Shortening Stock Front Signals (?)

[psycledelic]

Has anyone tried shortening the length of their stock turn signals?  Just looking for a cheap (as in free) project for the weekend and when I run with my fairing off, they stick out too far.  I took the assembly apart and was looking at the extension that spaces the headlight bracket to the signal body itself and didn't see a way to cut it down, not damage the internal threading, and still have everything line up smoothly.   Other than the length, I kind of like the look of the stock signals with the smoked clear alternative lenses. 

[Raux]

are you talking 696? sorry can't remember what you ride. if so, yeah someone has taken them off and posted pcis but really didnt talk about them. when i took off the headlight i think if i remember right you have to shorten or get different bolts then since they run all the way through the extensions.

[dutchy73]

If indeed you are talking about a 696, yes, you can shorten the lights by removing the extensions. While painting the headlight bezel the other weekend, I removed the signal lights and noticed the extensions, which are a bit over 1.5 inches long...yikes. I took them off and used a set of shorter screws that I had sitting around to remount to the bezel. The now shorter signal lights tightened the front up a LOT, so much that I am now holding off on getting smaller LED's until maybe next season. Obviously, the old signals look HUGE and almost 'wing like'. But not anymore...

[lazarus7]

umm , guys, look at his sig.....

06 s2r800.....
 

[Raux]

umm , guys, look at his sig.....

06 s2r800.....
 

you guys know i haven't had my coffee this morning. so sorry. see the sig now. but still haven't had the coffee. 

[Raux]

If indeed you are talking about a 696, yes, you can shorten the lights by removing the extensions. While painting the headlight bezel the other weekend, I removed the signal lights and noticed the extensions, which are a bit over 1.5 inches long...yikes. I took them off and used a set of shorter screws that I had sitting around to remount to the bezel. The now shorter signal lights tightened the front up a LOT, so much that I am now holding off on getting smaller LED's until maybe next season. Obviously, the old signals look HUGE and almost 'wing like'. But not anymore...

what length screws did you use?

[dutchy73]

Sorry, I didn't have any coffee this morning either, so asking the length of screw I used is way more then I can handle right now.  But I'll give it a shot...

I think that used a machined metrics bolt that was about 3/4 to 1/2 inch.  It was actually two bolts I had left over from the DP tail chop. I think it's the stock bolts on the rear signals. the DP kit came with new bolts at a different length. If you go with a 1/2 inch, you should be fine.

[psycledelic]

Yea, 06 S2R800.  I didn't really pay attention to the bolt length.  I didn't see any way to mount the signal directly (without the extension) because the bolt threading is in the extension and the signal itself slides over the other end.  I was thinking about taking a couple of the ribs off of the extension and shortening the signal end of it and trying to fit it together, but wanted to see if anyone had any better ideas.  Not a big deal, I am about due a real screw up and have been eyeballing a set of Rizoma's just in case. 

[bullet boy]

when I had stock signals on mine, I bought a pair of used REAR ones off someone on the board and put them up front. Bolt right on, inexpensive, and are significantly shorter than the front ones.

[Slide Panda]

when I had stock signals on mine, I bought a pair of used REAR ones off someone on the board and put them up front.

^^^
This is the way to go.  Stock blinkers are cheap and easy to get 2nd hand.

There's no practical way to cut down the stock ones without making a real mess of them.  The rubber flex bit in the middle is basically injection cast into the two plastic bits.  So it's about impossible to separate them w/o good risk of damage. 

[psycledelic]

when I had stock signals on mine, I bought a pair of used REAR ones off someone on the board and put them up front. Bolt right on, inexpensive, and are significantly shorter than the front ones.

Wow, didn't even think about that.  Now, (feeling like an idiot) I will walk out to my garage and take my rear signals out of the bin where I keep all of my stock stuff and bolt them on.  You learn something everyday!

[stopintime]

Wow, didn't even think about that.  Now, (feeling like an idiot) I will walk out to my garage and take my rear signals out of the bin where I keep all of my stock stuff and bolt them on.  You learn something everyday!

Since you're in learning mode now, I'll throw in another: remember to turn them forwards so they actually signals forwards - as opposed to the direction they were used to signal

[Slide Panda]

Since you're in learning mode now, I'll throw in another: remember to turn them forwards so they actually signals forwards - as opposed to the direction they were used to signal

And don't forget to top up the blinker fluid on each after the install.  Some probably leaked out while they sat in that bin

[lazarus7]

when I had stock signals on mine, I bought a pair of used REAR ones off someone on the board and put them up front. Bolt right on, inexpensive, and are significantly shorter than the front ones.

dude, thats the BEST "duuuuh" mod i have ever heard of....!!!!!!
dang, now i gotta break out my "extra parts" box.....