Wiring Nightmare

jj97blazer · Posted: June 7, 2008, 9:52 pm Post subject: Wiring Nightmare

hey guys I need some help. I was checking all my lights to make sure they all work before I get it inspected and they don't. The brakelight works with the rear brake but not the front brake. The taillight doesn't work, so I'm guessing that may be the bulb. There's no turn signals on the bike so as soon as I can, I will be getting some. From the brake light there are, I believe, 4 wires. Then under ther seat going towards the brakelight there are 4 wires. I can't remember the colors right off the top of my head but as soon as I get home I'll look at them and post again. When I get the colors of the wires, can someone tell me what they're for and how to get the brakelight to cut on with the front brake. If there's anything I'm missing let me know.

Thanks,
Jamey

Retiredgentleman · Posted: June 7, 2008, 9:59 pm Post subject: Re: Wiring Nightmare

First thing is remove the bulb/s and check the filaments, then clean the sockets of any dirt or corrosion. Front brake switch might just need adjustment.

jayel · Posted: June 7, 2008, 10:11 pm Post subject: Re: Wiring Nightmare

dark green and dark brown are turn signal wires

xsleo · Posted: June 7, 2008, 11:54 pm Post subject: Re: Wiring Nightmare

what year is your bike? the older models had a front brake switch on the brake lever, the newer bikes have a pressure switch in the brakeline to activate the brake light. harly ever goes bad but could be unhooked or dirty connections. well on the 73 and older had the lever switch the 75 had a pressure switch the newest my have some thing different.

jj97blazer · Posted: June 8, 2008, 1:16 am Post subject: Re: Wiring Nightmare

It's a '75'. I have to get the lights fixed ASAP so I can get it on the road ASAP. Any help is greatly appreciated.

Later,
Jamey

jj97blazer · Posted: June 8, 2008, 3:45 am Post subject: Re: Wiring Nightmare

Ok, I just got home a took a look at the bike and there's 3 wires coming from the taillight, 2 blacks and 1 red. One of the black wires is thicker than the other. The wires from the bike are black, yellow, blue, brown & green, I'm sure yall know that, lol. The black wire has, what looks to be, a double connection on it.

From the taillight, the red wire is connected to the yellow wire on the bike, and the thicker black wire from the taillight is connected to the black wire on the bike.

There's no wire from the front brake. Just the fluid hose to the brake itself. So I'm guessing there's a pressure switch. If there's a pressure switch somewhere, where would it be, and where would the connections be, so I can clean them up and/or hook them up?

As far as hooking the blinkers up, would they both hook up the the brown & green wires, or are there supposed to be 2 of each? I'm assuming the wires are still intact in the front. I didn't even look for those. I'm not to worried about the front right yet anyway. I wonder if I even have to have turn signals on the bike? The main reason I want them, are so the no drivin' sum b*tche$ on the roads around here know what I'm doing, you know.

Ok, well I guess that's it for right now. Thanks again for all the help. I suck at wiring stuff. But I'm on a really tight budget and I'm refuse to pay someone to do something that I can do myself with a little help. Hopefully I'll be building my forward controls tomorrow (Sunday), after I get back from the Mudcats baseball game. I'm borrowing "excesstoo's" design that I found on here. While I have the welder out, I'm going to put an extention on the kick stand, because it's a pain in the ass to get out.

Later,
Jamey

jimmythetrucker · Full Member Joined: Mar 12, 2008 Posts: 1283

The front brake-lite switch is a handlebar switch at the front-brake lever. It is small, round, bullet-shaped, and is actuated when the brake lever is pulled. It's mechanical, not hydraulic. It never touches fluid.

jimmythetrucker · Full Member Joined: Mar 12, 2008 Posts: 1283

For what it's worth -- The rear brake-lite switch is also mechanical. You'll find it under the right side of the bike, hooked by a spring-linkage to the brake pedal.

Those two brown and green wires power the front turn signals. There's supposed to be one wire to each turn signal.

jayel · Posted: June 8, 2008, 7:26 am Post subject: Re: Wiring Nightmare

if you have a points system bike check my photo album (jayels album) for a chopper wiring diagram

xsleo · Posted: June 8, 2008, 8:50 pm Post subject: Re: Wiring Nightmare

on the 75's the front brake switch is mounted in the block where the hose from the m/c connects to the hose that comes up from the caliper. the block is mounted on the lower tripple tree. below and behind the headlight. here's a pic showing the switch in the block on the lower tree. check that the connectors are hooked up, clean and tight.

jj97blazer · Posted: June 8, 2008, 9:15 pm Post subject: Re: Wiring Nightmare

Ok cool. I'll check that stuff out as soon as I have a chance.

jj97blazer · Posted: June 9, 2008, 12:23 am Post subject: Re: Wiring Nightmare

Ok I have an update. I took the rear fender off and I'm going to have to ad some new wire to the taillight. Who ever had put it on must had been a little slow or mad cause the wires are all ripped up. I'm going to shorten the fender so I may get a new light and plate holder. I would love to have one of the ones that kinda looks like the old skool Caddy or Chevy lights. They kinda look like bullets. I also would love to get matching turn signals. But both of those are kinda expensive so I'll wait and just fix the one I have.

Also, I found the rear brake light switch on the drum and It's broke but I kinda fixed it. It's plastic crap. That one worked to begin with I just took it apart and cleaned it anyway and noticed it was broken. But like I said, it still works so I'm gonna leave it alone. I'll check out the front one tomorrow and update yall on that.

I just took the brake light apart and the longer of the 2 filiments in the buld is broke. So I'm guessing that's why the taillight doesn't work unless the brake is pressed. That'll be fixed tomorrow. Also at some point the brake light got really hot because some of the lense looks a little melted. It's not bad though. Another thing I found out about taken the light apart was that, the thicker of the 2 black wires wasn't stock. It was put on there very crappy like by someone at sometime. I took it off and I will re-wire it all as soon as I shorten up the fender which hopefully will be tomorrow. I never got a chance today to build the forward controls so I'll get on that soon also. I post some pics after I get the fender back on so yall can let me know what you think.

Ok well thanks again.
Jamey.

jj97blazer · Posted: June 9, 2008, 2:27 am Post subject: Re: Wiring Nightmare

xsleo wrote:

on the 75's the front brake switch is mounted in the block where the hose from the m/c connects to the hose that comes up from the caliper. the block is mounted on the lower tripple tree. below and behind the headlight. here's a pic showing the switch in the block on the lower tree. check that the connectors are hooked up, clean and tight.

Ok, I went out and looked at that to see if mine has that and the bolt holes are there but not the front brake switch. And like I said before, the only thing coming from the front brake is the brake hose. So apparently I 'm missing something that I need, huh.

jimmythetrucker · Full Member Joined: Mar 12, 2008 Posts: 1283

xsleo wrote:

on the 75's the front brake switch is mounted in the block where the hose from the m/c connects to the hose that comes up from the caliper. the block is mounted on the lower tripple tree. below and behind the headlight. here's a pic showing the switch in the block on the lower tree. check that the connectors are hooked up, clean and tight.

They only did that one year? I guess they tried it and it didn't work out. I wonder why?

jj97blazer · Posted: June 9, 2008, 2:41 am Post subject: Re: Wiring Nightmare

I also looked and saw the springy one for the rear brake behind the brake pedal and foot rest on the right side. Is the one on the brake drum, the one for the front brake or is it just part of the rear brake switch? I'm not sure if this makes sense to anyone else but, I do believe to make a brake light come on by grasping the hand/front brake, there should be some sort of wires coming out of the actual hand brake, somewhere, right? Wow, there's 4 commas' in that last sentance, WTF, lol! Bare with me please, I've been drankin.

jj97blazer · Posted: June 9, 2008, 2:44 am Post subject: Re: Wiring Nightmare

Oh yeah, If they only did that one year, where else would the switch be located? The title says it's a 75, but I've noticed things about it that would imply that it's not.

jayel · Posted: June 9, 2008, 7:33 am Post subject: Re: Wiring Nightmare

it was used on other years, my 74 has that front hydraulic switch so I'm guessing it was used on the early models after they switched to disc front brake, then the bean counters get involved and you late model guys get the cheap plastic stuff (handlebar switch)

jimmythetrucker · Full Member Joined: Mar 12, 2008 Posts: 1283

Personally, I think that front brake-lite switch is overkill. I never use the front brake by itself; I always pedal the rear brake first and then (almost at the same time) ease into the front brake. So if the rear brake-lite switch is present and working, that's all the brake-lite switches I ever need. I guess it's nice to have the front switch in case the rear one fails, but I've never had one fail. . . .

jayel · Posted: June 9, 2008, 12:09 pm Post subject: Re: Wiring Nightmare

yeah but the federal DOT said after 77 you had to have two, it's for your own good you know

jj97blazer · Posted: June 9, 2008, 12:31 pm Post subject: Re: Wiring Nightmare

Well mines a 75 so I don't have to worry about that. So screw it. Thanks for all the help anyway, guys. Oh yeah. Whats the deal with the age of the ike and turn signals?

jayel · Posted: June 9, 2008, 1:55 pm Post subject: Re: Wiring Nightmare

it's called a grandfather clause, just like cars made before 64 don't have to have seatbelts if it was legal when it was made it's legal now

jj97blazer · Posted: June 9, 2008, 2:09 pm Post subject: Re: Wiring Nightmare

Awesome. So all I need is the taillight to work with one of the 2 brake light working. well and a headlight. what about high and low beams?

Retiredgentleman · Posted: June 9, 2008, 4:27 pm Post subject: Re: Wiring Nightmare

If you want an inexpensive headlight that works well................Sylvania H6024 Halogen, 60 watt high/40 watt low..................Walmart $16.77.
Its a 7 inch sealed beam and fits with no problems.

jj97blazer · Posted: June 9, 2008, 4:32 pm Post subject: Re: Wiring Nightmare

Well Im sure the one I have works but the low/high beams switch is broken. Unless theres a universal switch I can buy and put it on. Thanks anyway about the headlight. I'll probably change it out soon anyway just to make sure It wont go out while I'm riding, you know.

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