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Author Topic: Bushtec 6 Wire To 4 Wire  (Read 6362 times)

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Dan_Lockwood

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Bushtec 6 Wire To 4 Wire
« on: May 22, 2017, 01:08:16 PM »

Okay, I'm cheating a bit as I'm posting this in the electronics forum knowing that it will probably get moved to the trailer forum.  But I'm looking for input kind of quickly and I don't know how many of the guys will monitor the trailer forum.

Okay, this is my issue.

I have the Bushtec wiring isolator harness and I bought the '09 CVO "T" cable harness from Bushtec.  Everything works great, but my trailer is the flat 4 wire "common" wiring, not the Bushtec "independent" wiring.

I have separate wires for the two turns and one brake along with one tail that come out of the Bushtec flat 6 plug.  Plus ground and a 12v + for trail inside power.

I bought a Hopkins universal 5 wire to 4 wire converter.  I wire nutted all the Bushtec outputs to the inputs of the Hopkins converter just for testing. 

Powering up the bike I have my tail light in/out of the converter, but I have no other outputs from the Hopkins converter.  While still wire nutted up, I probed the wire nuts with my 12v test light and I had right turn, left turn and brake signals at each of the appropriate wires.  But again, no output on the turn signal wires.

I called Hopkins and the tech said that their converters may or may not work with motorcycles.  Apparently to get a right or left turn with brake I have to have one or the other grounded to set the converter and apparently the Harley or Bushtec does not do that.

What have you guys done to go from the separate turn and brake wires "independent" on the Harley to getting to a 4 wire harness? 

I thought with the 5 to 4 converter and the Bushtec isolator that I would be good to go, but obviously that's not the case.  I think Bushtec sells a Universal harness isolator, but their pricing is just out of touch.  But it may come down to that anyway.

I'm sure there's some grassroots conversions done here and I'm asking for some help.

Thanks.

I called Hopkins this morning and
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Dan

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GregKhougaz

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Re: Bushtec 6 Wire To 4 Wire
« Reply #1 on: May 22, 2017, 01:34:47 PM »

Dan, I think most members just look at the "Show unread posts since last visit" link so they will see it. You might want to send JC a p.m. if he doesn't respond to this. If anyone would know, he probably would.
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Re: Bushtec 6 Wire To 4 Wire
« Reply #2 on: May 22, 2017, 01:38:08 PM »

Can't help you.  Jim probably knows and I believe Lou (Granpadoc) might also be able to lean in on this.
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Dan_Lockwood

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Re: Bushtec 6 Wire To 4 Wire
« Reply #3 on: May 22, 2017, 01:45:34 PM »

Thanks guys, I'll just hang in here and see what comes.

Have a great afternoon.
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Dan

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Re: Bushtec 6 Wire To 4 Wire
« Reply #4 on: May 22, 2017, 02:01:57 PM »

Dan, send Chains ( Jim ) a PM . He is the Bushtec Guru. I know he would be happy to help you.

Mike
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Re: Bushtec 6 Wire To 4 Wire
« Reply #5 on: May 22, 2017, 03:14:28 PM »

Sorry, but I can't help you either, Dan.  I've always used a Bushtec harness.  Chains would be your guy.  Send him a PM.
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Twolanerider

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Re: Bushtec 6 Wire To 4 Wire
« Reply #6 on: May 22, 2017, 04:00:44 PM »

You're going to have a problem Dan.  On a four wire harness the brake light and turn signal occupy the same wire and bulb filament.  On Harley they are separate and don't occupy the same wire run.  Thus the extra wires.

Cars have RT, LT, Tail light and ground.  They get by with four wires because the brake light feed comes down the same line as the turn signal and then just keeps that bulb on all the time until the pedal is released.  The way a Harley is wired you just can't accomplish that over four wires.  On the Harley need brake, tail, rt, lt, and ground.  The sixth wire is then unused or used as a power source for a cabin light or whatever other use you might have (USB charger).

Does the trailer have only dual filament bulb on each side in the rear?  If so you'll need more parts.  If it does have two separate bulbs on each side in the rear (likely one single filament and one dual filament) you're solution is likely to just pull more wire and make the trailer's wiring match the bike.

If it's just got a single bulb on each side in the back end you can make it work.  You'll have to buy more parts though.  I've used the Badlands module that mixes turn signals and tail lights to accomplish what you're wanting to do.  You'll wire in the module downstream of everything else in the bike so that it just alters the trailer. 
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Dan_Lockwood

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Re: Bushtec 6 Wire To 4 Wire
« Reply #7 on: May 22, 2017, 06:16:08 PM »

You're going to have a problem Dan.  On a four wire harness the brake light and turn signal occupy the same wire and bulb filament.  On Harley they are separate and don't occupy the same wire run.  Thus the extra wires.

Cars have RT, LT, Tail light and ground.  They get by with four wires because the brake light feed comes down the same line as the turn signal and then just keeps that bulb on all the time until the pedal is released.  The way a Harley is wired you just can't accomplish that over four wires.  On the Harley need brake, tail, rt, lt, and ground.  The sixth wire is then unused or used as a power source for a cabin light or whatever other use you might have (USB charger).

Does the trailer have only dual filament bulb on each side in the rear?  If so you'll need more parts.  If it does have two separate bulbs on each side in the rear (likely one single filament and one dual filament) you're solution is likely to just pull more wire and make the trailer's wiring match the bike.

If it's just got a single bulb on each side in the back end you can make it work.  You'll have to buy more parts though.  I've used the Badlands module that mixes turn signals and tail lights to accomplish what you're wanting to do.  You'll wire in the module downstream of everything else in the bike so that it just alters the trailer.

Don, actually most cars/trucks today have LT, RT and a separate brake light wire.

I bought the Hopkins converter that allows the 3 separate LT, RT, Brake to be converted into the LT, RT with both of them flashing during an applied brake pedal.

So in my mind, it should have worked.  But the Hopkins guy said it would be a slight chance if it worked for me.

In the converter there has to be some diodes that keep the brake signal from back feeding into the opposite turn signal.

The weird thing is that if I apply 12v to either the green (RT) or yellow (LT) on the conveyor, I get zip out the other side to the trailer wiring.  If I apply 12v to the red brake wire, I "should" get power to both the yellow and green wires, which would be the same as a normal 4 wire w/ground in a NON turn signal brake application.

Hopkins also makes a power converter that does the same thing as the Bushtec power isolator.  It uses the bike leads as a signal only, no load.  It has a power lead from the battery that feeds the trailer wires independently through their own fuse.  So the Hopkins power converter does the same thing, plus it is supposed to combine the 3 turn and brake wires into the two turn wires.

I know there's a way to get to where I need to go, but.....
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Dan

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Twolanerider

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Re: Bushtec 6 Wire To 4 Wire
« Reply #8 on: May 22, 2017, 06:51:07 PM »

Don, actually most cars/trucks today

Most, but not all.  The important difference is because of the hardware upstream the turn signal and brake leads can feed downstream over the same wire.  So four wires can still work and do so the same as the old equipment did.  Harley doesn't do it that way.  Entirely separated runs to the rear needing five wires.
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Dan_Lockwood

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Re: Bushtec 6 Wire To 4 Wire
« Reply #9 on: May 22, 2017, 10:50:14 PM »

Most, but not all.  The important difference is because of the hardware upstream the turn signal and brake leads can feed downstream over the same wire.  So four wires can still work and do so the same as the old equipment did.  Harley doesn't do it that way.  Entirely separated runs to the rear needing five wires.

But how are guys running flat 4 wiring on their Harleys?
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Dan

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Re: Bushtec 6 Wire To 4 Wire
« Reply #10 on: May 22, 2017, 11:13:39 PM »

But how are guys running flat 4 wiring on their Harleys?


This is the exact kit I used on my 15 FLTRUSE it is the isolator with the 4 wire flat connector. I have a N-Line trailer and all works perfect. I even have CD Magic strobe plugged into the bike and this works with that also. However it only strobes the bike brake lights. Hope it helps.
http://www.khromewerks.com/shop/detail/720752



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Twolanerider

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Re: Bushtec 6 Wire To 4 Wire
« Reply #11 on: May 22, 2017, 11:50:58 PM »

But how are guys running flat 4 wiring on their Harleys?

The one time I did it was using that Badlands module mentioned earlier. It will take that or some other type of logic module.
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Dan_Lockwood

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Re: Bushtec 6 Wire To 4 Wire
« Reply #12 on: May 23, 2017, 07:47:09 AM »

Thanks everyone.

I'll check with my local HD dealership as I know that they do sell hitches and they may have the Khrome Werks harness to fit my '09 wiring.

Got to get this done and road ready this weekend...

Thanks again.   :2vrolijk_21:
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Dan

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Re: Bushtec 6 Wire To 4 Wire
« Reply #13 on: May 23, 2017, 04:56:41 PM »

Dan,
 I just had the same problem, with my 11 CVO & Bushtec trailer & it's fixed now! Bushetec sells isolator  for  5 to 4 converters. Electrical Connections sells the same isolators & converters, as a matter of fact Bushtec gets all their wiring supplies from Electrical Connections. I'm running the same harness & isolator from Electrical Connections.  For $30 dollars I fixed mine. You need the plug & play 5 to 4 converter from either place. The part #7664 from Electrical Connections. Their ph# is 865-219-9191. Their techs name is Philip & was a great help to me. This should fix your problem.

Good luck,
Danner
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Re: Bushtec 6 Wire To 4 Wire
« Reply #14 on: May 23, 2017, 09:02:45 PM »

Dan, been digging through paperwork from when I done the 09. I can't find the exact part number but I did find the contact name at Bushtec that was able to fix me up. The guys at the service counter was not much help but finally got a hold of a lady named Jammie Bunch @Bushtec and she was able to fix me up. This was back in. 2014 so maybe you will get lucky and she is still there. I know they sent me the isolator and it was correct for the bike but had a 6 wire output for the Bushtec trailers then she had to send me a converter to get me to my Aluma trailer. Hope you get it figured out
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