The Problem:
When I packed for the Camp Meet a couple of weeks ago, I noticed the fully loaded bags really pushed the signals downward and I knew I needed to do something.
While they remain visible, the long stalks bend when used with the Fieldsheer Expander Saddlebags (or any that have a similar shape).
I've already tried cheap LED signals with pitiful results. They looked cool but were too dim to safely use in the daytime. Everything that I found for the amount of money I was willing to spend was pretty much the same quality so I decided the stock lights really weren't that bad. At some point, I'll replace the bulbs with LEDs.
For reference, here's a before pic:
Since I'm relegated to the stockers, I needed a solution that incorporated them. I could relocate the signals to the license plate bracket that I used to hold tie downs but that would require visible wiring so I eliminated that idea right from the start. On the forums, I'd seen others who'd shortened their OEM signals and thought that would be a perfect solution.
My process:
The first thing I needed to do was remove the turn signal stalks. This turned out to be easier than I first suspected because there is a little nut that holds them in place.
Once unscrewed, the rubber stalk simply slides away from the signal body.
With the body free, I had to figure out how to affix it to the fender. The tail on the body is too small to simply fit into the opening but thankfully I had the signal adapters from the useless signals I'd tried before. I bought two sets from two different vendors. One was flat while the other had a depression in it. When I used them before, I mixed the sets using the flat side on the outside and the depressed one on the inside where it wouldn't be seen.
I used the same method this time but when I put the wires and the nut though the hole, it was too tight to fit the bolt. In the picture below, you can see where I put the flat piece over the nut leaving the wires outside the whole. The depressed piece is beside it with the nut.
My solution is to leave the wires out and slide them into a space behind the adapter:
I re-used the nut to hand tighten everything so that I would be able to align the signal then I tightened it as much as I dared to avoid cracking the adapters. After I finished both sides, I routed the wires the same way they were originally.
Comparison--Standard vs Modified:
So the finished product looks like this:
Side by side comparison before and after:
No more bent signals!
When I packed for the Camp Meet a couple of weeks ago, I noticed the fully loaded bags really pushed the signals downward and I knew I needed to do something.
![](https://lh4.ggpht.com/_hQkCzFKrtas/TANjAj0OCKI/AAAAAAAACZw/GU8JByzl5Q8/s640/DSCF3118.JPG" imageanchor=1)
While they remain visible, the long stalks bend when used with the Fieldsheer Expander Saddlebags (or any that have a similar shape).
I've already tried cheap LED signals with pitiful results. They looked cool but were too dim to safely use in the daytime. Everything that I found for the amount of money I was willing to spend was pretty much the same quality so I decided the stock lights really weren't that bad. At some point, I'll replace the bulbs with LEDs.
For reference, here's a before pic:
![](https://lh4.ggpht.com/_hQkCzFKrtas/S8v7UKfkpqI/AAAAAAAABqs/ksWPN1CgJ7Q/s640/GEDC0062.JPG" imageanchor=1)
Since I'm relegated to the stockers, I needed a solution that incorporated them. I could relocate the signals to the license plate bracket that I used to hold tie downs but that would require visible wiring so I eliminated that idea right from the start. On the forums, I'd seen others who'd shortened their OEM signals and thought that would be a perfect solution.
My process:
The first thing I needed to do was remove the turn signal stalks. This turned out to be easier than I first suspected because there is a little nut that holds them in place.
![](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_hQkCzFKrtas/TANomlRV9HI/AAAAAAAACaA/UhzIhqKeikw/s640/DSCF3260.JPG" imageanchor=1)
Once unscrewed, the rubber stalk simply slides away from the signal body.
![](https://2.bp.blogspot.com/_hQkCzFKrtas/TANpSl1yflI/AAAAAAAACaI/jzNwNSSFZQ4/s640/DSCF3261.JPG" imageanchor=1)
With the body free, I had to figure out how to affix it to the fender. The tail on the body is too small to simply fit into the opening but thankfully I had the signal adapters from the useless signals I'd tried before. I bought two sets from two different vendors. One was flat while the other had a depression in it. When I used them before, I mixed the sets using the flat side on the outside and the depressed one on the inside where it wouldn't be seen.
I used the same method this time but when I put the wires and the nut though the hole, it was too tight to fit the bolt. In the picture below, you can see where I put the flat piece over the nut leaving the wires outside the whole. The depressed piece is beside it with the nut.
![](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_hQkCzFKrtas/TANrss_R8DI/AAAAAAAACaY/WkeVF1boKl0/s640/DSCF3268.JPG" imageanchor=1)
My solution is to leave the wires out and slide them into a space behind the adapter:
![](https://2.bp.blogspot.com/_hQkCzFKrtas/TANqh9gd8-I/AAAAAAAACaQ/q86X0tF5vdE/s640/DSCF3270.JPG" imageanchor=1)
I re-used the nut to hand tighten everything so that I would be able to align the signal then I tightened it as much as I dared to avoid cracking the adapters. After I finished both sides, I routed the wires the same way they were originally.
Comparison--Standard vs Modified:
![](https://4.bp.blogspot.com/_hQkCzFKrtas/TAN2V9ODiFI/AAAAAAAACbA/SbtpdllJGqM/s640/DSCF3253.JPG" imageanchor=1)
![](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_hQkCzFKrtas/TAN2fGc7CkI/AAAAAAAACbI/2YqKRQkUY6w/s640/DSCF3269.JPG" imageanchor=1)
So the finished product looks like this:
![](https://lh3.ggpht.com/_hQkCzFKrtas/TANhGezagSI/AAAAAAAACZM/O01Mw-c_KFA/s640/DSCF3288.JPG" imageanchor=1)
Side by side comparison before and after:
![](https://lh6.ggpht.com/_hQkCzFKrtas/TAQaLI4dXJI/AAAAAAAACb8/vVBRp5rD8vM/s640/DSCF3293.JPG" imageanchor=1)
No more bent signals!
