76 toyota corolla heavily undercoated and all it did was hide the holes in the floorboards!!!
3rd Gear
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
From: Atlanta
New LEDs in Rear
Just saw today that the new HD Rear LED turn signals do this, out of the box, with no module needed. I was gonna go with LEDs anyway, and they will pass inspection, unlike the Kuryakyns (not DOT). Gonna get them when the money grows on my tree.