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General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Replacing rear turn indicator (not just the bulb)
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Message started by MJManiac on 07/18/23 at 09:57:21

Title: Replacing rear turn indicator (not just the bulb)
Post by MJManiac on 07/18/23 at 09:57:21

Hello, Suzuki Savage Forums, this is my first post so apologies in advance if I sound like a major newb, it's just because I am one. Both to the forums and to the bike itself. I got my license last October and got myself a 2016 Boulevard in February. I've fallen in love with it and riding ever since, but early on I took a turn too wide and set it down. Luckily it went on its side in grass so there wasn't much damage to the bike (or me) but it did snap the left rear turn indicator so that it's now literally hanging by a thread and inoperable. Not ideal from a safety or aesthetics standpoint.

This will be the first maintenance/repair I'll be trying to do myself, so any guidance would be much appreciated because I'm sort of flying blind. I've got a replacement unit, but can't get the metal cover (pictured) off to make the switch. I got those two bolt covers near the seat off, and there's another flathead screw directly underneath the light that I could get off too, but I think there's one more bolt on the inside of the wheel well that I've been trying to unscrew but I'm worried I've just been stripping it, and even if I got that, I'm worried I'll have to take the whole rear tire off just to give the bolts enough space to come out, which I'm totally unprepared to do.

Anyone have any experience or advice on this? I've been looking around at some of the technical guides but mostly found info on replacing the bulbs, not the whole indicator unit.

And on that note, if there's anything you all can tell me about the resources to learn how to get to know this bike, and most importantly, how not make myself a nuisance on the boards, I'd be grateful. I've got the user's manual and I'll be going through as many of the technical documents/reference things as I can, but I know this is going to be a years-long process of getting a real mechanical sense of this.

Thanks again, and happy to be here!

Title: Re: Replacing rear turn indicator (not just the bu
Post by MJManiac on 07/18/23 at 10:01:54

Here's a picture of the inside of the wheel well for reference. Those two bolts further forward are the ones visible from the outside, but the one sort of in the center of the shot is the one I've been struggling with, and the roundish one in the extreme foreground of the top left of the shot is directly in line with the indicator so I'm not sure if I'll have to do anything with that either.

Title: Re: Replacing rear turn indicator (not just the bu
Post by SoC on 07/18/23 at 16:59:15

MJ, To get it off you need to remove the fender strut it is attached to, sorry. The wiring runs under it also. In addition to the 2 cap nuts you can see on the outside it is also bolted on from the inside of fender. They are a bear to get at with the rear tire in the way, but can be done with perseverance. If you can lift rear of bike so rear tire hangs it is easier. Job goes faster if you have a second set of hands to hold the strut in place when you bolt it back up. Helps to have a set of ratcheting wrenches for job also.

Not a lot of room to get your arms in to reach the bolts and clearance with tire in place is tight, especially if you have a wider tire then stock.

But rest assured it can be done, have undertaken it a couple times, once to replace a broken one like yours on my LS and a second time to replace all the older model turn signals on it with newer bullet style from the S40.

Title: Re: Replacing rear turn indicator (not just the bu
Post by Dave on 07/19/23 at 03:48:16

Get a tube of blue (medium strength) thread locker to use on the bolts/nuts. The Savage vibrates a bit and needs some help to keep the nuts from working loose over time.

Buy a Clymer's workshop manual.....it has instructions and photos to help you through the maintenance/repair chores.

Title: Re: Replacing rear turn indicator (not just the bu
Post by youzguyz on 07/19/23 at 09:32:29

6E6F6A787B78776A7270190 wrote:

If you can get it off the ground, you can also gain a bit more room by removing the shock absorbers and letting the rear tire hang from the belt instead of the shocks.

Title: Re: Replacing rear turn indicator (not just the bu
Post by ThumperPaul on 07/29/23 at 05:49:16

It's a tight squeeze, but you can get in there with an open end wrench and lots of patience without removing the wheel. Deflating the tire gave me a little more wiggle room but the sidewall of the tire doesn't flex very much. It did help a little though. Just cuss at it a bunch too. It doesn't help, but it made me feel better. Good luck.

I bought these cheap Chinese knock-off turn signals. They are an exact fit even though they don't mention being fitment. The mounting stems match up. $42 for a pair instead of $80+ for 1 OEM turn signal...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/163654751473