Anyone else have a sagging tail light?

upshiftoverdrive · Apr 23, 2013

Hey everyone,

Just wanted to see if anyone else has a similar looking tail light as mine. To my eye mine seems to be sagging which could let water and what not in. My bike when it is in position in the garage, is in a corner. So when I lean over to pull the cover down I must be putting pressure on the tail light. What do I have to take off to tighten it up again?

-Thanks

TownsendsFJR1300 · Apr 23, 2013

upshiftoverdrive said:
Hey everyone,

Just wanted to see if anyone else has a similar looking tail light as mine. To my eye mine seems to be sagging which could let water and what not in. My bike when it is in position in the garage, is in a corner. So when I lean over to pull the cover down I must be putting pressure on the tail light. What do I have to take off to tighten it up again?

-Thanks

Take the seat off and look toward the light. You'll see TWO, dark colored, medium sized phillips head screws. Tighten them up, should pull the light assembly right up.

If the plastic holes are stripped, put a very short piece of safety wire, (SS fishing line) in the hole parallel with the screw, it'll give it more bite...

motojoe122 · Apr 23, 2013

TownsendsFJR1300 said:
Take the seat off and look toward the light. You'll see TWO, dark colored, medium sized phillips head screws. Tighten them up, should pull the light assembly right up.

If the plastic holes are stripped, put a very short piece of safety wire, (SS fishing line) in the hole parallel with the screw, it'll give it more bite...

+1 on the above, also lift the tail light up and see if the thin foam lining that the tail light lens rest on is there. If it's missing it will let the lens sag like that.

upshiftoverdrive · Apr 23, 2013

TownsendsFJR1300 said:
Take the seat off and look toward the light. You'll see TWO, dark colored, medium sized phillips head screws. Tighten them up, should pull the light assembly right up.

You're the man! :BLAA: I figured it had to be something simple.
-Thanks!

KingY · Apr 24, 2013

My old FZ6s1 was quite bad for that, i messed with the screens and made no difference, i believe its made to have some play to absorb vibration. My FZ6n1 is a bit tighter then my old one but still has play in the tail light

FIZZER6 · Apr 24, 2013

Really?!

My tail light has been sagging and loose (wiggles up and down) since I bought the bike with 1 mile on the odometer!

I never thought anything of it until I read this.

Is the tail light supposed to be solid mounted? Mine definitely has about 1/4" of play.

TownsendsFJR1300 · Apr 24, 2013

FIZZER6 said:
Really?!

My tail light has been sagging and loose (wiggles up and down) since I bought the bike with 1 mile on the odometer!

I never thought anything of it until I read this.

Is the tail light supposed to be solid mounted? Mine definitely has about 1/4" of play.

Mine moves up and down about 1/4" too..

DavesFZ · Apr 24, 2013

Re: Re: Anyone else have a sagging tail light?

TownsendsFJR1300 said:
Mine moves up and down about 1/4" too..

Same here. Normal.

lawlberg · Apr 24, 2013

My understanding is that it's by design. It's easier on the bulb if it's allowed a bit of wiggle room, thus the rubber mounted screws on both the headlights and the taillight. If it's firmly attached to the frame and you hit a big bump, it could jar the filament enough to kill the bulb.

These are my thoughts and attempts at understanding it, using a reverse scientific method, trying to explain/find reasons why something was done, assuming there was good reason behind the decision.

FIZZER6 · Apr 24, 2013

lawlberg said:
My understanding is that it's by design. It's easier on the bulb if it's allowed a bit of wiggle room, thus the rubber mounted screws on both the headlights and the taillight. If it's firmly attached to the frame and you hit a big bump, it could jar the filament enough to kill the bulb.

These are my thoughts and attempts at understanding it, using a reverse scientific method, trying to explain/find reasons why something was done, assuming there was good reason behind the decision.

That makes perfect sense to me. Bike suspension does not absorb shock as well as car suspensions and halogen filaments do not like shock.

FinalImpact · Apr 24, 2013

The rubber is for your protection!! It keeps the lights on even when things are flopping about! :spank: :spank: :BLAA:

TownsendsFJR1300 · Apr 24, 2013

FinalImpact said:
The rubber is for your protection!! It keeps the lights on even when things are flopping about! :spank: :spank: :BLAA:

No comment!!!

Just an FYI, you'll also find the rear bulb is NOT a standard 1157. Yamaha puts three stems on one of the filiments to help extend the life of the bulb. The Yamaha bulb is also slightly brighter than a standard 1157 as I compared them next to each other on my old FJR (two tail lights) after I broke one bulb accidentally. Put both in their harnesses, next to each other you can definitly tell the difference..

The assembly is indeed, rubber mounted, for vibration...

Sawblade · Apr 24, 2013

Whoops, my stock bulb burned out years ago, and it's had a 1157 in it ever since.

TownsendsFJR1300 · Apr 25, 2013

Sawblade said:
Whoops, my stock bulb burned out years ago, and it's had a 1157 in it ever since.

It'll work, just slightly dimmer and definitly not as sturdy as the stocker.

With just one bulb in the rear (unless you have added on taillights, ie Hyperlights), if that filment burns out at night, you just about invisable...

Anyone else have a sagging tail light?

upshiftoverdrive

Junior Member

TownsendsFJR1300

2007 FZ6

motojoe122

No ride is too far...

upshiftoverdrive

Junior Member

KingY

Junior Member

FIZZER6

The Angry Blue Mantis

TownsendsFJR1300

2007 FZ6

DavesFZ

Junior Member

lawlberg

Booth Babe

FIZZER6

The Angry Blue Mantis

FinalImpact

2 Da Street, Knobs R Gone

TownsendsFJR1300

2007 FZ6

Sawblade

Hopped up on Mountain Dew

TownsendsFJR1300

2007 FZ6

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