Trouble Mounting Sissybar side plates. 1990 XLH 1200

[ecore]

Hey all,

I recently purchased the Drag Specialties sissy bar side plate mounts and a sissy bar itself for my 1990 Sportster 1200xlh. I am having trouble installing the side plates because it seems like one of the mounting points is where the rear turn signals also mount. Removing the turn signals have not been straight forward. The nut behind the fender doesn't seem to have enough clearance to fit a wrench to try and loosen the trun signal stalk. My service manual for the bike doesn't seem to have any documentation around removing this and the information I have found online has been limited. Seems like 1990-1993 sportsters have a different turn signal mount than future and past ones.

Does any one have any experience removing the rear turn signal stocks so that I can install these side plates?

Thanks
E

[Toejam503]

There is supposed to be a "capture" nut under the fender. You'll have to raise up the rear of the bike and remove the rear shocks, so the tire lowers enough to get at the nuts. Book says 96 inch lbs torque to tighten this nut.

[ecore]

do you know if there is some type of connector underneath the fender too? I would think that I would need to also remove the turn signal wire since it feeds through the turn signal stock/mount bolt.

[83XLX]

You'll probably need to cut the wire and splice it back together when you're finished. I'd have a look at it first to see, though. Mine is all hard-wired, but it's an older model.

[IXL2Relax]

The turn signal wiring should run from the TS housing to the connector under the seat as a straight run (no intermediate connector) - You can remove the contact for each wire from the under-seat connector and fish it back out of the protective sleeve (which is held under the fender with clips) and then pull the wire out of the mounting hole so that you can move the TS housing to another location...


OR - Just cut & splice the wire under the fender - being careful to make a good electrical splice and then protect it from the weather, mud, dirt, stones, etc., flying around under the fender...

If the new TS housing location is farther rearward, then you'll need to pull extra wire from under the seat, thru the sleeve (under the fender), in order to make the splice... If no extra wire length is available, you'll need to add wire at the splice location, making it two splices needed...


OR - You may be able to get to the rear of the TS housing socket to make a cut/splice there... pull the wires out of the current location, add wire if necessary and feed the wire back thru the new fender hole into the housing where you can reconnect to the rear of the light socket...


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[ecore]

Rats, I was hoping to not have to cut and splice any wires. I always seem to be intimidated by the electrical system lol.

I guess the first step would be to disconnect the rear shocks and get a better look underneath the fender to get a better look at the situation.

Is it difficult to feed the wire through the sleeve?

[Toejam503]

Spray the sleeve with Glass Cleaner.

[ecore]

what does that do?

[Toejam503]

Makes it easier to slide the wires thru then evaporates.

[ecore]

Sweet thanks! gonna attempt to do this tonight. I will let you all know how it goes.