Turn Signal Saga (Pics)

[ddebonis]

Hi everyone,

I'm trying to fix my turn signal and learned several lessons.

1) Don't work at nighttime when you don't have a flashlight.
2) Don't turn the tank over -- gas will spill out!
3) Be patient.

As I mentioned in my first post (Brand New '84 R65 Owner), there are several issues I am working on solving. The current one is the right turn signal. It works sometimes... I opened on the left hand control switch and discovered the solder point is broken -- simple fix. I just didn't know how to take the unit totally apart to get access to the solder point.

Just got the Clymer manual and am disappointed that it offers no advice on how to dissemble the control switches without breaking plastic pieces. But I did learn to disconnect the negative terminal, remove the gas tank, and disconnect the control switch (it was tricky weaving the cable and connectors off the bike, but I prevailed!)

[IMG width="800" height="600"]http://i1253.photobucket.com/albums/hh587/ddebonis/IMG_0672.jpg[/IMG]

How do I take this thing apart without breaking it to get access to re-solder the right turn signal terminal??? You can see it glowing from the flash in the middle. The blue and black cable goes there. The blue and red cable goes to the left turn signal terminal.

[IMG width="800" height="600"]http://i1253.photobucket.com/albums/hh587/ddebonis/IMG_0676.jpg[/IMG]

See the rocker switch a previous owner added for the headlight...

[IMG width="800" height="600"]http://i1253.photobucket.com/albums/hh587/ddebonis/IMG_0674.jpg[/IMG]

Thanks for any advice!
-Danny

[tvrla]

You'll have to remove the nut holding the toggle switch of course.

The yellow rocker pulls off.

The turn signal button has a phillips screw retaining the black plastic thumb piece.

Once those are removed it should be possible to separate the mechanism from the cover.

Be very careful with the heat as the switch contact is the other end of the connection you'll be soldering. Clamp hemostats or small vise grips to it as a heat sink.

I think it's possible to get a rubber cover for the toggle switch - weather proofing and clean up the looks a bunch.

[ddebonis]

The yellow rocker pulls off.

Just to be clear -- you are saying I can pull it off from the front end? Do I pull straight, wiggle it off side to side?

The turn signal button has a phillips screw retaining the black plastic thumb piece.  

I don't see a screw anywhere that would hold the thumb piece... Can you provide directions to location it?

[tvrla]

The yellow one is like a tube split length-wise. It snaps onto the shaft it pivots around. The split is a bit smaller than the shaft, otherwise it'd fall off. There's no way it could be pushed into the housing, the only way is out. Straight out. It might help if you can squirt some silicon spray in there to make it slipperier.

On the bottom side of the black turn signal plastic piece is a phillips screw that threads into the flat steel of the switch. It's counter sunk and the head is flush with the surface. It's black as well, so take a close look.

I don't think I've seen one fastened any other way, but I haven't seen em all, either, so yours could be pressed on. If there's no screw, that'd be my guess, in which case, pull it off!

Both of them need to come off to remove the guts from the face. Looking at your photo again, it's possible the toggle switch could stay and allow enough room for you to solder.

[ddebonis]

SUCCESS!!!

I managed to re-solder the point without taking it all apart (and NOT melting the surrounding plastic). I just reconnected it to the bike, put on the tank, reconnected the neg battery lead, and tested it out. I'll never know if those plastic pieces would have come off without breaking. Hope I never have to do that repair again.

Thanks for your help!