HarleyTechTalk

After reading how difficult this can be, I decided to give er a go.
I installed Kuryakyn chrome switch housings. The worst thing was having to cut the turn signal wires coming in from the rear from the signals themselves.

Why Harley could not have used some kind of disconnect is beyond me. That meant having to solder the wires back together to reassemble. They managed to stuff 5 pounds of wiring into a 1 pound cover. Be very very careful moving things around or you'll be buying some extra things.

And of course when I was putting slack into the idle cable it snapped at the adjuster. Great. New cable was ordered. Then there are those 2 tiny screws at the bottom of the lower housing that need to be removed and installed using a small phillips head screwdriver ( be sure you have a magnetized driver) or do as I did and put a dab of silicone on the driver to hold the screw.

Take pictures along the way to help reassembly. Getting the wires back in properly is next to impossible. Doing it the first time I had to walk away often to keep my sanity and to keep from pulling out the few hairs I have left on my head.

Now after having done it once, I could do it again in half the time. Would I do it again? Not in this lifetime! It was worth it though. The housing really look awesome. I kept the black buttons for contrast and read that if you think the housings are hard, try replacing the switch covers, I like black. The clutch side was much easier but still a pain.

So if your thinking of doing this project it is do-able. Just be darn sure your up to it. Total time was probably 4 hours. Plus i had time replacing both throttle cables. I replaced then both because if one broke that easily I had zero faith in the other. I replaced them using Barnett cables. The old cables ( from a different mfg'r) were only 8 months old and one failed.

I hope this helps anyone thinking of doing this mod.

Never had to cut wires to install chrome switch housings.

I've done the switch covers too. I really don't want to do it again. I was doing new bars at the same time so I was able to sit at the table with the housings and relax while working on them and it was still a pain.

Quote from: Coyote on February 15, 2022, 05:50:07 PMNever had to cut wires to install chrome switch housings.

Your lucky. What kind of bike was yours? Mine is a 09' Fatboy.

Quote from: FLFBRider on February 15, 2022, 06:40:54 PM

Quote from: Coyote on February 15, 2022, 05:50:07 PMNever had to cut wires to install chrome switch housings.

Your lucky. What kind of bike was yours? Mine is a 09' Fatboy.

I've done all of them. You should never cut the wires.

I've done these on an '05 Lowrider, a '14 Heritage, and a '15 Road King, and I don't recall having to cut any wires. Perhaps it varies depending on the model. I would install them on my '13 Dyna if I could find a set.

Explain to me how you bypassed the wire cutting.
The wires running in from the turnsignals run through a hole in the housing. There is no connector nor is there any way to release the wires from inside the signal bullet housing.

Many other threads I have read on other forums ( I researched before I dug in) also said they too had to cut the wires on both sides like I did. If you have wires running through a hole and there's no disconnects on either end please explain to me how you did this without cutting those wires.

I'm sure others who are planning this job would like to know also. Please explain how. Thanks.

The wires from the turns signals go to the TSM. They don't go to the control switches.

The switch wires go to the TSM.

There are connectors.

Perhaps this will help you.

https://serviceinfo.harley-davidson.com/sip/service/document/216533?locale=en_US

Quote from: FLFBRider on February 16, 2022, 07:40:09 AMMany other threads I have read on other forums ( I researched before I dug in) also said they too had to cut the wires on both sides like I did.

Probably same forums that use this honing method and recommend FuelPaks to tune with.

Quote from: FLFBRider on February 16, 2022, 07:40:09 AMExplain to me how you bypassed the wire cutting.
The wires running in from the turnsignals run through a hole in the housing. There is no connector nor is there any way to release the wires from inside the signal bullet housing.

Many other threads I have read on other forums ( I researched before I dug in) also said they too had to cut the wires on both sides like I did. If you have wires running through a hole and there's no disconnects on either end please explain to me how you did this without cutting those wires.

I'm sure others who are planning this job would like to know also. Please explain how. Thanks.

Sure there is.
Housing 31B in diagram snip.
De-pin all wires from the housing, fish them through the holes.
To do otherwise is just plain hack! Hard truth.
FSM lays all that out, get one!

If I am ever looking to find a connector for something I go to the wiring diagram for your year and model. Connectors are identified with numbers on the wiring diagram.

Go to the connector locations section at beginning of wiring diagram and look up the number and it will tell you were it is located. I use oem service manuals for this but I believe you can get the info in the harley service information portal....jimmy

Last year I worked on a 1999 Road King.  The list of things it needed was so long, I won't go into it.  One of the things that needed to be fixed is the guy who worked on the bike before me gave up trying to stuff "5 pounds into a 1 pound bag".

from the HD Diagrams

Quote from: jamminhd2000 on February 16, 2022, 10:09:14 AMbut I believe you can get the info in the harley service information portal....

 

I think the process is much easier on a CAN bus bike, since the only wires in the switch module are for the CAN bus node, power, ground, and engine stop switch. I checked the instructions for my '13 Dyna (CAN bus equipped), and it is much easier than for a pre-CAN bus bike. The instructions specifically state not to cut any wires.

I see whats going on there. Thats saying your wires must be fished out through the bars. Thats even more of a PITA.

If thats the case then why in all the posts I read everyone cut the wires? BTW, mine came out really good. Everything went back in nicely and I'm really happy with the outcome. But like I said, NEVER AGAIN!

Quote from: FLFBRider on February 16, 2022, 03:54:50 PMIf thats the case then why in all the posts I read everyone cut the wires? BTW, mine came out really good. Everything went back in nicely and I'm really happy with the outcome. But like I said, NEVER AGAIN!

Because your taking advice from a bunch of hacks! I guess none of you read the service manual its very clear DO NOT CUT THE WIRES. But I guess your all smarter than the motor company and think you know better.   Bob

Quote from: FXDBI on February 16, 2022, 05:28:54 PM

Quote from: FLFBRider on February 16, 2022, 03:54:50 PMIf thats the case then why in all the posts I read everyone cut the wires? BTW, mine came out really good. Everything went back in nicely and I'm really happy with the outcome. But like I said, NEVER AGAIN!

Because your taking advice from a bunch of hacks! I guess none of you read the service manual its very clear DO NOT CUT THE WIRES. But I guess your all smarter than the motor company and think you know better.   Bob

Don't sugar coat it Bob, tell us what you think.     But I agree with you. 

    Truth.  Asking the question without looking in the manual.  IMO if you want to do your own work you NEED the Factory Service Manual and you have to use it.  Not some aftermarket manual, the Factory Service Manual. You don't save anything buying some cheaper version.  If you still get stumped, at least your conversant enough to ask and discuss.   It's a mistake lots of people make. 

Quote from: kd on February 16, 2022, 06:10:53 PM   Truth.  Asking the question without looking in the manual.  IMO if you want to do your own work you NEED the Factory Service Manual and you have to use it.  Not some aftermarket manual, the Factory Service Manual. You don't save anything buying some cheaper version.  If you still get stumped, at least your conversant enough to ask and discuss.   It's a mistake lots of people make. 

Well I guess it comes from doing 2 apprenticeships.  Someone shows you the proper way be humble enough to admit you learnt something and stop trying to defend your mistakes. We have all made them learn and move on.  Bob

 

In the late 60's, I was fortunate enough to major in automotive in a new school equipped with a dyno, scopes and everything you could imagine including fully equipped machine shop access.  The teacher I had for 4 years was exceptional.  We had all boy classes in a tech school so you can imagine it was usually over the top out of hand.  He commanded respect through his actions and teaching technique.  Lots of guys would skip academic classes and go to the pool hall or elsewhere.  He told us he would be checking out standings in English comprehension, Sciences and Math.  Anyone that was not in good or better standing would be asked to find another major.  He said he was not going to teach things you had to memorize like the point setting on a 6 cylinder Chevy.  We were going to learn how to read manuals and you had to understand written words, physics, measurements and calculations.  He would stay after school for hours if we were interested and we would build hot rods (dyno tested ). He would squeal in delight to see a 55 Chevy chassis lift and push the dials as he turned up the dyno forces and the tires howled. I went directly into the trade after leaving high school and could not believe how right he was.  You can never know (remember) it all but it all is available in the manual.

WOW Kirk, I think you & me must have had the same teacher (even though we are in 2 different countries lol).  We didn't have a dyno in my auto shop class but we had & did everything else. My teacher emphasized from day one that if you have a service manual (and are smart enough to understand it) for whatever you are working on you should never be intimidated to tackle the job.

He wasn't just talking about cars either, he basically meant anything mechanical. He taught me tig & mig welding. He taught us how to understand the function of a part so that it could be easily adapted to fill in for another part that was on eternal back order.  I remember like it was yesterday when he was explaining how I will never ask you to remember a bunch of tech specs that are right in front of you in the service manual you are using.  Of course  when you do something enough times some of those specs stay with you.  Although I haven't worked on one in years, I still remember the firing order of a chevy V8 (1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2)  A few years later I was sitting in a classroom taking a bunch of state tests to be certified in various skills (transmission repair/engine overhaul/wheel alignment etc.etc.)  The tests should have been fairly easy for someone like me, I had been working as a mechanic for a few years at this point & was very competent in these areas but they had thrown in a bunch of trick questions (stuff like a multiple choice question where three of the choices where almost right and the forth was totally wrong, but all three of the almost right answers had something technically wrong with them so there should have been a none of the above choice).  The tests had to have been written by some bureaucrat that had never fixed a car in his life !!

These tests where administered by the state police at the time. The guy that was watching over my group was a GREAT GUY.  He said right up front that some of you guys are going to get really upset by some of these questions & when you do, raise your hand & explain to me why the answers don't make sense.. He said I'm not allowed to tell you the answer, but I will help any way I can (and he was great about it). At one point, a couple hours into it I could see the guy next to me getting more & more pissed about the questions. I just happened to know the guy & he was a GREAT mechanic. He finally called the cop over and said "dude, this is complete BS - half these questions have NO RIGHT ANSWER !!"  The cop was awesome, he calmed him down & told him "look, just do the best you can. You just have to pass it, nobody will ever know what your score was"  I'll make sure you come out OK. I had called him over when I got to a question that asked for some obscure spec that NOBODY should be required to know because you just look it up in the service manual.  I told him, I just happen to know this answer because I just did this job yesterday at work, but you're going to have really good mechanics going nuts over a question like this.  Then I watched when the guy on the other side of me was ready to explode over a very similar question. The cop simply looked over his shoulder & tapped his finger on the correct answer & walked away without saying a word.

~John

Quote from: jmorton10 on February 17, 2022, 04:22:18 AMemphasized from day one that if you have a service manual (and are smart enough to understand it) for whatever you are working on you should never be intimidated to tackle the job.

the way it was put to me is that 'no one knows everything(regardless of what they may think or tell you)*..but as long as you can read and understand the service lit then you should be able to figure it out..whatever it is...'
* someone who 'knows everything' causes me to have my extra radar on watching my back....

Quote from: thumpr54 on February 17, 2022, 06:05:22 AM

Quote from: jmorton10 on February 17, 2022, 04:22:18 AMemphasized from day one that if you have a service manual (and are smart enough to understand it) for whatever you are working on you should never be intimidated to tackle the job.

the way it was put to me is that 'no one knows everything(regardless of what they may think or tell you)*..but as long as you can read and understand the service lit then you should be able to figure it out..whatever it is...'
* someone who 'knows everything' causes me to have my extra radar on watching my back....

Factory Service manuals (and Parts catalogues) often have exploded views of assemblies that speak for themselves.  Reading the text and viewing the assembly in the form of individual components moved away from each other will help to enhance your understanding.  Lots of instruction sheets actually use that method and include exploded views.  Many times the parts manual is all that you have.  If you understand physics and operation or function of simple things like the law of levers you can pull one out the hat. 

Quote from: jmorton10 on February 17, 2022, 04:22:18 AMWOW Kirk, I think you & me must have had the same teacher (even though we are in 2 different countries lol).  We didn't have a dyno in my auto shop class but we had & did everything else. My teacher emphasized from day one that if you have a service manual (and are smart enough to understand it) for whatever you are working on you should never be intimidated to tackle the job.

He wasn't just talking about cars either, he basically meant anything mechanical. He taught me tig & mig welding. He taught us how to understand the function of a part so that it could be easily adapted to fill in for another part that was on eternal back order.  I remember like it was yesterday when he was explaining how I will never ask you to remember a bunch of tech specs that are right in front of you in the service manual you are using.  Of course  when you do something enough times some of those specs stay with you.  Although I haven't worked on one in years, I still remember the firing order of a chevy V8 (1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2)  A few years later I was sitting in a classroom taking a bunch of state tests to be certified in various skills (transmission repair/engine overhaul/wheel alignment etc.etc.)  The tests should have been fairly easy for someone like me, I had been working as a mechanic for a few years at this point & was very competent in these areas but they had thrown in a bunch of trick questions (stuff like a multiple choice question where three of the choices where almost right and the forth was totally wrong, but all three of the almost right answers had something technically wrong with them so there should have been a none of the above choice).  The tests had to have been written by some bureaucrat that had never fixed a car in his life !!

These tests where administered by the state police at the time. The guy that was watching over my group was a GREAT GUY.  He said right up front that some of you guys are going to get really upset by some of these questions & when you do, raise your hand & explain to me why the answers don't make sense.. He said I'm not allowed to tell you the answer, but I will help any way I can (and he was great about it). At one point, a couple hours into it I could see the guy next to me getting more & more pissed about the questions. I just happened to know the guy & he was a GREAT mechanic. He finally called the cop over and said "dude, this is complete BS - half these questions have NO RIGHT ANSWER !!"  The cop was awesome, he calmed him down & told him "look, just do the best you can. You just have to pass it, nobody will ever know what your score was"  I'll make sure you come out OK. I had called him over when I got to a question that asked for some obscure spec that NOBODY should be required to know because you just look it up in the service manual.  I told him, I just happen to know this answer because I just did this job yesterday at work, but you're going to have really good mechanics going nuts over a question like this.  Then I watched when the guy on the other side of me was ready to explode over a very similar question. The cop simply looked over his shoulder & tapped his finger on the correct answer & walked away without saying a word.

~John

He really knew how to connect with us.  I remember a hydraulic disc brake class where he was explaining how brake fluid being water soluble was able to get contaminated with moisture and because disc brakes had no means of adjustment, as they wore, the fluid level would drop to replace the void in the caliber body from the missing lining thickness and that required you to check the level.  Low fluid was a sign of wear and not necessarily a leak. This was before see through reservoirs and you had to be diligent with checking the level. He had just previously reasoned brake fluid was water soluble and you should immediately rinse off any spillage with water before it affected the paint.  Brake fluid could absorb and mix with water.  He let that perc for a while and then came back with a situational challenge.

You're parked with your lady friend out in the country and you put your foot on the brake pedal and it fades to the floor. You check the master cylinder and it's empty.  All you have with you is a 6 pack and a flashlight.  You can't find any sign of a fluid leak in the system.  How do you get home?

This was before cell phones and remember, it's a group of teenagers in an all boy class.  He knew us well.       No one had a good answer.  His response was, to have a couple more beers and enjoy the company you had with you.  When the urge came to have a whiz, you pop the hood, pee in the master cylinder, pump the brake pedal slowly until the pedal returns and carefully drive home.  He rejected wasteful use of the beer in its first state.    I never forgot the ability of brake fluid (at least in those days) to absorb and mix with water or how to think out of the box for a solution based on physics and what you have handy.

Quote from: FLFBRider on February 16, 2022, 03:54:50 PMI see whats going on there. Thats saying your wires must be fished out through the bars. Thats even more of a PITA.

If thats the case then why in all the posts I read everyone cut the wires? BTW, mine came out really good. Everything went back in nicely and I'm really happy with the outcome. But like I said, NEVER AGAIN!

UNTIL that cheap a$$ "chrome" on Kuryakin parts goes to $"Potty mouth" in 6 months!