SuzukiSavage.com - Model A Tail light

04 Savage

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Model A Tail light
09/24/10 at 11:51:18

Help! I changed tail light out from stock to a new side mount model a tailight. The stock is a dual filament one bulb setup with 3 wires going to it. Now the new model a tail light is 2 single filament bulbs. I'm trying to figure the wiring out but blew a few fuses and now at a stopping point.

I know some of you have done this mod as I've seen in pics, can you help out a fellow savage?

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Serowbot YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline OK.... so what's the speed of dark? Posts: 28666 Tucson Az Gender:	Re: Model A Tail light Reply #1 - 09/24/10 at 12:05:15 Black w/ white tracer wire is ground... Y that wire and send to side casing of both bulbs... if bulb sockets only have one wire each/ send ground to the body of the tailight..... Brown is hot/running light... send it to tailight bulb center contact... White w/ black tracer is brake... send to brakelight bulb center contact...
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04 Savage

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Re: Model A Tail light
Reply #2 - 09/24/10 at 12:05:39

The model a tail light has 2 wires...1 for each bulb. A black wire coming from bottom/running light that lights up the license plate full time. The top bulb (lights up when brake applied) is a green wire.

Have to stop for now since I have to work soon and ran out of fuses.

Any help would be appreciated. Hopefully finish this up tomorow.

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Serowbot YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline OK.... so what's the speed of dark? Posts: 28666 Tucson Az Gender:	Re: Model A Tail light Reply #3 - 09/24/10 at 12:10:34 Okay... Black w/white to metal part of light body... Brown to black... White w/black to green...
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04 Savage Junior Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 77	Re: Model A Tail light Reply #4 - 09/24/10 at 12:28:02 You are very helpful and I thank you. Wrote this down and will try this tomorrow. And got to buy some more fuses
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Demin Serious Thumper Offline We need more chlorine in the gene pool Posts: 2435 Warren,Ohio Gender:	Re: Model A Tail light Reply #5 - 09/24/10 at 13:04:08 Get a test light and touch where the stock taillight wires are.You'll find one hot all the time and then move the light with the brakes on/off it should light up just like the taillight.
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Biddie YaBB Newbies Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 48	Re: Model A Tail light Reply #6 - 09/25/10 at 12:20:17 I did this mod before I wrecked my bike and blew $30 worth of fuses until I went to home depot and bought some pvc bolts, nut and washers. I removed the light housing from the bracket and replaced the metal screws the pvc ones. Make sure to put a washer between the housing and bracket to isolate it. I never blew a fuse again.
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04 Savage

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Re: Model A Tail light
Reply #7 - 09/25/10 at 13:37:39

I think this is exactly my problem. After some more fuses and frustration, I got it running and smiled. Then when I went to put on the lens, putting pressure in the tail light it shorted out and blew a fuse for the um teenth time. I even tried to make some rubber insulators to wrap around the metal bolt and made rubber gaskets on each side of the bracket but when I screw them down the metal gets exposed and shorts the fuse out.

I will be heading to home depot soon Grin

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04 Savage Junior Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 77	Re: Model A Tail light Reply #8 - 09/27/10 at 18:48:20 Update: I bought 2 similar bolts and washers that are nylon from home depot, installed to replace metal bolts and still blows fuse. I am at a stand still. The ground wire is touching the housing of light and the light isn't touching the bracket. Somewhere their is a short but any ideas will be considered.
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Serowbot

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OK.... so what's the
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Re: Model A Tail light
Reply #9 - 09/27/10 at 22:31:51

Touching a ground to a ground, should not cause a short or blown fuse,... it's already grounded...
You shouldn't need nylon bolts or washers...
In fact,... with only a single wire coming from each bulb,... the light body must make metal to metal contact with the bike frame in order to complete the circuit... they won't work without it...

Make sure the two hot wires aren't touching any metal other than the center contact of the bulbs...
Make sure you have the correct, single filament, single contact, bulbs for the sockets..
Test the bulbs to be sure they aren't blown out, or shorted...

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04 Savage

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Re: Model A Tail light
Reply #10 - 09/29/10 at 11:51:56

Bike is fixed and a running

Thanks for the help. My problem ended up being the 2 wires that run the stock license plate light. I had them connected and that was the problem. I seperated them and wrapped them with electrical tape. Then the 3rd wire (ground) wire I did the same thing too. So just one wire to each light and tail light housing to metal bracket grounded it to make it work.

Their was no need to use pvc bolts/washers or nylon to insulate the light housing from the bike as well. Hope this thread helps other people know what to do/not to do if this mod is your taste.

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