Brake light OK - No running tail light?

[groundeffect]

Hey guys!

Last night after a ryde I noticed that my right running tail light was out. However, when I apply the brakes both lights go on (the one of the left gets brighter as expected, the one on the right that is out comes on, both full power when peddle pressed). When the brake is released, the left light dims to a running light as expected, and the right tail light is completely out.


Can this be the bulb somehow? If so, how is it lighting when brakes are applied but running light does not light? Different filament???


I did check the 10A fuse up front (#7 in the front fuse block) and it seems ok, and all relays are snug in place, no active codes and no scrolls on the cluster.


Any direction on this one guys?

Thanks in advance.
Dean

[docdoru]

Any direction on this one guys? Thanks in advance. Dean

http://www.esicycleproducts.com/spyd...dallinone.html

[groundeffect]

Thanks for the note Doc!! I have this on my possible mod list, but not right now. I have some stock spare bulbs on hand right now so I will replace with those until later.


Do you the bulb is the issue, or something more involved?
Thanks
Dean

[pjp623]

I'd say, swqp out the bulbs and see what happens--you've got nothing to lose.

[boborgera]

Hey guys!




Can this be the bulb somehow? If so, how is it lighting when brakes are applied but running light does not light? Different filament???





Any direction on this one guys?

Thanks in advance.
Dean

Double filament the running light part is burnt out.

[groundeffect]

Double filament the running light part is burnt out.

Thanks for the notes guys!


Ah, double filament, that explains a lot .
I will take a look this evening.

Thanks!
Dean

[dlittle]

I had the same experience and noticed it when testing AFTER just installing the sport rack/backrest..

Suggestion if you can't switch to the ESI LED's, look on here for those that have moved to LED bulbs (they have to be the right ones) and use those instead of stock. Will pull a little less juice and be a little less likely to burn out.

Hope your custom work doesn't have to all come off just to change bulbs.

Dennis

[katnapper]

Most truck stops carry an LED replacment for the tail/brake light. I have purchased some but NOT replaced them yet, why fix it if iyt's not yet broke... but a friend/fellow spyder ryder has. cost? about $15 for both.
there are other led bulbs that produce even more light that will work, available @ most Truck Chrome shops.

[Campverdefela]

Most truck stops carry an LED replacment for the tail/brake light. I have purchased some but NOT replaced them yet, why fix it if iyt's not yet broke... but a friend/fellow spyder ryder has. cost? about $15 for both.
there are other led bulbs that produce even more light that will work, available @ most Truck Chrome shops.

Be careful, not all of those led bulbs will work. I tried a couple of different ones in my 09-RS without success.

[bjt]

Double filament the running light part is burnt out.

+1 Nothing to worry about too much. 99.9 % chance that the running light filament is burnt out but the brake light filament is still good. Replace the bulb to get the running light to work again. 0.1 % chance that the wiring is messed up.

Also, I wouldn't be real anxious to try an unproven LED bulb replacement in there as the CanBus monitors the current draw to the brake lights and can start giving faults due to the low current draw of LED bulbs. If you want an LED brake light system, go with something proven like the setup from ESI.

[groundeffect]

+1 Nothing to worry about too much. 99.9 % chance that the running light filament is burnt out but the brake light filament is still good. Replace the bulb to get the running light to work again. 0.1 % chance that the wiring is messed up.

Thanks for the note - I'm about half way through now and will take a close look at the bulb, .... once I get in there.

I have the BRP sports rack and I'll try to get the bulbs out without loosening, moving or touching the rack.

I hope to update this thread this evening or tomorrow.
I do have some stock bulbs here on hand so I will be using those to test/replace if required. Maybe LEDs will come later on.!?
thanks!
Dean

[Dudley]

I replaced both rear running/brake lights with 1157 Heavy Duty bulbs. Best place to get them is at a truck stop. I also replaced both front fender bulbs with 97s, heavy duty. A little bit brighter. License plate bulb, replaced with a heavy duty one. All replaced bulbs have yet to burn out...total cost for all 5 bulbs, less than $10 USD. I also replaced the small, almost useless screw in the license plate housing with one with a thicker shank...it stays tight.

[dlittle]

Thanks for the note - I'm about half way through now and will take a close look at the bulb, .... once I get in there.

I have the BRP sports rack and I'll try to get the bulbs out without loosening, moving or touching the rack.

I hope to update this thread this evening or tomorrow.
I do have some stock bulbs here on hand so I will be using those to test/replace if required. Maybe LEDs will come later on.!?
thanks!
Dean

I hate to be the one to tell you this -- but you can't. The sport rack has to come off to get to some screws on top of the housing/below the sport rack unless you've modified the housing (see another thread on here somewhere). That's the main reason I went with the LEDs instead of just another bulb. It's about a 45 minute job to take it all apart replace a bulb and put it all back together.

Anybody know why the hell BRP chose to go this route instead of the usual 2 screws from the back of the lens and it pulls off like most other bikes?

Dennis

[SpyderWolf]

Anybody know why the hell BRP chose to go this route instead of the usual 2 screws from the back of the lens and it pulls off like most other bikes?

Dennis

Because it looks cleaner?

I understand the frustration as well, both of our Spyders have the BRP Sport Racks, and have had to be removed and re-installed a few times already.

[groundeffect]

I understand the frustration as well, both of our Spyders have the BRP Sport Racks, and have had to be removed and re-installed a few times already.

There is no need to remove the sports rack!!


Posting shortly.....

[SpyderWolf]

There is no need to remove the sports rack!!


Posting shortly.....

Standing by to hear how you did it.

[groundeffect]

Standing by to hear how you did it.

Nothing new that Neez has not done... but I didn't even need to take the lens boxes out!

AFTER doing this mod will make replacing tail bulbs a 10min (one bulb) - 15min (two bulbs) road-side job!


uploading photos now....

[groundeffect]

I looked into my tail light (no running light, just brake light) and sure enough, it is a dual filament bulb, small one for running light and ticker (brighter) one for the brake light. The running light filament had blown which was clear looking up close.

With stock spares on hand (1157 standard) I just replaced the bulb.


Ok…. some say it can not be done (replace the tail lights with the BRP Rear Sports Rack installed), but as we know Neez posted a mod where you trim the plastic from the lens boxes and the bulb/socket combo can slip right out !!!! ABSOLUTELY.


Neez - thanks for your previous post on this !!



Below are some photos of the procedure I used, which shows close up shots of the stock lens box (before and after trimming the unused and unrequited plastic area) to make getting to the bulb/socket assembly MUCH EASIER then taking off the rear sports rack… HECK YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TO TAKE THE LENS BOX OUT AT ALL, EVEN FOR THIS MOD. I followed Neez' idea (Thanks Neez), except I modded the lens boxes without even removing them from my Spyder. I DID NOT move, loosen or even touch the rear sports rack.


I followed the owners manual under road-side repairs, page: 113, 114 (RS 2010) as follows:

1. Remove the panel under the passenger seat by unscrewing the 7 Torx screws (remove the rear wheel splashpan)

2. Partially remove the right (or left - which every you need to replace) side panel by just removing the 2 plastic rivets under the seat.

3. Disconnect turn signal housing connectors.

4. STOP - This part says to remove the screws to the lens box, drop the lens box and you have complete access to the bulb/socket assembly. HOWEVER, as we know, with the BRP Sports Rack installed ONE of the two screws in the lens box is inaccessible - covered by the part of the BRP sports rack.

<HERE STARTS THE MOD>

5. Looking at the bulb/socket assembly you see at the lower corner of the lens box is a section of plastic that is unused. I trimmed (similar to Neez's mod) about 1/4inch-1/2 inch off each of the lens boxes without removing them. Now this tiny bit of extra room allows you to get your hand in behind the lens box and direct access to the bulb/socket assembly. (picture help explain below). This tiny extra section of plastic will not be missed and does not harm anything.

6. I used cutting pliers to start a cut into the plastic, and a Dremel to smooth out the area.

THAT'S IT.



Here are some photos that I hope clearly indicate the area removed and how much easier this makes accessing the bulb for quick and easy road-side maintenance, even with the rear sports rack installed:


The issue - right running light filament burnt out (first time so far - 18,000km):










































In conclusion, with this mod (just trimming about 1/4-1/2inch of access plastic from the back of the lens boxes) changing the tail lights can totally be a road-side job. No need to loosen, move or even touch the BRP Rear Sports Rack, if you have it installed.

Now, the bulb can be accessed from just removing the 7 Torx screws if you have small hands - however, for a little extra room I like taking the side panel out a little (very easy - just lift the two rivets just above the signal lights on the upper panel) and it is easy access. Both bulbs could be changed at the road side (for example, if you get into LIMP mode when both lights blow) in about 10-15mins maximum.


Hope that helps.
Cheers,
Dean

[NancysToy]

Nice clear pics of the procedure and results, Dean. Well done!

[SpyderWolf]

Thanks for posting the details on how you did it, and the photos are a big help as well.

[Neez]

Great photos and explanations, Dean! Of course, now you'll have to install Dzus fasteners in your splash pan and cut the change out time in half, lol.

[groundeffect]

As mentioned, I used a Dremel cut wheel and cutting pliers, small bit by small bit I got it done, carefully. My concern was cutting into the wires or weakening the lens box in some way, so I was careful, took my time, held back the wires and stayed away from the corners as much as possible.

I understand the frustration as well, both of our Spyders have the BRP Sport Racks, and have had to be removed and re-installed a few times already.

I can tell you that I would be frustrated if I had to remove the rear rack everytime a bulb needed to be changed also. With this mod, once you get in there the first time and trim the plastic a little, you can forever more change bulbs without removing the rack, or even the lens boxes. The BRP sports rack and lens boxes are not required to be removed even now to do the mod !!

Nice clear pics of the procedure and results, Dean. Well done!

Thanks, Scotty. It was just a mod to a mod - a mod to Neez's trimming idea, with no need to remove anything (rack or lens boxes) from the Spyder.

Thanks for posting the details on how you did it, and the photos are a big help as well.

Good stuff, as long as it is useful.

Great photos and explanations, Dean! Of course, now you'll have to install Dzus fasteners in your splash pan and cut the change out time in half, lol.

Indeed, the Dzus fasteners would be faster, ha-ha. I'm just glad to see this being a road-side 10min job now, instead of a major piece of work. So, if we have to replace one or both bulbs, a 10-15min road-side rest stop would do the trick!



Ok, now I have to get another spare bulb to have on hand, store it in the toolkit in the trunk !!!
Thanks for the comments, guys.
Cheers,
Dean

[Lamonster]

Great "How To".

In this picture it looks like the back of the connector got real hot.

[groundeffect]

Great "How To".

In this picture it looks like the back of the connector got real hot.

Thanks Lamont. No, I don't think it was hot or deformed from heat in any way, if I recall correctly the back side of the connector is rubber, maybe giving the 'look' that it was altered from heat just in this lighting/photo.

Hope that helps.
cheers,
Dean

[the nicko]

groundeffect nice help to change light