Rewiring the turn signals [SOLVED]

[245luigi]

Per this post  http://www.kymcoforum.com/index.php?topic=10120.0 I clicked on the links and they all discuss having to remove the US external turn signals and rewire into the integrated lights. Two questions:

Anyone have a wiring diagram for this?

Any insight as to why Kymco did this? What laws pertain?

Ok...maybe three questions....

[big blue]

DOT  regulations require that the front turn signals be at least 16 inches apart. The integral lights that come on most scooters are for markets outside the US and are too close together. The reason that a lot of windshield makers require that the US signals be removed is that they use these mounts for the windshield frame attachment or there is not enough clearance behind the shield for the US blinkers.

There is a post on this forum by KRIDEN on how to rewire the front signals to the factory position. Just use the search feature to find it. There is also a kit available from Columbia Scooters in Portland Oregon to switch the lights but it is for the Kymco People line and I don't know if it is applicable for the Like. Hope this helps...Len

[245luigi]

Len

Thanks for the info. Much appreciated.

Link to said post for the interested
http://www.kymcoforum.com/index.php?topic=7189.msg78505#msg78505

[herrspoot]

Per this post  http://www.kymcoforum.com/index.php?topic=10120.0 I clicked on the links and they all discuss having to remove the US external turn signals and rewire into the integrated lights. Two questions:

Anyone have a wiring diagram for this?

Any insight as to why Kymco did this? What laws pertain?

Ok...maybe three questions....

I had to completely eliminate the handlebar mounted signals, not just reactivate the integrated ones (my windshield install required it). I don't have a wiring diagram, but this might help someone out there who's trying to figure it out! (This was completed on a 2012 Like 50 2t)

   First off, I removed all the body paneling I needed to get access. I removed the four screws holding the handlebar cowl on and carefully removed the tabs across the top. (I disconnected the speedo cable just to get more room to get my hands to fit in the space, just remember to hook it back up if you do!) I then removed all the screws from the back of the front cowl (6 on each side, plus one in the front of the cowl at the very bottom if you remove the bottom skirting). Next, the center of the front cowl (where the kymco logo is attached) pops off to reveal one bolt holding the center of the cowl down. Remove that bolt and work your way down the edges of the cowling to loosen tabs CAREFULLY!
      From there, I moved back up to the handlebars. Remove each lens from the turn signal by removing the single screw in the back outside edge of each. Pull the lens and reflector/socket assembly forward and unplug the blade connectors. Now note the wire colors of each signal (left on mine was an orangish red and a green; right was a light blue and a green). Green appears to be the common ground color on the Like's lighting system (it is on many import motorcycles, so if you're looking for a ground, it's a good place to start!). Follow each of the turn signal wires in from the signals into the headlight cowling. They will have a bullet connector connection inside the cowl. Unplug each side's wires and pull them out, being careful not to damage the blade connectors as they come through the signal bodies (we'll use them later). I taped the bullet connectors over that were left in the handlebar cowl so there was no issue with weather getting into them. Set aside the reflector/socket, and handlebar wires, as we will use them later.

[herrspoot]

From there, I traced where the handlebar turn signal wires went into the wiring harness and followed the harness from the handlebar cowl to the front cowl. Once there, you will find a connector (the one on my like was white) with 9 wires, if I remember right. Find the orange and light blue wires where they come into the connector; confirm they are the right ones by activating the turn signals and checking with a circuit tester. Note these wires, as we will splice into them for our power source. Next, open up the cowl down to the integrated lights. On the back of where the integrated signals should be, there is a dummy plug that has a small wire harness screwed to the back. Twist and remove this dummy plug and pull out of the cowl. Remove the screw and toss the wire hanger that held the wire. These wires are the power and ground for the running lights directly below the integrated turn signals. We'll use the grounds from them (again green) for our signal grounds as well.
    Next we will move on to creating a custom socket for these integrated signals using the socket/reflector on the handlebar signals and the dummy plug. Using a hacksaw, or similar small-toothed blade, cut the dummy plugs right behind the flange, so you have what looks like a washer and the mounting tabs with none of the "bucket" part remaining. The back of the flange will be the surface you join to the socket, so make sure it is flat, and even rough it up with a file or the like to make a better adhesion. Next, cut the reflectors just above the contacts, (take the bulb out first!) so you have the socket and part of the reflector after cut makes a nice flat surface as well. Again, this will be a mating surface, so make sure it's flat, but rough texture is good. Now glue these two pieces together with a high quality glue that will be able to withstand twisting of install/uninstallation and the bouncing up and down of driving and put them in a clamp or vise to hold them tight until the glue is fully set. Now we have to wire our new sockets into the existing wiring.

[herrspoot]

Use those handlebar wires we removed from the handle bar signals to make wiring that splices into the existing wiring. Find the connector at the top left side of the front cowl, where the wiring harness came down from the handlebar cowl. Cut the appropriate wires that you marked (orange and light blue) on the lower side of the connector (it's more of a pain than the upper side, but if you want to remove the handlebar assembly, you won't have to re-cut these wires later). Cut the bullet connector ends off the four handlebar wires and strip all the wires. Splice the colored wires to their appropriate counterparts in the harness using a splice connector or solder and cover with shrink tube (ideally) or tape. Because of the location of the wiring harness and connector, I added about a foot of 18-gauge auto wire to the right turn signal power wire to make it reach well, the ground does not need to be extended. The power to the integrated signals should now work, confirm with the circuit tester on the blade connector and grounded to the bike frame (the blinker speed should slow down when you make the connection to also confirm there is a second load, not just the rear blinker). Now cut each of the green wires from the running lights just below the turn signals on the upper side of the connector (These were a 2-wire black connector located about a foot up the wire. Again, more of a pain but makes it easier to remove the sockets should they need replacing) Strip these green wires and the green wires on the handlebar wire and splice these using the same method as before and seal with shrink tube or tape. Secure all the wires and ensure nothing binds when the handlebars are moved from stop to stop. Attach the new sockets to the wiring using the original blade connectors, install the bulbs and make a final check that everything works. Finally, install the new sockets back into the lens in the integrated turn signals and twist to lock them in. Make sure no wiring is caught up as you CAREFULLY replace all the tabs on the front cowl and replace the screws. Re-attach the speedo cable if you removed it and reattach the tabs at the top, then replace the four screws on the handlebar cowl. Last of all, remove the handlebar turn signal mounts by removing the single bolt at the base of each. These signals are plenty bright, and as I figure, if they are ok by the rest of the world, I think they're fine for me. (They are only about an inch too narrow to pass DOT muster in the first place)
    Congrats on your new signals!

Any questions, feel free to pm me!

[zombie]

How do you applaud on the Internet... Nice post for everyone Herrspool

[245luigi]

Very nice post. Thank you!

[ParaIndiana]

Just to pass on some knowledge... The rubber grommets from older Honda scooters for the turn signal bulbs fit in the place of the plastic caps on the Kymco. Might save someone some money fitting their bulbs in the lenses.

[herrspoot]

Just to pass on some knowledge... The rubber grommets from older Honda scooters for the turn signal bulbs fit in the place of the plastic caps on the Kymco. Might save someone some money fitting their bulbs in the lenses.

Any example of year/model? I'd love to swap it out, as I'm afraid our bumpy roads will knock loose my homemade sockets.

[zombie]

Ace Hardware, and Home Depot have huge selections of grommets, and block off caps. They are usually in those small cardboard drawers where they have cotter pinns, and woodruff keys ect.

[ParaIndiana]

I used the sockets from an 89 Honda Elite. They even twist to lock like OEM would.