Removing/servicing that LED taillight.

So, snow or no snow, I am licensing my WR when I get home next week. Even a short run on the slab is better than nothing.

Among the tiddly few jobs I have in mind is fixing that annoying little strip of rubber lining the taillight that seems to come loose on everybody's bike. I fixed the shaky license plate light bracket last fall, but gave up on fixing the loose strip of sticky-sided foam rubber that lines the tail light at the same time. I took two screws out of the top, and two out of the side, but the tail light wouldn't come out without further disassembly. I couldn't find anything in the electronic or printed service manual saying anything about it back then, including repairing a non-functioning tail light.

The bike isn't with me right now, but did I miss something? After taking out all the screws I could see, I had the taillight flopping loose, but it wouldn't come out to the front. I assume the next step was to disconnect the wiring at the back, but looking at where the loom ends, I just saw the wires running into a rubber piece at the back of the taillight, while wires to the other electronics at the back carried on. Not knowing how those wires were connected, I didn't have the courage to give them a good strong pull and see what happened.

So what's next? Did I miss the parts in the service manual covering how to pull the tail light? Some details on how to get that thing far enough out of the plastic mount it sits in so I can deal with the piece of rubber weatherstripping flopping around? Don't want to start jerking on taillight wires, trying to get them disconnected, and find out I have just screwed up my taillight.

there's a metal stay at the back of the light, with two screws securing the LED..the stay is secured at the top with two hex head bolts and two crown (acorn) nuts underneath..you just have to reach the screws (#12)..

Fuzzy Wrench wrote:

there's a metal stay at the back of the light, with two screws securing the LED..the stay is secured at the top with two hex head bolts and two crown (acorn) nuts underneath..you just have to reach the screws (#12)..

Okay... obviously I am too thick to find the right place in the service manual - electronic or paper version, what page is that?

So looking at the schematic and going from memory here, I did remove those screws, and the bolts (#8), and the mounting bracket (#3). The light rattled around, felt free, would move back and forth a bit, but was hanging up on something and wouldn't come out. I couldn't figure out what was holding it in there, and I didn't know if the LED light unplugged at the back. From the schematic you posted, it doesn't appear that the LED unplugs at the back of the light.

Thanks for the help. Bike is still not here (or I'm not there), but looking at that schematic and thinking back, it looks like I took out all the screws and bolts holding that light in there. Can't figure out why the damned thing wouldn't come out at least enough to deal with that damned rubber strip.

I have completely disassembled mine also, but it was about a year and a half ago, so I don't exactly remember everything. Check those zipties on the wires on the back of the light to make sure they are not attached to anything else or hanging up on anything. There is also a cable clamp/holder on the bottom of part #3.

It's been over a year since I removed mine also.
I swear that you must remove the entire assembly tho to be able to remove the light assy.

*looking at the date of this I am assuming you figured it out either way

No, I haven't figured it out yet - and it freakin' snowed again yesterday. So I don't feel TOO bad that I'm not home with the bike.

Take the whole whale tail off to get at it... Christ, why not make minor crap as complicated as possible?

I suppose there's a reason for it being the way it is, I just don't get it. Wouldn't an electrical plug at the rear of the light be simpler? Or are dual sporters never supposed to damage their tail light?

I see you have not run out of vowels on your key board--

So maybe this will help with the tail light. I've got a spare and here are the pics. The LED itself comes out of the main assembly toward the front of the bike not the rear. There are two small plastic tabs on the LED that are used to tie off the wiring harness and they prevent removal to the rear of the bike.
There are two bolts on the top of the "L" backet that holds the LED and two screws into the LED itself. If you remove the top two screws and unplug the connecgtor then the LED should slide out to the front of the bike.
Two issues:
Getting to the top side of the tail light assembly to hold the bolts.
Room to slide the LED to the front of the bike.
Hope the pics help--if you need another view let me know.

Jäger wrote:

No, I haven't figured it out yet - and it freakin' snowed again yesterday. So I don't feel TOO bad that I'm not home with the bike.

Take the whole whale tail off to get at it... Christ, why not make minor crap as complicated as possible?

I suppose there's a reason for it being the way it is, I just don't get it. Wouldn't an electrical plug at the rear of the light be simpler? Or are dual sporters never supposed to damage their tail light?