[agdodge4x4]

The headlight on this old 1986 model Fourtrax is pretty sad. I want to upgrade my lighting by adding two 4" 18W LED lights and mounting them to the bull bar on the front. I don't think I need to use a relay since it should only pull 3A, but I want to. So, I will. My question is, should I just wire it as a separate circuit straight to the battery or should I tie in to the ignition switch somehow? If so, which wire should I tap into? I have the wiring diagram, but I am having trouble understanding what its telling me.

 

[_Wilson_]

There's a few fellows here that have those, someone will be along shortly, and post updates and pics of your install

 

[agdodge4x4]

My other option since my headlight switch has a high and low switch is to install a 7" led where the current headlight is, and my two 4" ones on the bull bar and use the switch to select one or the other. No wiring is needed that way.....

 

[retro]

I'd use the existing wiring/switches if current draw will be very low. You can use the existing switches/wiring to energize a relay too, if you prefer that setup. In that case run your hot from the battery with an inline fuse and plug the rest into the existing harness. A little soldering & shrinkwrap and yer golden...

 

[agdodge4x4]

What looked to be a good solution won't work like that. I have a 12" light bar that would be awesome mounted to the bull bar. That draws 72W, so that's about 6A. That's a bit more than the factory light bulb, so I would rather not use that. I want to use a relay. But I'm not sure how to wire up a relay using the existing switch and say the "LOW BEAM" wire. Will this work AND create switch power:

Relay:
Low Beam Wire that is currently connected to the headlight -> 85 terminal on relay
GROUND (green wire)-> 86 terminal
Then red wire directly from battery -> 30 terminal
Red wire to new LED light -> 87a terminal


???

If so, then great, but it will render my low beam on the headlight inoperable.

 

[WIRedRider]

87a is the normally closed contact so the light would be on when the relay is de-energized, or in other words... off. You want to use the 87 terminal.

Sent from my LGUS992 using Tapatalk

 

[agdodge4x4]

Haha...whoops...that would have made me drink.

I'm going to measure my light draw with my meter. How much draw on that one wire would you guys say is safe? I'd like to pigtail off of it and use it to continue to feed the low beam while the pigtail would feed the relay switch. Not sure if that's too much though.

 

[retro]

The relay consumes only a few milliamps to energize and hold... so don't matter where you decide to get that power from. I would energize the relay off from the headlights (on-off) switch so your hi-lo beam switch would be left unaffected.... Unless you want the Auxiliary lighting to be switched by the Hi-lo beam switch.... your choice.

 

[agdodge4x4]

I got to find that wire. Not sure which it is. Im looking at the diagram now. Do you know what the symbol on the diagram is that is a triangle pointing and touching a rectangle? I've never seen it and I cannot find it online. Is this a barrel connector or something else?

Also, there are some abbreviations on my diagram's lighting and engine stop switch that should all be switched:

Lo
Hi
C
TL
IG
E

low, high, TailLight, Ignition...E and C....Engine and Common? The Tail light wire would work, but I'd rather use one of the others.

 

[retro]

I got to find that wire. Not sure which it is. Im looking at the diagram now. Do you know what the symbol on the diagram is that is a triangle pointing and touching a rectangle? I've never seen it and I cannot find it online. Is this a barrel connector or something else?

It looks like the headlight on-off switch is internally wired into the hi-lo dimmer switch, so you may have to energize the relay from the taillight wire coming out of the handlebar switch... which is the same result...

The triangle/rectangle symbol is a harness connector as you guessed.

"E" is a common ground (usually a green wire) in the harnesses and "C" is a common hot (positive) wire powered on through the ignition switch.

 

[agdodge4x4]

Ok. So the common hot or the brown wire would be switched and suffice for my goal? Is there any reason to use one over the other?

If I can get my led's to mount how I want, then I may be able to wire directly to the old wiring. The wires on this thing are at least 18ga, and they should handle 15A without any prpblem. Any new led lights will run 5 or 6 amps max...that's advertised, and I've never tested any that ran more than about 4.

Thanks for the advice!

 

[agdodge4x4]

Almost got my lights wired up. I blew the main fuse while testing with my multimeter. I had a spare in the box, but now I need to find a 15A glass fuse like they used in 1986. Damn.

The new lights have their OWN circuit with their OWN 10A fuse, may even drop a smaller one in just for safety...these lights should pull 6A max if they do like their specs say, and I know for fact that they NEVER do. Even if I go based on LED light spec, the wire will be at 50% capacity, and the fuse will be even less, but still enough to protect the wires. It's taking longer because I want my wire run in 1/4" conduit so it is protected and looked nice. I could have used existing wiring, but I did not want to have to have my main headlight on low or high while my LED worklight was on. I took the wire to the positive on the battery just like the factory did for the main harness. The new circuit will be on a switched ignition wire. I tested them and read the diagram. It will ONLY be used for activating the relay. The power will be direct feed from the battery/fuse. It just takes a little time to route wires and make it look nice and not be in the way. All connections are soldered with waterproof heat shrink, except for the battery connection...had to crimp that one, but that'll be OK.

 

[retro]

Sounds great! Especially the addition of the relay for control and soldering every connection! Any chance we'll get to see some purdy pics of her when shes done? :grin

 

[Goober]

I'm a lil late on this thread but here's a screen grab of the light harness I used. It works well but I'm used to rugged field equipment--like tailpieces on the switches and connectors.
This one has a hi amp circuit connecting the lights to the battery connected thru a normally open 40A relay; the low amp circuit has the on/off switch and is connected into an ignition circuit. When you switch on ignition, the low amp circuit is energized to the light on/off switch; closing the light switch then energizes the relay which closes the hi amp circuit. Battery power then energizes the hi amp circuit

 

[agdodge4x4]

Ill try to post some pics if I can remember.

Thanks Goober! I did see that kit, and as a matter of fact, its sitting on my desk. But, I did not like the switch dangling around. I had another one that has a lighted switch, but it does not mount to the handlebar, and it doesn't need to be lighted considering its hooked up to the ignition. So, I just ordered some relays, fuses, and this switch: https://www.amazon.com/iWonow-Motor...24867&sr=8-3&keywords=motorcycle+light+switch

It is admittedly, not built as well as I would like, but the price is right, and its going to work. I also just did not need a ton of harness that I had to ultimately cut and shorten and solder anyway. Also, its 16ga wire. I wanted to go a hair bigger....why....because in wiring, bigger is better. Maybe my chinese light shorts out and pulls a ton of amps before that fuse burns, maybe it chaffs and shorts...I don't know. Mostly though, I wanted to have a solid supple wire to my relay in case I wanted something else later. I can just add a relay, tap off the hot, and we're on our way. I mounted the relay in the front near the switches and lights and found a handy 6mm bolt that already had a ground on it. So, the relay ground went to it along with the light ground, and the relay mounted on the bolt too.

Here is the album of the my quad. It should be obvious which is the light setup. LOL.

https://goo.gl/photos/S2ymgxRSnKgo4x8j6


Hopefully this works.

I wish I would have used PVC sheathing instead of split loom. It would have looked cleaner and more factory but, this stuff will work OK and protect the wires from chaffing which is what I wanted. I also don't like crimp connectors, but sometimes you just have to use them. I think you can click on the pics and the description is in there. See what you think.

I would have loved to replace the factory light with LED, but due to the way its mounted, it would have required some sizable modification to make that work. So...in lieu of that, I went with a 12" light bar that has a spot beam in the middle and floods on the side. We will see how they work. Hopefully they put out a nice beam. If not, I have a desk full of other LED that I can play with, but Ill probably leave this. At least this way, you can still have a headlight that lights up where you TURN instead of where you are POINTING. I even had a convenient hole in the fender to run the wire! LOL.

 

[Goober]

Looks dang good
LOL I bought the same handlebar switch but saw the kitchen push button had a sticky tape backing. So I stuck it to the back of the headlight bucket!
Good work I like your clean install

 

[agdodge4x4]

The switch I got is kinda chintzy but hopefully itll work. I mean, it was 7 bucks so I guess I can't be too critical. So far, when you push the button, the lights come on, so I guess I can't ask for more than that!

 

[retro]

Looks like a winner! You got that bike fixed up pretty good now, great job! Ever consider entering it in the ATV of the month voting?

 

[fishfiles]

the glass fuses are easy to find at any auto parts store , personally all the glass fuse holders are cut off my bikes and blade style fuse holder are soldered in with heat shrink over the wires , I had a lot of problems with the OEM glass fuses and holders , but my bike stays in the water ---------- cheap on/off switches were also a problem , they get water in them and the lights would come on by them selves , some time just half light , quite a few times my neighbor would call me at night and say you left the lights on your bike on and it was becuase it was raining