(EDIT: I installed my lights, but the thread got resurrected on page 7. Previously, on page 2-4 of this thread, I started to ask specific questions on where I was stuck, after reading the suggestions from page one, and posted a pic on page 6 which helped figure out a solution, just so anyone new to the thread knows where I'm at. Thanks.)

Oh man, I got these HD fog lamps figuring they'd be a clean install, said it had wiring harness yadda yadda...

I already posted a thread about whether or not to drill the crash bars to hide the wires to the lamps themselves, in anticipation of the lights getting here.

Well, now they're here and I just read the instructions. Aside from having to remove the gas tank which was a lot more work than I anticipated having to do, I don't see any trick install instructions or tips for wiring into the existing harley electrical system, which is what I thought I'd be getting. I thought I'd be able to use the existing accessory switch, or be able to wire it into the passing lamp switch or some other thing, but it doesn't say anything about that, it wants me to wire this ugly black switch w/ black wire on my clutch control housing.

I don't think that's gonna work. First of all, I already have all the other wires run inside the handlebars, and I have braided cables for anything not inside the bars, I'm not running this wire up outside the bars, and secondly, the wire's not even long enough for the mini apes I have anyway, which would mean splicing and adding onto these wires.

Can anyone help me? Surely there's a better way to do this.

The other problem is it wants me to wire into the low beam for power, but I want to run these w/ or w/out the low beam. Whether that means I do the mod for the passing lamps to run all the time too, or whether I wire these new fog lamps to run independently from the passing lamps and wire it in some other more direct way, I need to figure out something.

I've seen these on some bikes w/ apes and didn't see any switch wires exposed anywhere, can somone help me figure out the "right" way to wire this, opposed to what the instructions suggest????

Thanks.

 

My first question is what kind of a bike and year? Then we can help to narrow down what you can do.

 

Many here (myself included) wire the HD fog lights to the Accessory Connector located under the seat/in front of the battery and is controlled by the ACC switch on the fairing cap of the EG and RG.

Won't help you on this obviously, but it's a good idea to ask the parts guy at the HD store to print out the installation instructions on accessories you are considering. Then you can know before you buy what you are getting into.

Good luck with your project.

 

Sorry, it's a 2003 Road King Classic, I mentioned that in the other thread before I got the bars, forgot to here. This is the bike:





Thanks.

 

For me the starting point on any project like this is to define the functionality I am looking for, i.e. how do I want to switch these on / off, will they be used in conjunction with anything else or do I want to control this totally independantly, will I only use this when the bike is running or will I need this when the bike is parked up, do I need to switch this quickly and easily while I am riding or can I do this next time I pull up?

Once you have that clear in your mind they wiring actually becomes straight forward. Once you know which wires you are looking to tap in to, then you figure the best place to tap in and aesthetics take over.

 

Karz,
We meet again. I have the fog lights on my Road King Custom. I threw away most of the instuctions and wired them to one of the aux. switches on the nacelle. I don't have the running lights on the Custom so I had unused 2 switches. Made the install much easier and looked better. The only other thing you should do is run the wires inside the crash bars. I didn't and I regret it.
Dan

 

karz10... calm down man... LOL.. here's some step by step directions and it looks like a lot but in reality it will take you about an hour to do this right...

1. temp mount the lights on the crash bar where you want them.
2. wrap masking tape around the outside of the mounting brackets.
3. mark with a pen the location of where the wires need to go inside the engine guard.
4. take the engine guard off with the lights still on.
5. take the lights off and drill the holes. (put grommets or something in the holes to protect the wiring)
6. drill hole on top center of engine guard where it mounts to the neck of the bike. (again, make sure you use a grommet to protect the wires)
7. loosen (do NOT take off) the two front bolts holding the fuel tank on.
8. remove the seat
9. remove the bolt holding the rear of the tank on
10. take a large 1/2 drive socket and slip it under the tab that hold the rear of the tank down to hold it up.
11. take a wire clothes hanger, bend it straight, then gently slide it under the rear of the tank towards the front and it will slide right out the front on the right side of the bike where the other factory harness is.
12. take 2 pieces of wire (i use red to signify power) at least 14guage and fish them through the holes you drilled in the engine guard. 1 to each side of the engine guard.
13. put your grommets in the holes (IMPORTANT)
14. make your connections to the fog lights with the red wires and put the fog lights back on.
15. put your engine guard back on
16. drill a hole and mount the switch that came with your fog lights next to the switch for your running lights. run the wires from the switch through the same location as the big harness going to the headlights at the neck.
17. tape the 2 red wires and the switch wires to the end of the wire hanger and pull them through to the rear of the tank and into the open cavity in front of the battery.


In the left side (as sitting on bike) plastic tray under the tank you'll find an orange/red wire that is ignition. you will need to wire 1 wire from the harness on the fog lights (should have a fuse on it) directly to the battery and the "trigger" wire to the orange/red wire and then the remaining wire will be ground.

you might need to extend the switch wires but i don't recall me having to do that. i think they were long enough as they were.

again, MAKE SURE YOU PROTECT THOSE WIRES WHERE THEY GO INTO AND OUT OF THE ENGINE GUARD otherwise they WILL short out eventually.

 

Thanks for the responses. I think I'll have to print them out and look at the bike and try to soak it all in.

I'm thinking some of these ways I'm using the switch that came with it, but in a different location, and determining that I could get my power to them at any time, maybe not needing to do the passing lamp mod, at least I could run the fogs w/ low or high beam.

I'll just have to look and see where I'm comfortable putting the switch if I use their switch, Ultra says a good place is next to where the passing lamps switch is, I'll have to look at that and see if that makes sense to me, and the wiring descriptions he gave sound good, just need to look at it again and try to absorb what I'm being told here.

Thanks again, if anyone has any other tips or pics, by all means....

 

I think Ultra is right on the money...just follow his instructions and it will work out good.

 

Just a reminder that the small handlebar switch controls the relay; the relay turns on/off the fog lamps.