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Garage Door Opener Mod

7K views 19 replies 7 participants last post by  Armstrongsmith 
#1 ·
So I'm cheap and this is my alternative to a Flash2pass garage door opener. As some of you know, a Flass2pass can cost over a hundred bones. There are also some threads on the interwebs on how to install a garage door remote using the high beam, but that's a bit more involved and requires a relay, resistors, a flux capacitor. So instead, I decided to wire a universal garage door opener into my turn signal switch for the grand total of about 30 bucks and it doesn't require an electrical engineering degree to complete.

Here's a rundown on how to do this:

Things you'll need:

A garage door remote compatible with your opener.
A small soldering iron.
Some light gauge wire.
Hot glue gun.

Step 1 (Photo 1) - Find a location for your door opener. I placed mine behind the battery. You can use some adhesive velcro to fix it in place.

Step 2 - Cut wire to length. You'll need two wires of the same length. *Optional* You can use a vice and some safety wire pliers to twist your wires around each other to make them nice and neat.

Step 3 - Open your garage door remote and locate the circuit behind the button that opens your door. Solder one wire to one side of the circuit and one wire to the other. You'll see the button tines protruding through the back of the circuit board. Drill a small hole through the side of the remote's housing to run the wires through. *Side note* I wrapped my remote in electric tape to keep moisture out.

Step 4 (Photos 2,3,4) - Remove the fuel tank, airbox, and left side fuse covers (ram air tube). Route the wires around the left side of the throttle bodies, and between the frame and radiator. Secure the wires to the main loom to protect them. Then route the wires behind the fuse boxes, along the headlight support bracket and behind the 12v outlet. Secure the wires to the loom going to the left handlebar switch with enough slack to prevent any tension when turning the bars from stop to stop.

Step 5 - Locate the two screws on the bottom of the switch housing. Separate the switch upper and lower halves. Remove the two screws securing the turn signal switch in place.

Step 6 (Photo 6) - Create a flat tab on one wire with some solder and a pair of pliers.

Step 7 (Photo 5) - Insert the first wire (without the solder tab) between the copper tab and the spring on the signal switch. Hot glue the wire in place. Insert the tabbed wire into the open slot on the left side of the signal switch. Insert the wire far enough to make contact with the switch arm when fully depressed. Glue in place.

Step 8 (Photo 7) - Secure the signal switch in the housing and hot glue both wires together for added strength. Check your work and re-install all body parts.

Let me know if anyone needs clarification on any part of the install.
 

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#2 ·
Nice write up!

I have done a similar mod on all of my previous bikes. The only difference is I also installed a momentary on switch instead of using the turn signal or headlights switches. Eastern Beaver carries a nice switch if anyone is curious. Second item on the page. Switches

This is by far the most useful mod ever! It is awesome riding right into an open garage without fiddling with an opener in your pocket or under your seat!
 
#6 ·
I do have to say while I admire everyone's tenacity in this mod, I do question the logic of going to such extremes with what you have to do for this. It sure seems to make more sense to me to just carry a extra opener in your riding jacket. I regularly open my door when I am at the beginning of our street since the opener works about 7-8 houses away from us in distance which means by the time I pull into our driveway the door is open.
 
#7 ·
I don't think there's anything extreme about it. I just wanted an easy means to open my garage door from my bike without having to add a switch or take my hands off of the bars.
 
#10 ·
I'm a tradesman/craftsman, and a tinkered by nature, so I enjoy building and modifying just about anything I think I can. Your right, it is a lot of effort for very little payout. However, I have tried the garage opener in my pocket, and have always had a hard time hitting my little button with thick gloves and through a thick leather jacket, so this mod is way easier in my situation.

I will be using a 12v to 3v voltage bucking device to hardwire to the remote.
 
#12 ·
I think the older I get the less I want to work on and tweak stuff. I also worry about affecting my five year warranty so I tend to avoid most mods that may impact that. I am happy although to read of others doing so but I guess I don't take chances the way I did at 20 or 30 since I did quite a few back then.

I don't even feel like doing my own oil changes anymore :)
 
#13 ·
Nope, not adjustable. It is just a 12v to 3v reducer. It's cheap, small, and I'm not too concerned of heat build-up since the opener is only drawing voltage a few seconds at a time. I checked it, and it gives a constant 3.3V on the output, which matches the New 2032 battery voltage.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FPFZ2G2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Oh yeah, and I am a tinkerer, not tinkered. haha

Fender eliminator and cargo rack are next on the build list.
 
#15 ·
#20 ·
i know this discussion is bit old but i just want some suggestions regarding your experience
I was Looking for the best garage Door Openers and some other issues related to their installation so i found this discussion.I want some suggestions that which will be best and good quality garage door opener? also i saw somewhere that it may start making noises and it may have small range so which will be the quietest and longer range with best in quality.
 
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