| Author | Message | ||
     Electraglider_1997 |
I decided to caseharden the Walmart Optilux 55 Watt 3.5" lights on my son's ULY. The brackets they come with are pretty flimsy so I encased the lamps in 3" by 2" reducing Black ABS plastic drain pipe fittings. Used a 3/8" zinc plated carriage bolt, washers, and nuts to fasten to through the turnsignal holes. Very solid mount. I also black siliconed a modified 1.5" ABS cap into the back of the unit where I exited the wires. Lights at Walmart about 19 bucks for a pair. Fittings total cost about 12 bucks. About $1.00 for the carriage bolts, washers, and nuts at Tractor Supply. 3 bucks probably for the wire and connectors. Total costs approximately $35 bucks +/- a buck. Drilled a Weep hole on bottom and maybe should of exited the wires underneath. Could paint end of carriage bolt and maybe cut and split a piece of hose to cover the nuts that show or even paint the nuts. Could even paint the hole thing to match the bike. Bought all the ABS stuff at ACE hardware. All they had at Lowes was white PVC.         | ||
| Bosh |
Very creative and they look great.  You need to do something with those turn signals though. | ||
| Bosh |
RE: :You need to do something with those turn signals though. These would look good on the hand-guards, check out the orange ones with black backing. Strip in front, small oval for the ends: http://www.cyclegear.com/spgm.cfm?L1=&L2=&L3=&L4=& item=TUC_48-0296 (Message edited by bosh on November 21, 2009) (Message edited by bosh on November 21, 2009) | ||
| Mnrider |
Those look really good EG. Why do you have the oil cooler taped off. | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
Mnrider, The weather has turned pretty chilly here in Nebraska and I monitor the swingarm oil temp on both our ULY's with my Oil Temp dipstick. I have a very difficult time getting the oil above 180 once the ambient temp gets below 60 F. Both our ULY's have the comfort kit and I thought about plugging the RSS but decided that cooling the rear cylinder the same as the front was more important than trying to heat the oil with just the rear jug. Taping off the oil cooler helps keep the oil hotter without biasing it on one cylinder. As I've said before, getting that oil up to temperature is important in regards to engine life and cooking off combustion caused condensation. The comfort kit makes it that much more difficult to get our air cooled engines up to a decent temp. Since putting that RSS on my bike, the fan has never come on while riding, only on shutdown. | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
Bosh, I'll admit the turnsignals aren't beautiful but serve their intended purpose really well. I've got my eyes peeled for something better but the price has also got to be right. Can't really justify or stomach paying 89 bucks for turnsignals. I wish Buell would "have" custom made some hand guard signals and sold as an option. | ||
| Billyo |
That looks great! Lights, turn signals, and LEDs in the trunk are the first things I'll do when I pick up the new xt in a couple weeks. I'll definitely do the lights like that, the black abs looks like they belong there. | ||
| Glen |
EG, that looks awsome... thanks for putting another item on my "have to do" list.....  | ||
| Mikef5000 |
That looks fantastic! What is holding the lights in the PVC? Does the carriage bolt go through the light bracket as well as the PVC? | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
Mike, It just so happens that the 3" end of a 3" by 2" reducing fitting has a 3.5" ID so that it accepts the 3.5" OD of a 3" ID ABS drain pipe. The 3.5" diameter Optilux lights are just a slight interference fit into the ABS reducing fitting pressed in with the palms of my hands. Once you get to the lens it won't go any further since the lens in over 3.5" OD. And it isn't going anywhere once you get it in. Probably have to cut it out of there. Tried to push it back out from the inside and it wouldn't budge, like it was a barbed fitting. The bolt through the back of the reducing fitting does not even touch the Optilux. The bolt is held on either side of the ABS by nuts and lock washers very tightly so that it gives the plastic strength across the back and so that it won't spin without putting a bunch of torque force on the ABS fitting. It is pretty darned solid. I guess I just spend to much time thinking about what I can use stuff for besides what they were meant to be used for. (Message edited by electraglider_1997 on November 22, 2009) | ||
| Mikef5000 |
And you say these lights cast a beam way down the road??? I was going to go buy a ton of sets of cheap fog lights and compare them all and return all but my favorite, but if you swear by these, I'll just go get them and save myself time and money. I'm looking for more of a long reaching driving beam pattern rather than a wider fog beam. | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
Seemed like it to me. They are still only 55 watt lamps but when they're off they have a blue tint to the reflectors which is different than our ULY headlamps. They seem brighter when looked at in the dark next to the ULY lights. Just remember, they aren't HID lights. | ||
| Mikef5000 |
Actually I was going to add a 35 watt HID kit to my fog lights. | ||
| Metaldude |
EG, you certainly have a way of making do with stuff from the hardware store - a man after my own heart! On a related note, I noticed that you've got "lowers" similar to the memphis shades. I've cut some Delrin (polycarbonate) to be used as lowers and am thinking of ways to mount it. Where did you find those black mounting brackets? They look like just what I was thinking of using. | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
Metaldude, Those particular brackets come with Slipstreamer windshields of which I've had a few. Just go to the hardware store and get a strip of mild steel, let's say, 1/16" X 1" X however long you need and make them. Drill holes where needed and then bend them around your forks and you can even pad them with strips of inner-tube from a bicycle tire to keep from scuffing your forks. Paint them with a rattle can and you'd be good to go. Use the photo's above to see what needs to be done. | ||
| Mnrider |
You could also use plumbers strap.It comes in a roll,it's 1/2/-3/4 metal strap with holes in it.Great for lots of uses. | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
Just revisiting this project. This time around I bought a PVC 1.5" schedule 40 cap and then cut it down so it would fit like seen in the photo. Cost for the 4 parts was $9.56 plus tax. The Optilux lamps are under the Christmas tree and I'll have to wait for Christmas before I can finish this project for my ULY. The ones I started this thread with are on my boy's ULY. These will be for mine. I plan to attached to my bike the same as I did on my son's bike, with a 3/8" carriage bolt. But, this time I'm going to drill through both fittings at the same time and not press in the lamps until last. I'm going to make them so replacing bulbs will be more easily accomplished. I'll post more photo's of the project after Christmas.  The large fitting is ABS plastic 3" X 2" reducing coupling. The nice thing about the PVC cap is that it has ribs that stick out on the side that perfectly position it equally into the black ABS fitting.  I'll Krylon Fusion paint everything flat black.   (Message edited by electraglider_1997 on December 11, 2009) | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
Here's some birds eye views of the cap inside the ABS fitting.  I'll most likely silicone it in from the inside and drill a weep hole by the pvc ribs to take care of any moisture.  (Message edited by electraglider_1997 on December 11, 2009) | ||
| Whisperstealth |
Hey EG, You ever finish this project off? Pics? I think I'm going to copy mike5000 on the brackets, because I'm leaving my turn signals where they are for the time being. Also how are you guys wiring it up? Thanks! |
