turn signal flasher questions

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kevbo82

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Two questions i haven't found answers to concerning the lucas flasher unit. I just finished (i hope) all the wiring on my 73 750. I kept the original wiring harness, and the original flasher unit. The bike didn't have turn signals, but i wanted to add them, so i bought the cheaper reproduction ones from old britts. When i put a batter in and turned things on to test out today, the signals work, but only solid, no flashing. So my two questions are, does that flasher unit ground to the frame at all where it mounts? And if the flashers just plain dead, does anyone know of something that fits in the same clip available in the US? do i need to be concerned about + ground or does that not effect the flasher.
thanks in advance
 
If everything else is OK, any cheap automotive 12v flasher relay will work. Nothing grounded, the relay is in series.
 
Get a electronic flasher unit from any auto parts store, they will flash down to about 7 or 8 volts.

The reason the lights come on but don't flash is low voltage, the electronic flashers are not as sensitive to low voltage.
 
btw this is without the bike running (not there yet) if the lack of voltage effects the flasher maybe it's because it' s not running? i hate electronics.... :|
 
kevbo82 said:
btw this is without the bike running (not there yet) if the lack of voltage effects the flasher maybe it's because it' s not running? i hate electronics.... :|
Click to expand...


Yes, simply connect the battery charger, re-test... worky? OK, NP I tell people of the built in voltmeter, slow flasher cadence is lower voltage.. rev the engine it goes up = charging, steady on = very low voltage. A side benefit of using the ancient type flasher, if you're voltage is so low it won't flash, you have bigger fish to fry, like, as in, you'd better have comfortable shoes on, lol. This is ELECTRICAL, not ELECTRONICS, no black magic :wink:
 
concours said:
Yes, simply connect the battery charger, re-test... worky? OK, NP I tell people of the built in voltmeter, slow flasher cadence is lower voltage.. rev the engine it goes up = charging, steady on = very low voltage. A side benefit of using the ancient type flasher, if you're voltage is so low it won't flash, you have bigger fish to fry, like, as in, you'd better have comfortable shoes on, lol. This is ELECTRICAL, not ELECTRONICS, no black magic :wink:
Click to expand...

thanks i'll try it with the charger before ordering a replacement. I bought a $3.00 flasher at napa yesterday and that did get them blinking, but even when it comes to a stupid little flasher under the seat i'm a sucker for keeping things as original as possible. i think the tail light is my new problem now, seems to stay on all the time then go off with the brake switch. Didn't look into it because i finally had hockey to watch! :lol:
 
"i think the tail light is my new problem now, seems to stay on all the time then go off with the brake switch. "

Are your sure it's the taillight staying on and not the brake light? If the rear brake switch is misadjusted or there is excessive play in the brake cable adjustment, it can cause the brake light to stay on. Sometimes it will "flutter" on/off with the bike's vibration. THe standard rear brake switches don't seem to last very long before the rubber on the switch deteriorates/breaks open which can contribute to problems. Also, If the rear brake spring does not energetically pull the pedal back to the position where it hits the switch/pedal stop, the same thing can happen - light stays on. NOTE that if the brake light stays on for a long period it can melt the plastic tailight lens; the brake light filiment is much brighter - and hotter - than the tailight filament.
 
mike996 said:
"i think the tail light is my new problem now, seems to stay on all the time then go off with the brake switch. "

Are your sure it's the taillight staying on and not the brake light? If the rear brake switch is misadjusted or there is excessive play in the brake cable adjustment, it can cause the brake light to stay on. Sometimes it will "flutter" on/off with the bike's vibration. THe standard rear brake switches don't seem to last very long before the rubber on the switch deteriorates/breaks open which can contribute to problems. Also, If the rear brake spring does not energetically pull the pedal back to the position where it hits the switch/pedal stop, the same thing can happen - light stays on. NOTE that if the brake light stays on for a long period it can melt the plastic tailight lens; the brake light filiment is much brighter - and hotter - than the tailight filament.
Click to expand...

yeah i didn't exactly describe that well. It's the brake light staying on, and now that you say that it makes sense to me. i never really looked at how the rear switch would work. This is my first motorcycle let alone first norton, in my mind i was thinking you push the switch to bring the brake light on, but now that i look at it, it's the other way around. It's always on and pushing the brake pedal lets off the switch. I don't have the rear brake cable hooked up yet, and the pedal is just wire tied to the foot rest, so thats the problem.
 
How are those knock off lucas flashers quality wise? I need to replace one of mine. Also I see on Ebay there are shorter stem versions. Did some Commandos come with short stems or are they for a different machine all together?
edit: short for front and longer for rear just learned
 
Short stems in back, long stems in front.
The original Lucas blinkers are getting hard to find but used to be a dime a dozen. The imitations are close, but a little more translucent (brighter) and are only missing the lettering that was on the originals.
I always run a ground wire from the bulb holder through the stem for a good ground connection. Still the blinkers don't always blink well with the headlight on. I use hand signals and wear bright colored gloves (although I noticed they are getting kind of grubby and dull now).
Then again, most car drivers don't use their turn signals, either.
 
speirmoor said:
Did some Commandos come with short stems or are they for a different machine all together?
edit: short for front and longer for rear just learned
Click to expand...


christulin said:
Short stems in back, long stems in front.
Click to expand...

The parts books (and brochures) actually show/list "4" of the same (except JPN) so all are long stem Lucas type 56147, and for many countries it would not be possible to fit short stem indicators/blinkers at the rear due to the size of the number plate.

http://www.classicbike.biz/Norton/Broch ... chures.htm
 
Hmm, makes sense about the license plates. US spec is short in back, based on Department of Transportation regulations (I read them once) that took effect in 1973. Current law here requires OEM mufflers on motorcycles built since 1973, too. Fortunately, few of these regs are enforced. Doubt traffic cops have read the regs either.
Sorry to be so America-centric in my opinions.
 
L.A.B. said:
speirmoor said:
Did some Commandos come with short stems or are they for a different machine all together?
edit: short for front and longer for rear just learned
Click to expand...


christulin said:
Short stems in back, long stems in front.
Click to expand...

The parts books (and brochures) actually show/list "4" of the same (except JPN) so all are long stem Lucas type 56147, and for many countries it would not be possible to fit short stem indicators/blinkers at the rear due to the size of the number plate.

http://www.classicbike.biz/Norton/Broch ... chures.htm
Click to expand...
LAB with respect, the British numberplate is a barn door compared to most foreign spec as I don't doubt you've noticed. Point is that if you can fit short stem Lucas Indicators around that, I imagine most others can fit (the Australian numberplate I was issued with in 2005 looked like a US spec 'license plate' and lasted about 2 weeks under nice isolastic vibes that hobot would do well to describe the effects of.
 
crusadersports said:
LAB with respect, the British numberplate is a barn door compared to most foreign spec as I don't doubt you've noticed. Point is that if you can fit short stem Lucas Indicators around that,
Click to expand...

While it may just be possible to fit original Lucas medium* length stem indicators around a standard UK plate (if the nuts on the inner ends of the stems are at the end of the stem threads and the indicator heads are virtually touching the plate) you won't fit original Lucas "short" *stem items around a UK plate.

*(There were at least 5 variations of original Lucas indicator stem/thread length that I know of, to suit various British bikes)
Lucas "short" stem.
turn signal flasher questions


Long stem items and standard UK plate.
turn signal flasher questions
 
While I was in the doghouse in the domestic arena and hiding in the garage, I walked around with my tape measure and came up with useless and trivial measurements on US spec bikes in my garage with original Lucas turn signals.
1972 Triumph T120: 2 1/2 inch stems in rear, (mounted to taillight) and 3 inches in front
1973 Norton Cdo: 2 1/2 inch in rear (mounted to similar taillight) and 4 inches in front (different headlight shell)
1975 Triumph T160: 2 inches in rear (mounted to grabrail), 5 inches in front
1979 Triumph T140: 3 inches in rear (mounted to grabrail, 5 inches in front.
I've never noticed the differences. The distance from center of one lens to the other varied, but DOT required a specific measurement from the center of the turnsignal light source to the edge of the brake light lens, or some other senseless nonsense.
 
christulin said:
1975 Triumph T160: 5 inches in front
Click to expand...

Another piece of (relatively) useless information is that the original T160 front stems (60600313) had extra-long mounting threads.
 
To add to the original question (I'm not getting into a 'how long is mine' discussion :wink: :oops: )
The Lucas flasher units I have only seem to work when the engine's above 6K and no other electrics are switched on.
In other words; go with the advice and fit a modern generic Auto store part in the first instance - the OEM ones are utter... Lucas :roll:
 
L.A.B. said:
crusadersports said:
LAB with respect, the British numberplate is a barn door compared to most foreign spec as I don't doubt you've noticed. Point is that if you can fit short stem Lucas Indicators around that,
Click to expand...

While it may just be possible to fit original Lucas medium* length stem indicators around a standard UK plate (if the nuts on the inner ends of the stems are at the end of the stem threads and the indicator heads are virtually touching the plate) you won't fit original Lucas "short" *stem items around a UK plate.

*(There were at least 5 variations of original Lucas indicator stem/thread length that I know of, to suit various British bikes)
Lucas "short" stem.
turn signal flasher questions


Long stem items and standard UK plate.
turn signal flasher questions
Click to expand...

I had a dig about and came up with this. These must be short stem? Not elegant, probably not factory fitted, but they do fit. My MK3 was bought in Australia, where I believe it was imported from the US, so this may not be how British spec ones were. Comparing it with yours LAB, the mounting plate looks quite different. I actually like it- they're compact and don't get in the way in the garage so much.

turn signal flasher questions
 
crusadersports said:
I had a dig about and came up with this. These must be short stem? Not elegant, probably not factory fitted, but they do fit. My MK3 was bought in Australia, where I believe it was imported from the US, so this may not be how British spec ones were.
turn signal flasher questions


Comparing it with yours LAB, the mounting plate looks quite different.
Click to expand...

Well, it looks to me as if the corners of the mounting plate have been cut off to gain the necessary clearance?

crusadersports said:
I actually like it- they're compact and don't get in the way in the garage so much.
Click to expand...

Then beauty truly must be "in the eye of the beholder" :D as I don't think I could live with that arrangement as it is, especially as something (number plate?) looks a bit wonky? :wink:
 
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