Take Apart The Turn / Brake Tail / Headlamp Module Cover?

RonXS

XS650 Addict
Messages
157
Reaction score
485
Points
63
Location
Olympia, WA
Has anyone taken apart the cover of the Turn / Brake Tail / Headlamp Module between the Tach & Spedo?
UPyItrj.jpg


I'm looking to put a small digital volt meter in the 'Brake Tail' spot behind the clear plastic panel. The cover has a 'faceted' red plastic piece sandwiched between the white reflector plastic and the clear plastic panel. The white reflector appears to be molded into the black cover. This will make it quite hard to remove. Just looking for ideas on how to remove it.

BTW... I've changed out the Brake & Tail light to LEDs so I expect the module lamp to light up to indicate a fault all the time. So I'm going to repurpose this function.
 
I've never done it, but someone here recently put one in there.... in the last 2-3 weeks iirc.
So yeah.... it's doable.
 
Ron, have a watch here at Allen Millyard’s approach on his Kaw. Careful, you will get sucked into his other videos real easy.

 
I’ve also got a spare in the parts bin. I’ll have a look at it tomorrow. I’ll offer it as a sacrifice to see if it will come apart before you dig into yours.
 
I’ll offer it as a sacrifice to see if it will come apart before you dig into yours.
I tried one of mine this afternoon. It's glued in all the way around. Tried to cut it out with an exacto knife. It's gonna take more than that. Maybe a dremmel with a grinding bit?
 
Success! I used a small round bit to dremel (thx Jim) out the lens from the back side. Once the red plastic lens was thin enough it started cracking. Then worked on it with a dental pick. After I got the first small chunk free, was able to pop out the rest rather quickly...
4K4H89n.jpg


Thanks for posting up the video Willis. :thumbsup:
 
Last edited:
I took a little different approach since I’m out of dremel bits. I just armed myself with an exacto knife, two mini needle nose players, and a pick. I used the exacto to cut around the edges. Then pried out the white plastic reflector. I chose to use the headlight indicator for mine. It was a little tedious and it broke out in a lot of little pieces, but I got it. Note that the lens has two “tits” on the sides. These are recessed in the housing and glued in. I cut around with the knife and then popped the lens out. Wasn’t too bad, but I had to get a little aggressive. Took about 15-20 minutes total for removal.
E9EC4564-0D39-42C8-AF52-59AF872CB254.jpeg 963A30B2-B221-4291-9A8A-B3BCC43621A9.jpeg 10127842-D91A-4322-92D2-0CD4AD6201F3.jpeg
 
Last edited:
No need to remove the red lens ( he sez NOW) just mix up a bit of clear epoxy pour it on the facets I stuck the red volt meter right in the epoxy, done. When the bikes off no one can tell it's in there.
 
On a Special, you'll get your best and most accurate reading (closest to actual battery voltage) if you tap into the brown wire coming out of the ignition switch. Pretty much anywhere else you might tap into is going to read a few tenths of a volt lower because the power has passed through one of the 10 amp fuses and possibly multiple connection splits too.
 
On a Special, you'll get your best and most accurate reading (closest to actual battery voltage) if you tap into the brown wire coming out of the ignition switch. Pretty much anywhere else you might tap into is going to read a few tenths of a volt lower because the power has passed through one of the 10 amp fuses and possibly multiple connection splits too.
Thanks for the info. I was planning on adding a BA9 socket connector like you did...
h0xEup9.jpg


Photo from this thread:
'77-'79 Standard In-Dash Voltmeter
 
Last edited:
Well, that worked out fine on my '78 Standard but they're wired differently. The brown power wire for that bulb is about the first thing that branches off the brown power wire coming out of the ignition switch. It's not like that on a Special, you'll be passing through one of the 10 amp fuses. Your meter will work, it just may not read the actual battery voltage. The meter on my '83 was like that. It read several tenths lower than actual battery voltage until I switched the connection point to the brown wire coming out of the ignition switch.
 
Thanks 5T, I'll look for a more direct route to wire-up the meter.

On another note...
Adding this to the thread for those that want something small, non-digital and unobtrusive. Perfect for old things like my Giulietta.
Found this post when searching on volt meters. Posted by this guy named 5Twins. :laugh2:
FYy7S3K.jpg


650skull posted up a review link on Autospeed: http://www.autospeed.com/cms/A_113051/article.html

Gammatronix
Direct: https://gammatronixltd.com/
Ebay Store: https://www.ebay.com/str/Gammatronix-Ltd-Electronics-Store?_trksid=p2047675.l2563

Thanks 5Twins & 650skull
 
During the recent install of an on-off light switch on my '83, I had to modify the switch plate in the ignition switch. Besides adding a blue wire pigtail so I could send tail light power from my new switch, I added a brown wire pigtail for my voltmeter .....

cVnsSvq.jpg
 
I think these meters look great...........looking at with the glass half empty ...........a taillight warning light isn't a bad thing.........if a car runs up the rear and their excuse is the light wasn't working???????............maybe that red warning light isn't so bad
 
Back
Top