First off i have a 2001 xl883c sporty. i wanna bob out. ok today we hacked my rear fender and made a side light plate took off the stock tail light and turn signals when we tryed to wire everything back nothing seemed to work so all i have is a running light. no break light or turn signals this bike has no fuses for some reason im stumped any one know anything about the wiring of the 2001 sportsters?

To remove the rear fender, you'll have to remove the 4 or 5 bolts that attatch your fender rail to fender, to keep from scratching the paint on the fender when you remove it, loosen one of the fender rails (struts) more than the other side so you can remove fender without scratching it. Becareful with your tail light wiring when your taking the license plate mount/tail light off.

2003 Softail FXSTD REAR FENDER removal and replacement:

Start by blocking themotorcycle underneath the frame such that the rear wheel is
raised off the ground to allow necessary clearance for removal of the fender and then remove the seat and disconnect the negative battery cable. THEN remove all of the fasteners from both of the fender supports, remove the fasteners and washers from fender underside, remove the fasteners, and spacers adjacent to the oil tank, remove the tail lamp. disconnect and remove the rear turn signal assemblies, disconnect both of the ignition control module connectors and the rear lighting harness, remove the retaining nuts from both fender mounting brackets and lift the fender from the motorcycle. To Disassemble the fender:
start by removing the both screws and washers and remove the license plate bracket from the rear fender. THEN, if needed,remove the tail lamp harness from behind that bracket To Reassemble the fender: start by reinstalling the tail light harness of it was removed and position it along the side with the slot as it was removed from. THEN fasten the license plate bracket and tighten both of the fasteners to 144-180 in-lbs (16.3-20.3 Nm).

To Reinstall the Fender start by positioning the fender inside of the frame tubes and over the tire assembly making sure that both the ECM and the tail light wiring harnesses are not in a position that they might possibly be pinched by the fender and having done that loosely install both fender mounting brackets using on each side, the two nuts that were previously removed from these locations and tighten them all to 20-25 ft-lbs (27.1-33.9 Nm). THEN apply a drop or two of LOCTITE THREADLOCKER 243 (blue) to the fastener threads, install the fasteners and spacers to secure both fender supports and with the spacers on the front fasteners and tighten them to 168-192 in-lbs (19.0-21.7 Nm). THEN re-attach the turn signal assemblies, loosely install the fasteners and washers from the underside of the fender and tighten them to 144-180 in-lbs (16.3-20.3 Nm). THEN re-connect the ignition module connectors and the rear lighting
Harness and install the tail light assembly, reconnect the battery negative cable, properly and securely reinstall the seat.

If you need to remove the tail lite, brake lite and signal light harness start by removing the seat. Then disconnect the negative battery cable. Then detach the rear electrical harness connector. Then locate and follow the wires for the taillight and signal lights to the connector (8 pin) under the seat area and separate the connector. Then cut the cable tie strap holding the wiring harness to the frame and pull the harness through the fender opening. Then follow the conduit/harness back to the fender hole where the wiring exits the fender underside and enters the tail lite housing and backplate. This is not necessary for removal of the tail/brake lite assembly or the signal lie assemblies.

If you want to remove the tail/brake lite assembly remove the tail light lens and the with a small screwdriver depress the small tang in the tail lite four wire Multilock connector and remove the tail lite and then do the same and release the two wire signal light connectors one at a time from the tail lite base and remove the signal light connectors. These smaller two wire Multilock connectors are on the left and right sides of the base plate in the centre portions of the base plate where the 4 wire tail lite connector on the left side of the base plate is located and the wiring harness connector of the wires from the front of the bike to the base plate on the right side. The wires from the left and right signal lite assemblies go from these connection points on the base plate out through each side of the base plate and into the area under the back of the rear fender to each signal lite assembly. Then similarly release the Multilock connector of the harness from under the seat to the tail lite base. When you have disconnected the connectors from the base plate and have routed the wire harnesses out into the area under the fender you can release them from the wire clips at each side of the under fender areas. Then for each side remove the lamp support by unscrewing and removing the fastener and washer inside the rear fender, after which the lamp housing can be removed from the lamp support by pulling it and the wiring you disconnected from the tail lite base out through the lamp support. If you wish to release/remove the tail lite base undo the fastener and remove it.

To remove a 2011 VRSCDX rear fender FIRST remove the main fuse under the right side cover first, then remove the tail light open the seat, remove the seat pillion, remove the fasteners and the passenger pillion, remove the electrical caddy and the six fasteners and the washers from the fender, remove the fender from the inner fender by lifting upward and sliding the fender back, remove the inner fender by removing the rear shocks and fasteners.

To install a 2011 VRSCDX rear fender FIRST install the inner fender and fasteners, tighten the fasteners to 95-110 Nm (75-81 ft-lbs), install the rear shocks using shock mount fasteners and tighten the fasteners to 41-68 Nm (31-50 ft-lbs), install the rear fender by sliding it into the slot on the tail lamp panel and aligning the fender with the bolt holes on the inner fender, install the six fender fasteners and tighten them to 4.5-7.5Nm (40-66 in-lbs), install the tail lamp, install the passenger pillion and its fasteners. And tighten them to 20-26 Nm (15-19 ft-lbs), install the main fuse, install the right side cover and ensure that the headlamp, tail lights and stop lamp and turn signals are operating properly.

Here's a quick take from the official H-D release. The wide, angular air-box cover and chopped tail section look as solid and smooth as billet and give the new V-Rod Muscle lines that are clean and powerful. The size of the massive 240 mm rear tire is accentuated by the new broad, clipped and clean rear fender. The combination stop/tail/turn LED light is tucked under the edge of the rear fender, and the side-mount license plate leaves the fender surface smooth and uncluttered. Front-end styling balances the rear, with a trimmed fender that's blacked out behind satin-finished inverted forks and LED turn signals integrated into the mirror stems. The radiator shrouds are restyled and color-matched to the rest of the bodywork, while the new airbox side covers incorporate air scoop inlets covered with woven wire mesh. The silver five-spoke cast aluminum front and rear wheels are a new design for the V-Rod line.

The tai light and head light are on the same circuit that is protected by the fuse that is blowing. It sounds to me like you've got a intermittant short circuit somewhere. You're probably going to have to physically inspect the wiring to both the tail light and the headlight. Have you had any problem with either light? Have you had the rear fender or anything around it off? Have you heard the rear wheel scrub the underside of the rear fender? The answers to any or all of these questions would guide me as to where to start looking.

Good Luck
Steve

There is a complication to changing to the shorter shock. That is that when you hit a bump, the rear tire is going to rub the underside of your rear fender unless you set the dampening very stiff. If you can find a thinner seat, you can lower the bike by about an inch before you start running into problems. Also, the lower your go with the bike, the less "lean angle" you have available to you when riding the bike. In other words,once lowered, if you lean your bike over too far, you'll scrub the pipes or the kick stand.

Good Luck
Steve

You have a bad ground at the rear.Use a jumper from battery neg to black wire to verify.Repair as required.

Have 2002 Vulcan 1600 Drifter. The tail and brake lights will not work. They were working rear turn signals do. It blew the fuse twice, now it is not blowing the fuse but still no lights. Got power to the fuse and leaving it not arriving at the rear light. The plug in,before it goes inside the rear fender, what color wires are what so I can check if things are arriving there O.K.?