Haven't had a chance to post an update on this project, but it is basically completed. I will take a couple of photos and post them.
After my last post I began to do the wiring and mount the fender. Much to my dismay the fender light was mounted facing the wrong direction! Required drilling an additional hole in the fender to turn it about.
After fitting the fender light I realized the fender light is a cab roof light or something it has a flat base. The fender of course is curved. there was a solid 3/8 inch of space in front and back of the light. Pulled the light back off, put a green wheel on the grinder and began to buff down the lens to match the fender radius. Of course once the lens fit the fender it would not fit the base. Green wheel off, grinding wheel on and the base was ground to match the lens.
Then I noticed the tail light fixture was loose and rattling. Took it off. found the hardware loosened and the parts rattling around in the lens. Was missing a nut on one side. pretty thin plastic inside, reminiscent of bakelite in days of old.
Found the exact same situation with fit of the taillight, had to modify it to make it fit the fender radius.
When I put it back together I was tightening the two nuts that hold the fixture to the fender with my fingers. 6 mm nuts. and with my fingers mind you, on 6mm nuts, I pulled one of the heads of the mounting bolts right through the plastic frame, breaking it. Muttering a few profane words, out with the epoxy, re-bedded the entire inside of the light fixture, let it cure and re-mounted it.
Then I dug out the ball of wire they included for wiring. Dug out my wiring tools and began to strip the wire. The wire diameter (including insulation) would indicate about an 18 gauge wire. but when I stripped off the end for the first connector, I found about 4 strands of copper inside. Each strand maybe 015. Inadequate as far as I am concerned to run two clearance lights, let alone the headlight I was planning to install on the front of the rig. So I threw it all out, and got out a roll of Hookup Wire. The wires that came on the two light fixtures were a little larger so I left them in place, mistake.
Found out that there is a wire with a plug provided inside the head light to tie into the light circuit. It is a Gray wire with a Female insulated plug on the end. Good place to hook in. Installed an in-line fuse in the wire to sidecar. Good thing too .....
Put it all together started it up. Began a slow test around the yard and up and down the driveway. Noticed the fender light was out. Back into the shop, pulled the lens. No problem. Grabbed a meter, ground good, pulled the bulb, no power. Had power to the side car, not to the fender light. I cannot fit my hands in the space between the wells and the fender to get to the wires, so I had to pull the fender. The wheel space can be accessed by pulling the front fender mount bolt and swinging the entire fender up on its rear mount, which is a very nice feature. Found the wire broken within the insulation, had enough length to shorten it, hook everything back up and go back to road testing. After a few minutes I noticed the tail light out! Blown bulb. Changed bulb, back out for road test. A few minutes later noticed Fender light out!
Blown Bulb. That is both bulbs blown in the first 10 minutes of operation. New Bulb, cracked the lens tightening the lens cover, because I had to remove material under the lens to make it fit the fender curve. It was easy to over tighten and of course I did.
Put it all back together checked my mounting hardware where the hack mounts to the bike, and since I live on a 30 mph road, I took it out for a road test. Within a mile of the house both lights out on the hack.
Starting to get aggravated now. Back home, pulled them apart and found that both lights had the same issue. The pigtails fell apart in the bottom of the sockets. You know how the pigtails are soldered onto little balls that the terminals on the bulb make contact with, well, no little balls to be found. Wires fell out of pigtails, hit the housing, blew fuse.
Hopped into the car and went to a store that sells clearance lights for cars. For $1.90 each I bought two clearance lights, took them home and stripped the pigtails out of the fixtures. Installed them into the light fixtures, good to go.
Ran it a few miles, selected some rough roads, flew the chair a few times. Brought it home checked all the mounts and re-checked the alignment. Good to go. Took my daughter for a ride.
So if you decide to get involved in a sidecar project. Get some Black Touch up paint for the mounting brackets, procure a roll of hookup wire and an in-line fuse assembly Before the sidecar comes in, order a fender light and a tail light from an aftermarked company and plan to throw the stock ones away, they are not worth a nickel and are probably a liability. I will be ordering a couple in a few days and changing them out. The only downfall is it likely means drilling more holes in the fender. I want to change out the tail light on the bike and I do not like the large license plate holder so I am planning to order matching lights for the bike and sidecar. Also note that the stock tail light on the sidecar is just a marker light, it is not a DOT approved tail light and contains no brake light capabilities.
But the bike looks really cool with the sidecar and in the end that is all that matters!
Topic: C5 Sidecar (Read 11283 times)