6V XLCH Taiight Bulbs

[billpedalino]

I'm assembling my completely OEM taillight after painting and notice that there is no way go get the bulb into the socket with the clear upper lens installed. This is the early housing with the vertically-mounted socked assembly. The clear lens is also original, OEM. Also, there is no way to get the clear lens in with the bulb in place. This taillight originally took the G.E. 1154 bulb (H.D. No. 68165-47), the same bulbs as my knucklehead. I'm thinking that the Chinese bulbs that I bought from V-Twin are slightly longer than the original bulbs. This height isn't critical in the knuckle taillight housing, but interferes in the Sportster housing.

Has anyone experienced this problem and/or what bulbs are you using to allow installation?

[billpedalino]

I just found a 10-Pack of old, original AC 1154 bulbs on EBay. I remember the package from when I worked in gas stations in the 1960's. Hopefully, these should fit.

[BigLakeBob]

Is the bulb overall height different or are the tangs in a different location?

[billpedalino]

Its the overall height. The contact buttons are correctly indexed to the side pins and the contacts in the socket. In fact, I inserted the bulb without the clear lens in-place to check my wiring and both filaments lit up as expected.

[Chris Haynes]

Shouldn't the bulb be laying down instead of standing up?

[BigLakeBob]

In my machine shop trade I do alot of prototypes, make and check the first one, then adjust for production. I can only assume from the many incorrect Chinese made parts that their interpretation of a prototype is a 10,000 part run.

[murph]

Post a picture of what your dealing with. It should look like this.

[upsrod]

Post a picture of what your dealing with. It should look like this.

The 1154 bulb is considerably larger then the one shown.

[murph]

True, but I have found the large bulbs can melt the lens.

[billpedalino]

Bob, You are correct - they do large prototype runs and then dump them on the market at a discounted price.

Murph; Thanks so much for the photo. I mounted the socket vertically (like in my knucklehead) and that was the problem. You would think the direction of the press-in area would be a hint, huh?? You also state that you substitute a shorter bulb for the 1154. Which bulb do you use? I certainly don't want to melt the original plastic lens; It took awhile to find and it wasn't cheap!

As of this morning, now that the taillight assembly is installed and working the bike is nearly complete. The tank and fenders are painted Hi-Fi Blue, although the tank is still at the painter for the white side panels, decals and final clear coat.

After some aggravation (an earlier thumbnail image that I can't seem to delete) I posted a progress shot of the bike taken this morning.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL !!

12-25-17A.jpg

[murph]

Bill you can use the 1154 just be mindful of it's clearance of the lens. I don't remember what bulb that is but I'm sure it was a 10 pack from Ted's at one time. Also the bike looks fantastic nice work.

[duffeycycles]

Tedd sells regular 1154 & they have another 1158 shorter but that has pins aligned not staggered...search 1154 short bulb & they come up on ebay etc

[billpedalino]

Thanks guys.
Ad a compliment about my work from Murph is an honor worth bragging about! Thank you....
Now let's see how it runs !!!

[billpedalino]

I found the short 1154 bulb with the indexed pins.
Thanks Duffy...