SuzukiSavage.com - rust inside turn signal

babyhog

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rust inside turn signal
09/22/10 at 13:02:11

A few weeks ago, I was cleaning my bike and noticed some moisture in one of my rear turn signals. I had recently ridden in the rain and didn't know some water had seeped in there. I cleaned it out and everything was fine. Yesterday, when I turned on my blinker, I noticed the front one flashing fast, so when I got around to checking it, the rear one that had the water in it wasn't making good contact. It looked like some rust had "grown" around the bulb stem and on the contacts. I cleaned it off, and its fine again. But... will it keep happening? Is there something I can put on it to stop it?

The chrome on the outside of the lights are fine. Its the inside that looks bad.

Not the stock signals, its these:

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justin_o_guy2

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Re: rust inside turn signal
Reply #1 - 09/22/10 at 13:06:35

If H2O is gettin in, problems will get in with it. Id look at drilling a drain hole or seal the unit up, or seal it as well as you can AND drill it. I would drill just ever so slightly behind the lowest point, so air passing by would tend to suck on it...kinda like a paint gun pickup. The smoothness of the bore hole will matter, Cant be too tiny & the inside most edge needs to be slick, chamfered if possible.

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babyhog Serious Thumper Offline Find a Cure for Breast Cancer! NOW!! Posts: 3802 WV Gender:	Re: rust inside turn signal Reply #2 - 09/22/10 at 13:29:28 There's a rubber gasket inside, I think I just had it puckered or pinched at the time. I don't think more will get in, and its easy enough to remove, if the bike does happen to get wet, which isn't often. I just was thinking there might be some grease-like product that I could smear on it for protection.
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RidgeRunner13 Serious Thumper Offline haulin' the groceries! Posts: 649 Mustang Island, Texas Gender:	Re: rust inside turn signal Reply #3 - 09/22/10 at 13:47:18 Silicone dielectric compund - a kind of grease you put on bulb bases & sockets to stop corrosion - available at any auto parts store. Paint the inside of metal turn signals to prevent rust. There is a product called CorrosionX that is very good for restoring connections damaged by corrosion or water.
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babyhog

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Re: rust inside turn signal
Reply #4 - 09/22/10 at 14:15:04

RidgeRunner13 wrote on 09/22/10 at 13:47:18:

Silicone dielectric compund - a kind of grease you put on bulb bases & sockets to stop corrosion - available at any auto parts store.

Paint the inside of metal turn signals to prevent rust. Angry

There is a product called CorrosionX that is very good for restoring connections damaged by corrosion or water. Cool

Now THAT'S what I was hoping for! Thank you! I bet we even have some where I work.... Grin

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~ 2006 Black, Big Crank battery, HD Softail muffler, engine guard/o-ring pegs, Spitfite windshield, custom mounted Saddlemen bags, Mustang seat! ~ oh, and Hairdo by Helmet! ~

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RidgeRunner13 Serious Thumper Offline haulin' the groceries! Posts: 649 Mustang Island, Texas Gender:	Re: rust inside turn signal Reply #5 - 09/22/10 at 14:21:38 Where I live I probably deal with more rust & corrosion than most people ever see. With the wind off the Gulf & the heat & humidity Everything goes to #?*!. Even my brand new bike that has only spent one night outdoors is starting to rust & get corrosion on the wheels. :'(
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ThumperKat

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Re: rust inside turn signal
Reply #6 - 09/22/10 at 23:03:49

On my bike, I used to get ALOT of water in my left front signal. When its sitting on the stand and turned full left, that allows water to run right into the housing, and as a result I have rust inside on all metal parts. You can buy the replacement pieces, but I cleaned the rust as best I could and then drilled a hole in bottom of signal housing to drain any water getting in. So far, so good.

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justin_o_guy2 Serious Thumper Offline What happened? Posts: 55279 East Texas, 1/2 dallas/la.	Re: rust inside turn signal Reply #7 - 09/23/10 at 05:14:03 Ospho, a dillute phosphoric acid, about 12 bux a quart, for the liquid, I dont like the gel. Available from Kelly-Moore. Im never without some on my shelves. It changes iron oxide to iron phosphate, chemically. It kills the rust, dead. Just gotta get down to one layer of rust.
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