Street Glide LED mod with Pics
#31
04-02-2009, 10:32 PM
You talked about it months back...Hopefully, I can get it painted and assembled in the next three weeks for a trip to Orlando.
Frankly, the LED project was something to do while the paint project was on hold.
#32
04-03-2009, 03:04 AM
great post and great idea! I would love to add this, but I will tell that I added the LED board for the brake light and that was a huge pain in the ****! I had the hardest time removing the black sealant that sealed that housing, although once it was apart it was a breeze and man is that bright with a led board in it!!!! But your setup looks great and I would have to bet that it is bright as hell!!!
Great job!
Great job!
#33
04-03-2009, 03:41 PM
Tourer
Great post, great tutorial Carl. Just an update: CustDyn does not carry the 30 LED flex any longer. I ordered the 25 in lieu. Also, they carry the- Dual Element Circuit for Flex 30-60 LEDs
Converts Flex array into 2 Stages--Running/Brake Or Running/Turn
Item: 6122-00
The tech told me that you can wire them so the are running/brake or running/turn. Looking forward to the project.
Converts Flex array into 2 Stages--Running/Brake Or Running/Turn
Item: 6122-00
The tech told me that you can wire them so the are running/brake or running/turn. Looking forward to the project.
Last edited by ffdharley3; 04-06-2009 at 04:24 PM.
#35
10-15-2009, 08:00 AM
Bigmeanie (Todd) posted recently about a mod to the stock SG facia LED, replacing the stock circuit board that has four LED's with three flexible strips of 30 LED's from Custom Dynamics. Here's Todd's original thread:
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/touri...mods-done.html
The short version of this project is: (1) heat the seam between lens and housing and pry them apart to separate the two pieces; (2) remove the stock LED circuit board; (3) break-off and grind down the brackets in the roof of the housing; (3) install the three LED strips from Custom Dynamics; (4) seal the hole in the housing and attach the lens to the housing with RTV silicone; and, wire the LED for run/brake light functions.
I spoke to Todd about the change and decided to give it a try because I was considering the HD accessory LED that replaces the stock run-only light function with the one that provides run and brake light functions.
Along the way, I changed from what Todd did only with respect to mounting the LED strips which I will explain below. It's a pretty simple project and, for me, worthwile.
Step 1--Separating the lens and white housing.
Removing the LED from the facia involves unplugging the electrical connector and two torx screws that secure it to the facia.
Take a hair dryer and heat the seam between the lens and white body of the light. Use a pick tool, small flat blade screwdriver, then larger flat blade screwdriver to separate the lens from the white housing by prying them apart. The lens is held in the white housing with a rubber/latex sealant, so heating the seam loosens the adhesion and allows the lens to be separated from the housing. Don't worry about nicking the white plastic housing as you do this since it won't be visible or effect the seal when the lens and housing are reassembled.
Step 2--Removing the stock circuit board.
This is what you will see when the two parts are separated:
http://
I was surprised to see the stock circuit board/LED's located in the top of the housing with the light bounced out of the lens via the angled portion of the housing immediately below the circuit board. The circuit board is simply slid into some molded brackets and easily removed with a pick tool:
http://
The sealant used to secure the lens to the housing is removed using the hair dryer to heat it, and a pick tool and box cutter.
Step 3--Installing the new LED's.
Here are the LED strips from Custom Dynamics:
http://
http://
The LED strips have double-sided tape on the backs to secure them when installed.
My installation of the LED's differs from Todd's. He used clear polycarbonate cut and shaped to conform to the lens of the SG light and mounted each strip directly behind the three segments of the lens that are visible when the light is installed in the facia. He told me how to do this and I tried it but found it very slow going trying to rough cut the polycarbonate, trim the rough piece for fitting inside the lens, etc.
Since the stock LED is mounted in the "roof" of the housing, I decided to do the same. To create enough room for the three LED strips the brackets used to mount the stock circuit board are easily removed with a pair of plier to break-off the long brackets and a Dremel grinding attachment to remove the stubs. Here are the three LED strips installed in the roof of the housing:
http://
To improve the reflectivity of the white plastic housing, I lined it with some reflective tape purchased at an auto parts store:
http://
I also cut the reflective tape into thin strips and attached them to the back of the lens that is not visible when the lens is installed; the idea being to bounce the light back rather than light the rear part of the facia:
http://
Some RTV Silicone in the hole where the wires exit the housing seals the hole, and holds the lens in the housing.
Step 4--Wiring.
Since I'm not ready to install the light in the facia (the bike's apart for a paint project), I haven't done the final wiring. However, my plan is to wire two of the LED strips as a brake light, and the third strip as the run light. Todd wired his this way with the center strip in the lens the run light, and the top and bottom strips as the brake light.
Since my strips are mounted in the roof of the housing, I doubt that it will make much difference which of the three is used for the run light. The wires from the strips will need to be shortened considerably. They will be wired along with the SG turn signal bar's license plate light and plugged into the upper left chamber of the circuit board behind the tail light lens. The connector used is a three wire connector with the far left slot the ground; center is the brake light; and, the far right slot is the run light.
Cost.
The LED's from Custom Dynamics were $26 each plus shipping. I don't have a side by side comparison to the HD run/brake light accessory, but I'm confident my project will be significantly brighter all around. I'll post some pics of the final installation and see if I can arrange some bike-to-bike pics with a buddy's SG.
Thanks to Todd for walking me through the modification.
Edit: Using the upper left chamber of the tail light circuit board and its three pins for ground, run, and brake light is exactly how the HD "Tri-bar Lighted Rear Fender Extension Kit," PN 91067-07, is connected, so there are no electrical issues with this set-up. Road King owners would wire their LED this way also since there is no Tour Pak harness on their bikes. Street Glides use the tour pak harness for the facia LED, but can use the tail light circuit board (by splicing in the turn signal license plate light wires) if they want the tour pak harness to use with a lighted tour pak (which is why I didn't use the tour pak harness for this project; I have an Ultra King tour pak on a detachable rack and wanted the tour pak harness for the tour pak.
Edit 2: If someone with a SG has a failed LED, shoot me a PM with your mailing address and I'll send you the stock board I removed--it works.
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/touri...mods-done.html
The short version of this project is: (1) heat the seam between lens and housing and pry them apart to separate the two pieces; (2) remove the stock LED circuit board; (3) break-off and grind down the brackets in the roof of the housing; (3) install the three LED strips from Custom Dynamics; (4) seal the hole in the housing and attach the lens to the housing with RTV silicone; and, wire the LED for run/brake light functions.
I spoke to Todd about the change and decided to give it a try because I was considering the HD accessory LED that replaces the stock run-only light function with the one that provides run and brake light functions.
Along the way, I changed from what Todd did only with respect to mounting the LED strips which I will explain below. It's a pretty simple project and, for me, worthwile.
Step 1--Separating the lens and white housing.
Removing the LED from the facia involves unplugging the electrical connector and two torx screws that secure it to the facia.
Take a hair dryer and heat the seam between the lens and white body of the light. Use a pick tool, small flat blade screwdriver, then larger flat blade screwdriver to separate the lens from the white housing by prying them apart. The lens is held in the white housing with a rubber/latex sealant, so heating the seam loosens the adhesion and allows the lens to be separated from the housing. Don't worry about nicking the white plastic housing as you do this since it won't be visible or effect the seal when the lens and housing are reassembled.
Step 2--Removing the stock circuit board.
This is what you will see when the two parts are separated:
http://
I was surprised to see the stock circuit board/LED's located in the top of the housing with the light bounced out of the lens via the angled portion of the housing immediately below the circuit board. The circuit board is simply slid into some molded brackets and easily removed with a pick tool:
http://
The sealant used to secure the lens to the housing is removed using the hair dryer to heat it, and a pick tool and box cutter.
Step 3--Installing the new LED's.
Here are the LED strips from Custom Dynamics:
http://
http://
The LED strips have double-sided tape on the backs to secure them when installed.
My installation of the LED's differs from Todd's. He used clear polycarbonate cut and shaped to conform to the lens of the SG light and mounted each strip directly behind the three segments of the lens that are visible when the light is installed in the facia. He told me how to do this and I tried it but found it very slow going trying to rough cut the polycarbonate, trim the rough piece for fitting inside the lens, etc.
Since the stock LED is mounted in the "roof" of the housing, I decided to do the same. To create enough room for the three LED strips the brackets used to mount the stock circuit board are easily removed with a pair of plier to break-off the long brackets and a Dremel grinding attachment to remove the stubs. Here are the three LED strips installed in the roof of the housing:
http://
To improve the reflectivity of the white plastic housing, I lined it with some reflective tape purchased at an auto parts store:
http://
I also cut the reflective tape into thin strips and attached them to the back of the lens that is not visible when the lens is installed; the idea being to bounce the light back rather than light the rear part of the facia:
http://
Some RTV Silicone in the hole where the wires exit the housing seals the hole, and holds the lens in the housing.
Step 4--Wiring.
Since I'm not ready to install the light in the facia (the bike's apart for a paint project), I haven't done the final wiring. However, my plan is to wire two of the LED strips as a brake light, and the third strip as the run light. Todd wired his this way with the center strip in the lens the run light, and the top and bottom strips as the brake light.
Since my strips are mounted in the roof of the housing, I doubt that it will make much difference which of the three is used for the run light. The wires from the strips will need to be shortened considerably. They will be wired along with the SG turn signal bar's license plate light and plugged into the upper left chamber of the circuit board behind the tail light lens. The connector used is a three wire connector with the far left slot the ground; center is the brake light; and, the far right slot is the run light.
Cost.
The LED's from Custom Dynamics were $26 each plus shipping. I don't have a side by side comparison to the HD run/brake light accessory, but I'm confident my project will be significantly brighter all around. I'll post some pics of the final installation and see if I can arrange some bike-to-bike pics with a buddy's SG.
Thanks to Todd for walking me through the modification.
Edit: Using the upper left chamber of the tail light circuit board and its three pins for ground, run, and brake light is exactly how the HD "Tri-bar Lighted Rear Fender Extension Kit," PN 91067-07, is connected, so there are no electrical issues with this set-up. Road King owners would wire their LED this way also since there is no Tour Pak harness on their bikes. Street Glides use the tour pak harness for the facia LED, but can use the tail light circuit board (by splicing in the turn signal license plate light wires) if they want the tour pak harness to use with a lighted tour pak (which is why I didn't use the tour pak harness for this project; I have an Ultra King tour pak on a detachable rack and wanted the tour pak harness for the tour pak.
Edit 2: If someone with a SG has a failed LED, shoot me a PM with your mailing address and I'll send you the stock board I removed--it works.
I'm going to do this mod shortly....Since I have not removed my light housing yet, can you tell me if there's enough room on the bottom of the housing to mount more LED strips?
If so, I can use those strips as brake lights and the top strips as running lights.
Also, what length LED strips did you use? I found Radiantz Hardcore Strips 30 LED's 4 1/2" long..
#37
02-27-2010, 10:56 AM
#38
02-27-2010, 11:07 AM
Yup, did mine a few weeks ago. Used the 4 1/2" strips.
I marked the location of the ribs (where the light shines through the lens) on the light body and attached the LED strips to the 3 locations. That way the light shines directly outward.
I have the top & bottom strips as running lights & brake lights and the center strip as a running light only.
I used a dual element circuit on the top and bottom strips.Lights stay slightly dimmer while used as running lights and go full strength as brake lights.
I used the electrical connector for the SG OEM LED fender light. The center connector that is empty is for the brake light circuit. I bought a connector pin from the HD dealer and ran my brake light wire to the empty connector.
I probably spent about $100 on the project but went from 4 LED lights to 90.
I marked the location of the ribs (where the light shines through the lens) on the light body and attached the LED strips to the 3 locations. That way the light shines directly outward.
I have the top & bottom strips as running lights & brake lights and the center strip as a running light only.
I used a dual element circuit on the top and bottom strips.Lights stay slightly dimmer while used as running lights and go full strength as brake lights.
I used the electrical connector for the SG OEM LED fender light. The center connector that is empty is for the brake light circuit. I bought a connector pin from the HD dealer and ran my brake light wire to the empty connector.
I probably spent about $100 on the project but went from 4 LED lights to 90.
#39
02-27-2010, 11:08 AM
Wrapping wires together and shrink wrapping them with heat shrink tubing. Even a caveman can do it......
#40
02-27-2010, 11:30 AM
Some pics.....Mustang Saddlebag Covers, Fender LED Light Update (90 LEDS) & Black Pearl powder coated exhaust tips on my Monster Ovals..
I had the tips reversed when they were chrome but I'm going to run them this way for this season since they now flow with the bags being the same color.
Looking at the pictures, I have to stretch that right bag cover a little bit towards the bike to get rid of the overlap near the latch.
I had the tips reversed when they were chrome but I'm going to run them this way for this season since they now flow with the bags being the same color.
Looking at the pictures, I have to stretch that right bag cover a little bit towards the bike to get rid of the overlap near the latch.