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Need Electrical Connector Help


VFRiderGal

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Hi everyone! :D

I just swapped out my amber turn signals (2005) for the clear (2006+). I recently purchased the clear tail light assembly (Thanks Seb!) and am in the process of swapping that out as well. Here's where I'm hoping there's a VFRD member that's an electrical connector whiz!

The bulb sockets and housings are different. I knew this going into it. However, one VFR owner said it would be easiest to warm and soften the glue seal and swap the housing with the covers. Well, I started down that avenue and it's easier said than done. :squid: That glue seal is one tough seal to break.

From here, I figured that the easiest solution would be to locate, purchase, and replace the old connector from the wiring harness. I searched the parts microfiche with Service Honda. They are only showing the connector as part of the wiring harness. :goofy: Do any of you know where I could hunt down one of the connectors that attaches to the bulb socket??

Here's a closeup pic of the bulb sockets (the new is on the left and the old is on the right):

DSCF0730.jpg

The new socket the following information on it:

"STANLEY 10800 Amber"

The housing for the new bulb sockets looks like this:

DSCF0716.jpg

The housing for the old bulb sockets looks like this:

DSCF0715.jpg

TIA! ~ Jodie :thumbsup:

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Finding the connector is going to be tough. I can tell you from experience that Honda will not help you find the connector, and if you tell them that you are trying to replace the original factory lens with another lens from a later year, then they will consider that as a modification and will not help you. When I was working on a similar project none of the local shops could help with locating the part number for any connector in the harnesses, and I even tried Ron Ayers thinking they could help look up the part number for the connector. No such luck... About the only route for a play-and-play solution is to replace the harness, but that really isn't an option since the tail light connectors are part of the main harness.

Here are a couple of suggestions...

Call your local Honda shop and find out where to find wrecked bikes. You can typically buy stripped off parts, so buy the harness and graft the newer type connectors onto your existing harness.

Also, since body shops are experienced with working on plastics, maybe you could take the lens to a body shop and see if they can remove the old sockets and install the new ones.

Good luck!!!

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I actually located the manufacturer of the connectors when I was looking at this. It's Stanley out of Japan. They make a lot of electrical/light connectors and light assembly's for Honda's. Unfortunately they are proprietary and you will not find the connectors elsewhere. I contacted them directly and they have a strict exclusive agreement with honda and cannot provide any parts or connectors outside of that agreement. They told me that they only way was to get anything was through the Honda dealer.

I have one of the bulb sockets if you want to purchase it. I bought the socket so I could study it and figure out what to do and where to look.

Good luck. Your going to have to find a wreck, buy an entire wiring harness, or fab something. IIRC, there might be a smaller section of the wiring harness you can buy from the front part that connects to the front signals that you could cut the connectors off, but its still going to cost you a couple hundred bucks. Look at the parts diagrams on ron ayers.

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Jodie - the two sockets you show - look to have different functions. Meaning - the Black connector seems to be a dual function as there are 3 connections. the "new" one has only two.

Am I missing something here? Great job on the front lenses by the way!!!

I have a strong hunch that those connectors on the new lens, aren't exclusive to Honda. THey may tell you that, as might Stanley. I'll poke around and see if I can find them. COnnectors like that are usually sourced from a manufacturer that makes all kinds of connectors. THe cost to tool up for a new connector is not attractive...

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Hiya Ken! :D

Even though the old connector has 3 prongs, there are only 2 wires leading into the connector. I cannot see that the old connector on the wiring harness side has anything special inside of it. It appears to simply be a plain ol' plug end.

I've searched hi and lo for these connectors. And, it's got me to the point that I'm gonna find those darn things one way or another. wink.gif I can't see that Honda would only use these connectors on the VFR, if they were exclusive to Honda.

Back I go to my seemingly endless search.... :blink:

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Hiya Ken! :D

Even though the old connector has 3 prongs, there are only 2 wires leading into the connector. I cannot see that the old connector on the wiring harness side has anything special inside of it. It appears to simply be a plain ol' plug end.

I've searched hi and lo for these connectors. And, it's got me to the point that I'm gonna find those darn things one way or another. wink.gif I can't see that Honda would only use these connectors on the VFR, if they were exclusive to Honda.

Back I go to my seemingly endless search.... :unsure:

I have sent an email to an industry friend of mine, and I'll let you know what I come up with. I was able to find the 30 amp connector "body" the white plastic part - and I think this piece is available as well. Back to you tomorrow - hopefully. :thumbsup:

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I really don't think you're going to find another source for the connector---as cozye already said, these are proprietary connectors and it's gonna be hard to locate them from a vendor without a part number. Good luck getting that from Honda...and even if you do, good luck getting a vendor to sell them if they are proprietary.

I think trying to find the exact connector just isn't worth the time and energy. If it were me, I would take the socket to an electronics parts store and have them find a female pin that snugly fits onto the male pin in the socket. Then solder these pins onto one end of a two-wire quick disconnect connector, plug the female pins onto the male pins in the socket, and then fill the inside of socket with RTV or potting compound. Splice in the other half of the quick disconnect into the factory wiring. I think this route makes sense... you have to modify the stock harness anyway, and I will be very surprised if you can source the factory connector. This method also give you the ability to disconnect the wiring from the lens should you ever have to remove it.

Also, I think the picture above is misleading. The turn signal sockets are two wire, but the tail light are brake light are three wire sockets. So the one on the left is the new "turn signal socket", and the one on the right is the old "tail light/brake light socket".

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Hiya NVR2L8,

All of my old sockets (turn signals & brake light) have the three prong socket style shown, front and rear. Some have 2 wires leading into the connection, and others have 3 wires leading into the connection on the wiring harness side. I just looked at all of them to confirm this.

On the 2006/2007 clear tail light, the brake light sockets retain the "old style" 3-prong plug shown on the right. The newer style 2-pin sockets on the left are used for the 2006/2007 rear and front turn signals. :D (The front turn signal housing was swapped so I could retain the "old" bulb socket connector.)

Yes, the "old" turn signal sockets had 3-prongs, but there were only 2 wires leading up to each. The "new" style 2-prong socket still has two wires leading up to each - one (obviously) for each prong. Hope this clears up any confusion. :thumbsup: It's late and my brain is mush...

Here's the link to the swap I already did. There's a short write up and pics showing each step.

Ken, I'm eager to hear whatever you find out. :thumbsup:

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Do you really need a new electrical connector? Looking at the two pictures of the old and new sockets it would seem relatively easy to modify the new socket to accept the old connector.

The old socket has a small notch at 11 0 clock, with 2 large notches at 5 o clock and 4 o clock. The new housing already has a small notch at 3 o clock and 9 0 clock, so if the small notch at 8 o clock was expanded using a craft knife to become a large notch then the old connector should fit.

I hope this is understandable!

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  • 7 years later...

Back From The Dead!!

I am currently in the exact same predicament, and I've searched and searched. Did anyone ever arrive at a connector solution? That glue is resilient and I'd love to do minimal hacking of that crazy expensive light if at all possible - but in the end I'll do whatever it takes.

Who's managed to get this clear tail light on their pre-06, and how did you specifically do it?

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Long shot here but those connectors look similar to my Honda Civic lights. Might want to look at local junk yard as Honda motorcycles and cars are still using the same vendors for parts. Good luck!

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I had considered the possibility that they used this socket again somewhere down the line in 2 wheels or 4, but without a little direction I could spend the rest of my life looking through parts microfiche's :p

Out of curiosity what year is your civic and which bulb had the similarity?

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Try here. The new ones look like one of the Sumitomo patterns (the DL 090). Jim may be able to advise you. He also carries the old connectors, btw.

Ciao,

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I have a 09 civic connector looks similar to injector connector. I also found this supplier http://www.qualitycycleparts.com/#FRS-106 looks close but I don't have one to measure. Hope this helps. Good luck!

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Thanks to both of you for the links! Maybe I'll have to send a picture of the 06 socket to one of those sites and use their expertise to see if they have an appropriate connector. Luckily I have until at least early April here in Canada to get this stuff all sorted :p

Can anybody with an '06 OEM connector sneak a look under their seat and snap me a quick pic of what it looks like!? I think it would really aid my search.

When I'm done I'll create a sticky for the site with absolutely every part required for the swap :)

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  • 3 months later...
  • 3 months later...
  • Member Contributer

Hey guys, I read this thread last week and JZH's suggestion about Sumitomo connectors set me thinking. After browsing through a load on Cycle Terminal, I spotted one that looked a good match. I'm happy to report we now have a solution for 06+ tail lights on a pre-06 VFR. Sumitomo's HX.040 (bottom rib) connectors fit perfectly.

http://prd.sws.co.jp/components/en/detail.php?number_s=61890891

http://www.cycleterminal.com/hx-series.html(it's the light grey connector)

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Here is what I did:

http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/index.php/topic/81497-installing-06-taillight-on-an-02-pic-heavy/

Another option is to remove the black plastic housing from the old taillight, and put it on the new one, such that you can use your original connectors. Can't remember who but someone did this, and the only difference between the rear compared to the front signal lenses is that it is glued on - so he put it in the oven on low until the glue softened up. I was too chicken to try this though :goofy:

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