17
Replacing a Broken Ural Turn Signal, Part 1
Filed Under (Ural Parts and Accessories, Ural Repair and Maintenance) by Anthony StClair on 17-04-2008
The dreaded flasher electrical gremlin strikes my Ural Patrol
I’m typing this from Eugene’s 5th Street Beanery, where, despite 8 oz. of a 16 oz. coffee coursing through my veins, I must report my first true problem: On the ride over, my turn signals stopped working.
Luckily, I knew this might happen.
800km and dead blinkers? Well, some only got to 500km…
Turn signals (or flashers) are a might be/might not be known gremlin for Urals. Even more luckily, this is also quite easily remedied, as reported in a few message board threads:
Soviet Steeds :: View topic - Flasher problem, FOUND IT
“It’s the flasher unit…They are crap. Worst part is its not a RPOC (Russian Piece of Crap) but rather a APOC (American Piece Of Crap). It’s made by Tridon here uin the USA (or maybe in Mexico or China). Mine went withing the first 500kms. Ya can pick up another one at the local auto parts hut.”
This is good to know, but I’m entirely sure yet what’s up with mine. If it were only one bulb not working, then it could just be a bulb or a single unit. However, while my turn signal indicatator lights (doesn’t flash, just lights solid), none of the turn signals activate. Going by some other info on Steeds, it sounds like I may first need to check my fuses and wiring:
Check to see if you have a good ground coming from the turn signal lights. Remember these rigs ground back through the frame. Maybe the paint is not allowing a good ground. Test with a jumper wire to a good ground point on the frame
Soviet Steeds :: View topic - Flasher, or switch?
Hey, on my way home last night, my turn flashers decided to stop flashing.
Soviet Steeds :: View topic - 500km And Blinkers Quit
Just turned 500km and the blinkers quit working. They first started not blinking now they don’t even light (the indicator on the instrument panel still lights but stays on). I suspect the flasher died. Does anyone know were the flasher is located and the part number?
Update – as I was in the middle of sussing out the turn signal problem, someone else had the exact same issue: Soviet Steeds :: View topic - My first problem:
I finally got back in town and took a ride, but half way through the ride the turn signals stopped working. The indicator light would like up and not blink and the signals themselves wouldn’t come on at all.
I only have 620 km (07 patrol)
Plan of attack (so far)
Whatever the problem is, I’m now in the process of sorting it out. Here’s the plan:
- Finish out my coffee and my evening, then see if I can sort this out in the parking lot before leaving
- Follow the threads above and see if I can figure out where the problem is
- If it’s a ground issue, see if I can fix it per the above.
- If it’s a component, like the chaps on Soviet Steeds said, these are pretty easily and universally available. Whatever it is, I should be able to zip up to my local Knechs Auto Parts and grab what I need.
- Will also contact Jim at Raceway to see if this will be covered under my warranty and if there are options there with replacement and reimbursement
Will post updates and photos as they happen…
Now to see if I can get home without getting pulled over…
Update - got home a few minutes ago, with no blue-and-red flashing incidents
Had a quick look under the controls, but I couldn’t make out anything but a mess of wiring. Should be able to get it all sorted out this weekend though - after all, what else is beer and the internet for? (Wait, don’t answer that…)
Actually Anthony you did pretty darn good. Mine went out at less than 100 klm! Jim got me the Ural replacement electronic flasher, and while waiting for the factory model i also found a NAPA parts store version (The DOT part number is on the Ural flasher; SAE J590 & J945) for about five bucks. The difference is that the non Ural model does not flash at a more rapid rate if just one turn signal has burnt out. So now I have a spare. Dont forget to put plenty of dielectric silicone compound on all of those electrical contacts inside that headlight cluster. I guess that is the only thing that keep all of the rain from shorting out everything that is open to the elements? Got to just love that simple Ural engineering!
100km? Oy. Yeah, I figured my first problem could be the flashers. Thanks for the part numbers. I’m going to see if I can source the problem tomorrow - since all my flashers are out, but the indicator light still lights, I’m guessing it’s the flasher unit, but naturally I know precisely squat so we shall see.
Figured I’d just call Jim too - was this covered under your warranty?
Ouch.. sorry to hear that. Every time my blinkers stopped working on my bike, it was just the lead that came loose from the blinker.
Can’t wait to hear how you get it fixed. I’m hopin to replace the signal relay. Had to change my course home because of no signals. Can’t make my left without getting ran over and can’t ride her at night.
Dena, you and I probably have had the same problem. I’m heading up to the auto parts in a little while to see if I can suss this out and get a replacement flasher unit - I’m pretty sure that’s the problem.
Thomas - sounds like you might be, um, luckier
Were you having issues where just one turn signal would konk out but the others would work?
hi, i have a 2007 gear-up that kept blowing flasher units and fuses after 2500k. No matter how many times I replaced them they just kept blowing. Then as I was pushing it out of the garage one morning I heard some rattling as it bumped into the driveway. Being curious I investigated and finally found the source of all my woes. I took then lens cover off the rear drivers turn signal to investigate. The bulb, wire and mounting all fell out and dangled. It would seem that the bulb holder mounting had broken loose and was rattling around inside the signal light. every time I hit a bump or turned on the turn signal with the bulb holder touching the ground inside the case. POOF! instant blown fuse. Sadly this discovery took two weeks 5 flasher units and 12 fuses to work out. I replaced the signal light and it’s worked great since.
Another fun fault to look out for is that the ground screws in the brake light vibrate loose and the brake light stops working intermittently. I have a strong urge to mail a case of locktite to imz
Good luck and happy riding
Holy moly, that’s one to keep an eye out for! Definitely a good reminder to make sure that all the screws and bolts are tight. Glad to hear that you found out what was wrong - but still, thank goodness for that warranty.
Checked out your site too, by the way. I’ve had the same reactions as you - it amazes me how just throwing a tub on the side of a motorcycle just causes people to smile.
Well here is a good one for you, you ready. Ok here goes. Go to start the Gear-up ‘07 and it won’t start, won’t start, won’t start and then coughs and finaly starts. But everytime that I push the chokes in it dies. Finally the battery dies. Oops, went got a ctek battery charger and installed the pig tails and charged the battery up overnight. Next morning chokes out, no go will not start, damn what wrong now? So I started looking around the bike for brain dead user problems and I found it right off the bat “cut off switch”. Oh well, don’t know when it got switched so I just turned it off and it started right off. Her comes the part that is really weird, now my turn signals don’t work, no blinky blinky, no light nada. The user (useless) manuals schematic isn’t worth crap and I don’t have a service manual (that I will take care of tomorrow). I don’t even know were to look. By the way installing pig tails for your battery is a really b&^%h. Taking the seat base off would have helped but I was in too much of a hurry.
Let me know if any of you have a schematic to send me in the intrum.
Jay
Holy crap, man, those famed Ural electrical gremlins really have it in for you. This is beyond my skill to heal - head over to the Soviet Steeds Hammerin’ & Wrenchin’ - Tech Talk forum, and post up there. The lads should have you sorted out pretty quickly:
http://sovietsteeds.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=5&sid=7ca99e2f3fd292961cca29aa9b3ba88f
Somewhere in SS there’s also some images and/or pdfs of full-color wiring schematics for Urals. I tried digging them up, but no luck. I left a note seeing if the admin, John, could add them.