I did the modification to the rear turn signals to make them running - turn lights last night. I used the article on this forum as my guide. It seemed to me that the ground wire connection could be improved so I disassembled the new universal 1157 socket and put the ground wire/washer from the OEM unit inside under the spring. The red and black hot wires for the dual filaments fit easily through the center. The spring pushes the ground against the base making good contact.

I was unable to get the new socket with the rubber boot over it to slide into the tail light assembly. I tried lubrication and mucho macho. No go. Had to cut the back of the boot off and wrap the socket and harness in electrical tape to get it to fit. The front end of the boot allowed proper alignment of the new socket in the assembly under the clamp. All connections got soldered and shrink wrapped. Took a little longer but I'm sure I've got good connections, the crimp alone always makes me nervous.

Used amber filament type bulbs as the only red 1157 bulbs I could find were the LED type. Kinda expensive at the local Autozone. Has anyone bought LEDs via the internet or ebay? If so what type did you use? They've got them with from 9 to 20 LEDs and with fluctuating patterns, etc. I just want a basic bright red and don't need all the spinning pulsing stuff. At least not in my tail lights.<br><br>Post edited by: Brutha, at: 2006/10/01 12:42

You have to be careful with the LED bulbs. I've bought a few (not on e-bay) and have been disappointed with their brightness. It kinda trial-and-error-.

I'm using an LED assembly (the kind that is used on trucks) for my tail/running lights .... very bright.

I also made a pair of red LED rear turn signals by guttina a filament running light assembly.

Doc

I've never been sure whether I have the 1156 or 1157 bulbs in the turn signals. Yamaha had the foresight to put MOST specs in the manuals, but all they list for the bulbs are volts/watts/whatever.

I've heard of the switchover to LEDs causing all kinds of &quot;side effects&quot;, e.g. flashing too fast, not at all, being too dim or too bright...I did find this little number, and it looks promising: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&amp;ih=002&amp;item=120036719469&amp;rd=1&amp;sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&amp;rd=1

The bulbs in the bike now have Euro markings, and I THINK I found an equivalency once, but I dunno... My bike's an '04, if that matters. Don't the 1156 have one contact and the 1157s have two? Educate me!

RK

Roadkill1962 wrote:
Don't the 1156 have one contact and the 1157s have two? Educate me!

Yes ... you're smarter than you look.

That relay looks interesting! I could use it to replace the huge resisters I'm currently using; all at a reasonalbe price.

Thanks,

Doc

Doc--

For all the help you've been to me with my bike, if that link pointed you to something you find useful well, Hell's Bells, that made my day!

If you do pick up the relay before I do, I'd love to hear your review on it, too!

RK

i added the led brake light that also acts as turn signals. looking straight on it is bright enough, especially at night. and the added turn signals are hopefully letting the cages know what im planning. i never added the extra flasher resistors since i still have the stock turn signals in back and everything has worked out fine. i got it off ebay from clear alternatives, good product in my mind.
nick

Right..the 1157 bulb is dual filament Tail/Stop or Tail/Turn any function that needs two filaments. The 1146 is used for single purpose, back up, marker, tail only. As you said two contacts on the bottom versus one with the cylindrical shaft of the bulb base being ground.

Don't know what the law in Texas is about having amber running lights on the back. The front of the Roadestar has the turn signals always lit with the second filament used to flash the signal.

The multifunction controllers are interesting but way more expensive than a couple of sockets. I assume the resistors mentioned in an earlier post are to drop some of the voltage and reduce the current through the LEDs. I noticed on the LED bulbs I looked at that there were resistors inside of the bulb so I assumed the purpose was to increase the resistance dropping some voltage across the resistor and reduce current thus increasing the LED life.

Hi, I found several different LED lights @ J&amp;P Cycles on the web, But I also found red 1157 bulbs at pep boys which work really well. See my response under the artical under the same subject.... Hope this helps!!



Thanks &amp; Regards

Post edited by: Steef, at: 2006/10/02 11:41<br><br>Post edited by: Steef, at: 2006/10/02 11:42

Brutha wrote:
I assume the resistors mentioned in an earlier post are to drop some of the voltage and reduce the current through the LEDs. I noticed on the LED bulbs I looked at that there were resistors inside of the bulb so I assumed the purpose was to increase the resistance dropping some voltage across the resistor and reduce current thus increasing the LED life.

You can do the same thing by putting one of the stock bulbs in the circuit and painting it black. Anything with the proper resistance works.

The LED turn signals that I made have small resistors in the housing but I still needed external 25W resistors (very hot) so that

Doc