Just curious if others are having problems with the LED's on their bumpskids. At Spyderfest 2015 I had installed a new lighted bumpskid. Well the very next day the LED's quit working or about 3/4 of them did. Went back to vendor and he put on another one. That one lasted maybe 4 months and again 3/4 of the LED's quit working. So by now the manufacture had changed to a different LED lights, so the vendor sent me a updated version that has the LED's that are now replacable. Again the LED's only lasted another 3 months or so. Vendor sent me the LED's and I installed them this time which brings me up to present. The LED's are out again with only about 1/4 of them lite up. I'm about fed up with the lighted bumpskip. Does anybody know if there is a better quality LED's that will last longer than 3 or 4 months???? I really love the looks but if I have to change this out every 3 or 4 months. Maybe I'm just snake bit. And no nothing has hit the bumpskid since the lights were working when the bike was parked last and when I got on it to ride, the LED's were out. Please help with suggestions.
Sorry to hear you are having trouble. Your patience is to be commended. Haven't heard of anyone having the issues to the extent you are. Do you know the size of the led? Curious if the smaller ones are having more trouble. I did my own and the strip is with the 5050 which is a larger led. Over two years now with no issues. I ran mine in the gap above the bumpskid to give them a little protection.
When you replace the LED strip, Make sure you lay the bumpskid on a blacktop driveway or concrete and let it heat up in the sun. I believe the bumpskid is expanding with the engine and road heat and breaking the solder joints in the LED's. I heated my skid up to 116 degrees and then installed the new strip. Been over a year now and so far no problem. At the time I measured the skid when it was cool and after it was heated. Don't recall the actual measurments, But I think it was around 3/8 inch difference. It does expand in the heat. Hope I didn't just jinx myself. Randy
I'm on replacement nuber three. I get quicker on installing these. I might go to another source for led next . I've replaced one a arm strip so far also.
Me 2. My Gen1 LED bumpskid went bad. Harvey replaced it @ Spyderfest 2016 with Gen 2. In 2 months, my bumpskid's LEDs would go anywhere from 100% on to 50-75% off each time I started my spyder. Harvey sent me a new, improved LED strip, which I got installed with an assist from Doc Humphries. I'll see how long this Gen 3 LED strip lasts.
I'm on replacement nuber three. I get quicker on installing these. I might go to another source for led next . I've replaced one a arm strip so far also.
Sorry to hear you are having trouble. Your patience is to be commended. Haven't heard of anyone having the issues to the extent you are. Do you know the size of the led? Curious if the smaller ones are having more trouble. I did my own and the strip is with the 5050 which is a larger led. Over two years now with no issues. I ran mine in the gap above the bumpskid to give them a little protection.
CJ JAX
I think they are 5mm LED's. I don't know if what comes with the bumpskid are 5050 or 5630 LED's. But since they are pretty bright I would think maybe they are the 5630 version. Where did you get the LED strip that you installed on your Spyder?
It seems that he may have been wrong... I don't remember the exact details, but I believe that there turned out to be a completely different source, for the problem that caused the rant.
one of shawn smoaks videos contains a rant on aftermarket leds. does
not like people splicing wires to install and either does the computer.--irv
Whenever you tap into the OEM wiring harness you are taking a chance at UP-SETTING the NANNY ...... even if you very careful, bad things can happen........So if at all possible consider a separate fused circuit for any / all additional LED's or other types of lights that starts at the Battery.........................JMHO.............. ..........Mike
I have had the bumpskid for over a year and 10K miles. So far, no issues with LED's. Have hit a couple things and they are still ticking after taking the licking.
Both dealers are customer friendly IMO. I got mine from Spyderpops.
Currently Owned: 2019 F3 Limited, 2020 F3 Limited: SOLD BOTH LIMITEDS in October of 2023.
I think they are 5mm LED's. I don't know if what comes with the bumpskid are 5050 or 5630 LED's. But since they are pretty bright I would think maybe they are the 5630 version. Where did you get the LED strip that you installed on your Spyder?
I bought them off ebay. 5 5 meter roll for $12 delivered. Can't say for sure that is what is happening but the previous poster may be on to something with the thermal expansion of the bumpskip. Not sure what the coefficient is for that particular material but heat and cold can cause a fairly large change in some materials. Considering the location of the plate and the heat coming off the road.... spyders parked on the fresh asphalt at the recent Spyder Gathering in Orlando displayed temps over 120 degrees. If the led strip it tightly attached to the plate and doesn't expand at the same rate it could easily create connection issues.
When you replace the LED strip, Make sure you lay the bumpskid on a blacktop driveway or concrete and let it heat up in the sun. I believe the bumpskid is expanding with the engine and road heat and breaking the solder joints in the LED's. I heated my skid up to 116 degrees and then installed the new strip. Been over a year now and so far no problem. At the time I measured the skid when it was cool and after it was heated. Don't recall the actual measurments, But I think it was around 3/8 inch difference. It does expand in the heat. Hope I didn't just jinx myself. Randy
I think you are unto something here. I went out today and just turned the key on to move the Spyder some, and almost all the LED's came on except for maybe 2 or 3. Where the 2 LED's aren't working is the exact area where they weren't working before. I moved the bike to wash it and when I finished washing the bike, I turned the key back on and 2/3 of the LED's are out again. So it seems that temperature is the problem. I guess the bump skid expands when the temperature rises, as Gldwinger stated and causes the solder joints to break.
So if this is being caused by temperature variances: how do we solve it?
Do as Gldwnger stated. Lay the bumpskid on the concrete drive, or just put the bumpskid in direct sunlight for awile and let it get hot and the bumpskid should expand and then install the LED's to the bumpskid. That way the LED's when installed on the bumpskid are at the already expanded state. So now when the bumpskid cools and heats up again, hopefully the solder joints won't break. Thats my opinion, unless someone else has a better idea.
LED strips on the bumpskid
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Originally Posted by SpongeBob2015
