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Post by tshirt on Mar 5, 2012 18:37:14 GMT -6
Ok, so I've been lurking on here for a couple months, and it's been a great help to me in restoring my EN450 to street-worthy condition. One of the many things to fix was the turn signals. One of the rears is so corroded that the ground connection no longer works. After getting the bulb out, with the help of much pb-blaster, I was able to rig it with some tin foil wrapped around the bulb to connect the ground. It's very finicky though, and usually doesn't work. I'm thinking the whole housing should be replaced, but it's like $80 at the dealer and $40+ on ebay. I found one from a Vulcan 750 that looks the same for less $$. Anyone know if would work? Link: www.ebay.com/itm/OEM-Kawasaki-VN-750-Vulcan-750-1986-2006-LH-RearTurn-Signal-/150756862627Or is there a better solution? I've considered aftermarket signals, but would like to avoid replacing the relay switch ('cause I'm cheap). Thanks. |
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Post by eaglerider on Mar 5, 2012 19:41:13 GMT -6
It will work...same as 454.....rear lites are 2 wire, fronts are 3 wire (front lites are also running lites).
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Post by zekkfett on Mar 5, 2012 20:58:48 GMT -6
The only thing that will TRULY stop them from rusting is to coat the inside of the light socket and the outside of the bulb with a very light coat of WD-40. The signals aren't really cheap, but it's more motivation to take care of them. If you want brand new ones, you can shop around on eBay and find em for 24 bucks each. Front and Rear.
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Post by Blaine on Mar 5, 2012 21:53:26 GMT -6
The only thing that will TRULY stop them from rusting is to coat the inside of the light socket and the outside of the bulb with a very light coat of WD-40. The signals aren't really cheap, but it's more motivation to take care of them. dielectric grease works to stop rust and keep moister out of the sockets.   |
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Post by zekkfett on Mar 5, 2012 23:05:31 GMT -6
dielectric grease works to stop rust and keep moister out of the sockets. That is true, but it makes more of a mess than it's worth, IMO. And when it gets old and crusty it can make it MUCH harder to get a bulb out. |
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Post by tshirt on Mar 6, 2012 9:01:16 GMT -6
Thanks for the responses. If it comes down to new signals, I'll definitely be doing something to keep the rust away. For now, I was able to re-adjust the tin foil last night and it seems to be working better. I'll keep an eye out for a new housing though. Need a front one too, since one of the running lights is out and the bulb will not budge. I'm afraid I'll crush the bulb if I try any harder to twist it out.
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Post by zekkfett on Mar 6, 2012 9:19:49 GMT -6
tshirt, not too long ago I replaced all of mine. Brand new, it would have been $100 to replace them. I got 2 off of this forum from a member, and 2 off of eBay. All together I spent about $35. Just keep looking, you can find some cheap, or someone here will got cutting and chopping, and will no longer have use for stock lights.
Buying used ones is risky, it's hard to see the weathering cracks on the plastic stems..... Or the rust inside the housings. If I wasn't such a cheap-***, I would have bought brand new ones and taken really good care of em. To each their own, and I got REALLY lucky to find 4 of them used in good shape.
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Post by zekkfett on Mar 6, 2012 9:30:32 GMT -6
dielectric grease works to stop rust and keep moister out of the sockets. That is true, but it makes more of a mess than it's worth, IMO. And when it gets old and crusty it can make it MUCH harder to get a bulb out. To further elaborate, I use dielectric grease on connections that I'm not likely to have to unplug and replug. It gets really messy when you have to unplug and replug a connection many times with d-grease. And it is definitely not the greatest here, where a quarter of the year is at freezing temps. |
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hoosierrick
New Member
looking for a complete tool box. PM ME
Posts: 46
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Post by hoosierrick on Mar 12, 2012 21:05:25 GMT -6
I bought new at a local shop for $19 ea [bikemaster brand]. That was almost 3 years ago.
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Post by tshirt on Mar 13, 2012 9:31:18 GMT -6
Thanks Rick. I did see some bikemaster ones that looked like the originals over the weekend. I'd go that route if I only needed one, but at this point I'm having issues in 3 out of 4 lights. At this point I'm thinking about just getting a new set and replacing all 4 lights. Will probably get LEDs and swap out the flasher with an electronic one. Anyone know if that will mess with the automatic-cancelling? Anyone have opinions whether that's a good thing? My mind's still not made up about whether I appreciate them cancelling automatically or not. If the turn switch wasn't so hard to center then I'd be fine with having to turn off my own signals.
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Post by eaglerider on Mar 13, 2012 11:30:51 GMT -6
Tshirt, the self canceling thing is good and handy, when working right. However, it proved to be rather unreliable...that is why it was dropped on the later models. It is just a matter of getting used to the switch, and forgetting to turn off (which I constantly forget) LOL
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Post by chopperfreak2k1 on Mar 13, 2012 23:28:09 GMT -6
i like my auto-cancelling switch. it has worked good for me... so far lol
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Post by zekkfett on Mar 14, 2012 7:44:12 GMT -6
i like my auto-cancelling switch. it has worked good for me... so far lol Mine too, except when it goes off before you ACTUALLY turn.... Mine has worked flawlessly since buying my bike. |
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Post by chopperfreak2k1 on Mar 14, 2012 9:50:41 GMT -6
i like my auto-cancelling switch. it has worked good for me... so far lol Mine too, except when it goes off before you ACTUALLY turn.... Mine has worked flawlessly since buying my bike. lol i know what you mean! what i started doing was keeping my thumb lightly against the switch "just in case". it's not perfect, but works well enough for now. |
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Post by zekkfett on Mar 14, 2012 10:13:42 GMT -6
what i started doing was keeping my thumb lightly against the switch "just in case". it's not perfect, but works well enough for now. I'd be careful doing that.....might actually make it not work... It's audible enough to hear it click off, I just flip it back on. I know it works via the speedo, I just haven't been able to figure out it's pattern, eg: under 20mph back to over 25... Lose 10, gain 5....It's very tricky system to dial in, if I could figure that out, I could vary my style a little to compensate. I personally like the auto cancel, I want mine to KEEP working. My buddy's auto cancel works about half the time, the other half he doesn't pay attention till it's the next time to turn. Makes me love mine working, every time I have to follow him. ;D |
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Post by eaglerider on Mar 14, 2012 13:02:08 GMT -6
;D GWK used to give me fits when following me...cause I kept forgetting to turn mine off....course, Mine is a later model, and don't self cancel. Plus...I could not hear it, and no indicator lite. But now, my alarm system has a "voice" and keeps saying "turning left (or right), so I have no problem remembering to turn it of (can drive ya goofy, if ya dont)! LOL
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jp
Junior Member
Posts: 188
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Post by jp on Mar 14, 2012 15:40:21 GMT -6
There was a great thread a while back that described in detail how they work.. Mine drove me nuts by being unpredictable- work a day, not work for weeks, work an hr, etc. I bought a used cancel relay for$10 off ebay and they have worked perfectly ever since.
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Post by wanchesenative on Mar 14, 2012 18:24:55 GMT -6
If I remember correctly, that thread discussed that they work of the odometer (not the SPEEDometer) so maybe you are just putting the signal on too soon when it cuts off before you turn.
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Post by sctsgt on Mar 28, 2012 16:08:14 GMT -6
Turn signal on for 4 seconds then an additional 50m (164ft). Mine have worked almost perfectly the entire time I've owned mine, about 7500 miles worth.
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