Mark Garetz at www.vstar1100.com originally put this idea together.  Mark Cole (Mark7) adapted it to work on his Road Star, and after a very favorable reception on our forum, agreed to write out this set of instructions for the benefit of other members of the Clinic.

Parts List: 

• 2 Sealed Beam Spotlight Housings - J.C. Whitney part # 0199602S - $24.99/unit JC Whitney Part Link
• 2 Sealed Beam Spotlights - J.C. Whitney part # 0199622 - $10.99/ unit JC Whitney Part Link
• 2 Cruiser Customizing 3-piece bar clamp - $7.00/unit Part # CC-FRAME-CLAMP Cruiser Customizing part link
• *1 Toggle Switch SPST (optional) waterproof version - $5.00 part(s) 16535, 16536 go2marine.com part link
• *1 Toggle Switch SPST (optional) non-waterproof version Radio Shack part # 276-624 Radio Shack part link
• Silicone Sealant – Just a dab.
• 2 Insulated Spade Connectors.

*Toggle switch is an optional item and you need only 1: Get either the waterproof or non-waterproof version

Tools Required:

Philips Head Screwdriver Vice-Grip Pliers Soldering Iron or wire connectors Drill w/ ¼ inch bit for metal Nail set or some other type of punch

Physical Assembly: 

The basic assembly of the parts is simple, however doing the steps in the right order is essential to reducing the hassle factor. These lamps integrate onto the blinker bar with just enough room to clear the headlight and not infringe on the mountings for the blinkers.

If you’ve got a windshield installed it can restrict the space you have to work. My advise would be to take the 3 min. required to remove it so you aren’t cramped in your workspace.

Hardware Prep

1. If you are going to install a switch on the lamps (and I suggest that you do) you will need to drill a hole in one of the housings. It doesn’t matter which side. In order to do so you’ll need to choose a metal bit of the correct size for your switch.
2. Once you decide where you want the switch to be located mark the location with a marker.
3. Drilling on a spherical surface is near impossible without using a nail set or center punch to make an indentation on the spot where you want the hole.(!!You should insert something into the housing behind the place you are going to punch. Otherwise you could just end up putting a dent in the housing rather than a focused indentation!!)
4. With the lamp housing still supported from the rear drill your hole and carefully clean up any burrs with file

Attaching the lamp housings

1. Place the split clamps on the blinker bar with their allen head screws.
2. Using vice grip pliers compress the open end of the clamp enough to allow the mounting posts from the housing to be inserted. (Use some sort of padding on the teeth of the vice grip to prevent marring the chrome)
3. Being sure that you’ve not forgotten any of the washers and then start the nut on the mounting post.
4. Once the nut is started you can remove the vice grips and simply tighten the nut.

Getting Power To The Passing Lamps (This wiring is for an “always on” set up.)

1. Pull the headlight fuse from the fuse box located under the left side panel below the seat. It’s the 15 amp fuse in the middle of the row of fuses in the box.
2. Remove the headlight from the housing by removing the two screws located on the exterior of the housing at about 8 & 4 o’clock position. Once removed the retaining ring and headlight will pop free. Disconnect the headlight from the connection plug and set aside.
3. Locate the blue/olive green wire off the headlight connector plug. This is the hot wire. You’ll need to splice into this wire with another length of wire that is about the same gauge as the one in the headlight bucket and about 3 feet long. You won’t need the entire 3 feet, but better to have too much than not enough.
4. Feed the end of the wire you just spliced out the hole in the back of the headlight housing and route it toward the side of the bike the switch will be on. Hide the wire behind the blinker bar using zip ties or some other crafty method you devise.

Wiring Up The Passing Lamps

1. Cut another length of wire about 3 feet long and place it together with the hot wire from the headlight assembly and snake them both into the hole at the bottom of the post on the passing lamp assembly that has the switch.
2. Cut the excess hot wire off leaving about 8 inches inside the lamp housing.
3. Take the opposite end of the second wire you just inserted into the housing for the switch and insert it into the opposite housing via the hole in the mounting post. Leaving about 8 inches inside the housing. (Do nothing with this wire for now. It’s purpose is to carry power to the lamp from the switch.)
4. Place an appropriate sized piece of heat shrink tubing over the end of the hot wire from the headlight assembly.
5. Solder or in some way securely fasten the end of the hot wire to one side of the toggle switch.
6. Slide the heat shrink tubing up over the connection you just made and shrink it down to insulate it.
7. Cut another piece of wiring about 6 inches long.
8. Place one end of the wire you just cut together along with the end of the wire that leads out of the lamp housing with the switch and into other lamp housing and join them using a spade wire connector.
9. Place a piece of heat shrink over the end of the shorter wire you just placed the spade connector on and then solder or in some way securely fasten this end of the wire to the other side of the toggle switch.
10. Slide the heat shrink tubing over the new solder connection and apply heat to shrink it down to insulate this connection.
11. Now that the switch is wired you can install it in the hole you drilled in the housing. Place a little dab of silicone sealant around the post of the switch and tighten it down. If you want to add a bit more after everything is tight I don’t think it would hurt at all. This will keep the water out of the switch housing.
12. In the housing without the switch apply a spade connector to the end of the wire that leads from the housing that does have the switch.

Installing the Sealed Beam Bulbs

1. There are ground wires installed from the factory in each passing lamp housing.Using the spade connectors attach the ground to one side of each passing lamp and then using the spade connectors YOU installed attach the hot wire connectors to the terminals on the back of the bulbs and tighten with a screwdriver.
2. Place the lights in the housings and snap on the retaining ring.
3. Before you tighten them down completely you’ll want to align the lens pattern on both of the bulbs (if they have a pattern, some are just clear) in a similar fashion and tighten the screws that hold the retaining rings.

Installation is complete!

Alignment

Tension on the clamps attaching the lights to the blinker bars keeps the lights pointed where you want them and controls both up/down and left/right directions. Once you align the lights all you need do is tighten the bolts on the mounting posts to keep them in place.

For reference, this is what the switch looked like on my passing lamp when done:

And this is a picture of the JC Whitney Housing I used:

Heres a bigger picture of my bike with everything installed:

 Huge thanks to Mark Garetz for the Idea.  It worked very well.

Questions should be asked in our forum (Use discuss link below). The forum is very active and you stand a good chance of getting your questions answered there. If you would like to leave feedback for the author, or have additional information you think will benefit others, please use the comment section at the bottom of this page.

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DISCLAIMER: This information and procedure is provided as a courtesy and is for informational purposes only.  Neither the publishers nor the authors accept any responsibility for the accuracy, applicability, or suitability of this procedure.  You assume all risks associated with the use of this information.  NEITHER THE PUBLISHERs NOR THE AUTHORs SHALL IN ANY EVENT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, PUNITIVE, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, OF ANY NATURE ARISING OUT OF OR IN ANY WAY CONNECTED WITH THE USE OR MISUSE OF THIS INFORMATION OR LACK OF INFORMATION.  Any type of modification or service work on your motorcycle should always be performed by a professional mechanic. If performed incorrectly, this procedure may endanger the safety of you and others on your motorcycle and possibly invalidate your manufacturer’s warranty.

Comments (2)

Micks 55 watt set for under 50.oo bucks Written by Micks o2, on 08-27-2008 04:39 I went to walmart,found a 2 1/2" 55watt round chrome set driving lights 15.oo comes complete with harness fuse kit and 15 amp rocker switch,get a roll of heat shrink 5.oo a pair of 7/8 clamps from jc whittney 8.oo ea.cheap,looks good and really bright,all mounts to stock light bar.Replace boldt kit with stainless and acorn nuts to go, and lookin to add visors.NICE....

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