Install advise for the Custom Dymanics HMT third brake light '14 RTS, long version

[StanProff]

Well, I jumped into this last night to install the HMT brake light. This information applies to the '14 RTS, I can't say if it applies to any earlier models as this is the first one I have installed.
If your '14 is like mine, the wiring harness on the right side behind the brake light will be much too short to get your hands on it. The harness that comes with the HMT is a plug and play. You unplug the 5 pin connector on the spyder and plug in the HMT. You can see the directions on their web site. The problem is you can't get enough play in the Spyder plug to pull it out enough to reach it! this may only apply to mine but if yours is like mine, here you go. At this point you already have the tupperware off that wraps around the back at the bottom of the trunk, 2 screws removed at each saddle bag and 4 along the trunk opening. This piece then is removed without much fanfare. Pull and tug and it is off. Now you can see behind the tail lights and you find that the pin connector harness is back in there where you can't get to it. Next step, gotta get the tail light out of the way to reach in and get a hold of the 5 pin plug. You will see 2 screws on the tail light. that's easy, problem is, after some tugging you find it will not come loose. Why? there is another screw down behind the black "wrap around" tail piece. Now it's getting fun. I've never had this off of a spyder. Remove the two screws near the struts on the saddle bag doors. Both sides. Now you will have 3 more screws (I think) along the upper part of the black tail piece. With these removed the piece will pivot down. there will still be a screw on each side that is on the wheel side of the saddle bags but you don't need to remove them. the tail piece will pivot on these. Now the tail lights can be lifted out of the way. I know this seems like a lot of work but really it only takes about 10 minutes to do this. Now you've got room to get a hold of the 5 pin connector to unplug and replug into it without loosing it. The connector cable may not be that short on your spyder so all of this would not apply but if you get into it and find it to be like mine don't stress over it. Just start taking more screws out. Over all it took me a couple of hours but if I were to do it again it would be half that.
Hope this helps if anyone has the same situation.

 

[jcspyder]

Thanks for the advice. Can you post a pic of the third brake light. Would love to see how it looks.

 

[SpyderAnn01]

Here is a link to Custom Dynamics - I have the HMT with the run, brake option and also the modulator. I prefer the run - brake setup over the brake only and also like it better than the HMT with the turn signals. They are an easy install and one of the best mods you can make on your Spyder.

 

[Jim&Teresa]

Well, I jumped into this last night to install the HMT brake light. This information applies to the '14 RTS, I can't say if it applies to any earlier models as this is the first one I have installed.
If your '14 is like mine, the wiring harness on the right side behind the brake light will be much too short to get your hands on it. The harness that comes with the HMT is a plug and play. You unplug the 5 pin connector on the spyder and plug in the HMT. You can see the directions on their web site. The problem is you can't get enough play in the Spyder plug to pull it out enough to reach it! this may only apply to mine but if yours is like mine, here you go. At this point you already have the tupperware off that wraps around the back at the bottom of the trunk, 2 screws removed at each saddle bag and 4 along the trunk opening. This piece then is removed without much fanfare. Pull and tug and it is off. Now you can see behind the tail lights and you find that the pin connector harness is back in there where you can't get to it. Next step, gotta get the tail light out of the way to reach in and get a hold of the 5 pin plug. You will see 2 screws on the tail light. that's easy, problem is, after some tugging you find it will not come loose. Why? there is another screw down behind the black "wrap around" tail piece. Now it's getting fun. I've never had this off of a spyder. Remove the two screws near the struts on the saddle bag doors. Both sides. Now you will have 3 more screws (I think) along the upper part of the black tail piece. With these removed the piece will pivot down. there will still be a screw on each side that is on the wheel side of the saddle bags but you don't need to remove them. the tail piece will pivot on these. Now the tail lights can be lifted out of the way. I know this seems like a lot of work but really it only takes about 10 minutes to do this. Now you've got room to get a hold of the 5 pin connector to unplug and replug into it without loosing it. The connector cable may not be that short on your spyder so all of this would not apply but if you get into it and find it to be like mine don't stress over it. Just start taking more screws out. Over all it took me a couple of hours but if I were to do it again it would be half that.
Hope this helps if anyone has the same situation.

:agree: Yes...you are on the right path. I've installed on both our Spyders (2012RT & 2014RT). Also, I got "lucky" fishing the wiring up to the trunk lid area both times without much trouble. The key is (just like you mentioned) is to remove the right tail light to access the wiring. This requires the other panels to be removed as you stated in order to get to all three screws on the tail light.

Good luck with your install and thanks for the post. :thumbup: I used the dual converter which allows the running lights along with the brake light on the HMT brake light. It's a great addition to provide additional visibility to others behind you when you're stopping!

 

[Bob Denman]

When we installed TricLED's 3rd and 4th Brake lights; we fashioned a loop out of a coat hanger, and got it around and behind the connector that needed unplugging... :shocked:
It wasn't pretty; but it did work! :thumbup:

 

[StanProff]

When we installed TricLED's 3rd and 4th Brake lights; we fashioned a loop out of a coat hanger, and got it around and behind the connector that needed unplugging... :shocked:
It wasn't pretty; but it did work! :thumbup:

I tell ya Bob, the 5 pin connector cable on mine was so short that if I tried real hard I could just get two fingers to touch it. I knew that if I got it unplugged it would have been a real bear to plug in the jumper plug (if at all). The coat hanger was a good idea, that way it couldn't get away when it was unplugged. I am sure that on the pre-'14's that the wiring harness is a couple inches longer to that plug. I could see that if the tail light was out of the way I could get my hand back in there to the plug. That's when I found out, after some tugging, that the tail light has 3 screws and not 2 with the 3rd one down behind the rear fender cowl :sour:. Didn't take but a few minutes to get the cowl out of the way, I wasted more time than that tugging on the tail light .

 

[finless]

Same on my 2011 RTS. It's too short to pull out on the right side.
Last year I did a DIY trunk break light and made a video in the DIY section. Had the same issue.

Yesterday I just installed my HMT as I got one at a great deal. Same thing, had to remove lower panel and unscrew the break light to get at the harness.

Also I did not like the double sided tape they used all over the back of the light. Did not allow it to fit tightly in the trunk area to my liking. Thus I pealed all that off and used silicon daps to mount it. Worked great and fits the trunk area way better looking!

Bob

 

[Chupaca]

Good to know..!!

wire routing can vary from bike to bikeso your explanation will help those doing this job. Thanks for posting...:2thumbs: