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Group Buy: Innovative Wiring turn/marker harness (single function to dual function) (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Ebag333
- Start date
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same here - I'm in, put me down for one...
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Hoosier Daddy
SILVER Star
Maybe this is obvious to everyone else, but not to me. Help me out...
So the primary advantage of this mod is that the front turn signal would now be visible from the side as well?
So the primary advantage of this mod is that the front turn signal would now be visible from the side as well?
No, the advantage will be both the front and side marker/turn signal lights will be serving in both capacities. Both will have dual filament bulbs that will use one filament for turn signal and the other for marker light. Hope it helps.
- Thread starter
- #25
In the stock setup, you have the corner light (to side of head light) acting as a marker light and the front light (below head light) acting as a turn signal.
There are several negatives to this.
One is that the turn signal is not visible at all from the side of the rig. If you're even slightly in front of it (as will be the case in 95% of intersections) then it's not as much of an issue, but the further you get to the side the more difficult it is to see. Even from the front it can be hard to see at times, since it points straight forward and has no output to the side.
The other problem is that it's low. Now this isn't as much an issue on a Cruiser (even a stock one) as it is on a low slung car, but the higher up the light the more visible it is. Moving it up (even the relatively small amount between the marker and corner) makes a significant difference in how visible it is.
In my truck, I just swapped the corner and front light (basically swapped function). This is nice because it makes my turn signal very visible. The down side is...now my marker light isn't as visible! IMHO it's more important that other drivers see the turn signal than the marker light, so it's an improvement, but still not ideal.
The other down side to just swapping them is that drivers to the opposite side I'm turning on will have a harder time seeing the turn signal. So if I'm turning left, with a stock setup (turn signal in the front light) the turn signal is equally visible to the right or left, as long as you're in front of the vehicle. With the swapped setup, the driver on my left can see the turn signal far better, but the driver on the right will have a hard time doing so.
By turning both lights into dual function, you have the best of both worlds. Now drivers to both sides can see my turn signal (especially on the side in the direction I'm turning), and my marker lights stay highly visible (both to the side and front).
Is that a better explanation?
Hmmph... I just don't know what you guys have against this method: https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/87516-very-simple-mod-blinking-side-markers.html
1.) It's essentially free.
2.) It only takes about 10 minutes to complete from start to finish.
3.) It does not permanently affect or damage anything.
4.) You do not touch or modify the vehicle harness at all.
5.) The only wiring affected are the short little socket harnesses from the turn signals and side marker lights that plug into the vehicle harness. They're not permanently damaged, either. If you want to remove the blinker mod then just remove the splice on the turn signal and reconnect the existing wire on the side marker light. Very straight forward if you read the thread I linked to above.
6.) You're not "hacking" anything. You make one quick splice and then one quick cut and add a butt connector. Completely and easily reversible, like I mentioned above, or you can replace the little harness with OEM for $14... #5 in the attached photo. Also, when you buy Depo corners and turn signals they already include a new socket harness.
Anyway, not trying to bust anyone's chops, but I just couldn't imagine paying $50 for something that you can do for 10 minutes of your time and about $0.50 worth of material and accomplishes basically the same thing.
Just my $0.02.
1.) It's essentially free.
2.) It only takes about 10 minutes to complete from start to finish.
3.) It does not permanently affect or damage anything.
4.) You do not touch or modify the vehicle harness at all.
5.) The only wiring affected are the short little socket harnesses from the turn signals and side marker lights that plug into the vehicle harness. They're not permanently damaged, either. If you want to remove the blinker mod then just remove the splice on the turn signal and reconnect the existing wire on the side marker light. Very straight forward if you read the thread I linked to above.
6.) You're not "hacking" anything. You make one quick splice and then one quick cut and add a butt connector. Completely and easily reversible, like I mentioned above, or you can replace the little harness with OEM for $14... #5 in the attached photo. Also, when you buy Depo corners and turn signals they already include a new socket harness.
Anyway, not trying to bust anyone's chops, but I just couldn't imagine paying $50 for something that you can do for 10 minutes of your time and about $0.50 worth of material and accomplishes basically the same thing.
Just my $0.02.
- Thread starter
- #27
No major issues, but there are a couple problems with your statements (and the mod in general).
Yeah, don't you see that these two statements (3 and 4 vs 5 and 6) are mutually exclusive?
You are hacking up the harness. Granted you can replace it if needed, but if you need to revert then you're spending about $30 for a new harness...as opposed to spending just a little bit more for the correct way.
I have big problems with quick splice connectors in general. Keep in mind that I'm in an area where rust isn't a problem (I have had unpainted shock mounts on my truck for 3 years and they only have a few dots of rust on them). So the environment where I live is very easy. Despite that, nearly every quick splice I've seen has had problems. Quite frankly, they are absolutely the worst way of making a splice possible, and cause nothing but problems.
So to provide counter-counter points to your counter point:
- It is plug and play. None of the other mods offered are.
- It is 100% reversible without requiring new harnesses, or taping up tapped (and potentially damaged/corroded) wiring.
- Cost to reverse a hacked harness is $28 (or more)....as opposed to $40 for the plug and play harness. Is saving $12 worth it?
- No crappy quick splice connectors.
- You never lose marker lights. With the exception of the MoGas mod, most of the mods listed cause you to lose your marker light function when the turn signal is turned on. This is potentially confusing and dangerous to other drivers (especially in poor visibility conditions).
- Thread starter
- #28
I heard back from Gary, his initial price quote is $40 for the harness. Now if something comes up that's unexpected, this price could change, but as that price is right in line with his other harnesses I don't expect there to be any issues.
If you are interested, please post up (even if you have previously) and how many you would like.
PLEASE don't post up that you are interested in one unless you're serious. I realize stuff comes up and some people will drop out, but lets try and keep that to a minimum.
I know Gary uses PayPal, but I will see if he can take other methods of payment (as I don't use PayPal).
If you are interested, please post up (even if you have previously) and how many you would like.
PLEASE don't post up that you are interested in one unless you're serious. I realize stuff comes up and some people will drop out, but lets try and keep that to a minimum.
I know Gary uses PayPal, but I will see if he can take other methods of payment (as I don't use PayPal).
There is/was no problem with my previous statement. Emphasis here: You do not touch the VEHICLE harness. All you are modifying is the little socket harness. Easily replaceable, although you would never have to replace them, so you cannot factor that cost into the modification at all. If for some reason you HAD to go back to stock, then you could consider the $14 cost. Also, you're throwing around the "hack" term pretty loosely. "Hack" to me is something that's shady, messy, or downright crappy. There is nothing "hack" about making one splice and one butt connection and adding 12" of wire for each side of the vehicle--so long as you do it cleanly in the correct location.
I always hesitate to use splice connectors, as well. But honestly, I've used them from time to time for the past 12-13 years and I've never had a single problem with them. As long as you use the correct size for the gauge wire you're working on and make sure they're seated properly, they work pretty damn well. I also tape and shrink wrap every time I make any sort of electrical connection--splice, butt, or otherwise. I know they get a bad wrap, but they can work effectively and for the long term if you're careful.
If you have that big of a problem with them, just pull up the insulation, solder your new wire on, and shrink wrap. A couple extra minutes of time and a bit more work, but still basically free!
Good point.
True--but you're making it 100% more dramatic than it actually is.
Why would you ever need to reverse it? I don't think the cost of a replacement harness should be considered when comparing the methods. I just included the cheap cost of the harness so no one thought they were messing with some sort of unobtanium. In my opinion, you're still talking about a $40+ (or is it $80+???) mod vs. a $0.50 mod that accomplishes the exact same thing.
Again...major dramatization. If you use them right, they can be used safely and effectively for the long-term.
Really? Now you're just stretching to find excuses not to do this mod because you didn't think of it first. Give Daniel Stern a little credit. He's supposedly an "expert" when it comes to this crap, more so than you, me, or probably anyone else reading this thread... If this video confuses someone, then they shouldn't have a driver's license.
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I'd be in at $40 for both corners and reasonable shipping. @$80 I'd prolly go with the "simple" hack.
I would like to know the answer too..
- Thread starter
- #35
Sorry, it's $40 for both sides.
Should I put you all down for one?
Shipping cost would be whatever it takes to get it to you. When I ordered the headlight wiring harness, PayPal calculated the shipping cost at $12. When the item shipped, Gary refunded me $5 as the actual shipping costs were less than estimated (without any request or comment on my part). Not too many vendors would do that.
I don't have a date yet. I only contacted him 3 days ago, so have patience.
He's pretty quick though. It took him 5 days to ship my headlight harness, and 2 of those days were the weekend. I wouldn't expect a group buy to go that fast, but I wouldn't expect him to be months out either.
In for one. Thank you.
I am in too please
