[mikeyk101]

I read the street legal PDF in the How To section about adding turn signals and horn using existing wire harness. Pretty straightforward it seems.

I saw that in rear taillight assemblies, they are setup on US models to have reverse lights but that there is the choice to switch and use the assembly for turn signals. And I'm aware that it's one of the other but not both. Now if I was to switch the function of reverse light to turn signals, is it still going to be a white light or will it change to be amber? If it remains white, it's probably better to leave it as a reverse light.

And since I have the choice of either reverse or turn, there must be separate feeds for each. Is there a possibility that I could just install additional lights to the rear and tap in to the turn signal rear feed? That would probably be much easier that installing a full aftermarket turn signal setup.

[bobinmurphy]

You're just re-purposing the rear lights from being backup lights to being turn signals.  The color doesn't change and as far as I can tell there's no way to disassemble the light assembly to swap out the LEDs.  You can wire in your own turn signal lights to the harness using the connector behind the right rear quarter panel if you're not swapping it with the backup light connector.  Not sure where you'd get a connector to fit so you might need to just splice into the wires.  Another possibility would be to wire into the trailer connector ,although I'm not sure exactly what signals are brought out in it.  Since it's a 4-pin it should have tail lights, left and right brake/turn signals and ground though.  That connector is easy to get to without having to remove the quarter panel.  It's a grey connector behind the right rear light assembly up under the wheel well. The white connector next to it is for the license plate light.

BTW, another user asked this same question and his solution was to swap the connectors and put amber tail light repair tape over the lights in the rear.  I asked if that would pass his State Inspection and he said it would - he told me he happens to be a State Inspector and wanted to be strictly legal with his UTV conversion to be street legal.

[mikeyk101]

Excellent info! Thank you. And I didn't even consider the trailer light connector. That would make it simple. I have considered getting the OEM trailer light harness anyway and that would make it a breeze. I would be much happier splicing into that extra trailer harness rather than any of the original harness.

As far as connectors, there are a few places I have used to get OEM style connectors for various motorcycles I have owned and there is a large variety so I think I could find one to match.

Here are 2 places that I have dealt with : https://www.cycleterminal.com/motorcycle-connectors.html and here https://www.easternbeaver.com/Main/Elec__Products/Connectors/connectors.html

[bobinmurphy]

Looking at the wide variety of connectors available on the two web sites it's hard to know exactly which ones match what CFMoto used.  (Standards are great, everyone should have them!)

If you, or anyone else, figures out which connectors match the ones used by CFMoto please let me know and I'll update the Turn Signal Installation HowTo document with that additional info.

[mikeyk101]

I will see what I can find out on identifying the connectors.

I took a closer look at the trailer kit. I can see that the plug that goes into the grey connector is a 6 pin (3 over 3) but seems like it will utilize only 5 of the pins. It also appears that there is a removable socket just a bit further down as part of the harness. The wiring colors coming out of that don't seem to correspond with wire colors coming out of that socket. However those wires appear to be standard colors. Looking further down from there, it utilizes/integrates a 5 to 4 converter. The wire functions and colors are clearly labeled both on input side as well as output. The good thing that this shows is the rear left and right turn signals are independent from the brake lights at the grey connector so that seems like the way to go. Here is photos.

[mikeyk101]

Well kind of a good news bad news thing. I have identified the grey connector with 99% certainty. It is a Sumitomo HW-8S and mates with a HW-8P
https://www.corsa-technic.com/item.php?item_id=875&category_id=130

I stand corrected about the 6 pin connector for the trailer wiring kit. When I looked on the CFMoto site under accessories for the 2023 Zforce 800, the photo I attached above was the only photo in description. It shows a 2 part kit with a white 6 pin connector that I assumed plugged into the main harness. When I searched the part number for the kit, 7020-800200-1000 I came to the TT Motorsports web page and there I found 3 photos in the description. The third photo is different from CFMoto Accessories page and instead shows 3 different parts of the kit instead of 2. The white connector is now on a jumper harness that looks like one side plugs into maybe an older Zforce setup on vehicle side and a grey connector on other side. And then the part of harness with socket that gets mounted now shows a grey Sumitomo HW-8P connector (instead of an unknown white 6 pin connector) that would most likely plug directly into the grey HW-8S connector on the 2023 Zforce. So jumper harness would not be necessary. The description of kit shows 3 part numbers and includes part number for jumper. Now I'm confused because both versions ( 2 part and 3 part kit) are shown in photos for the kit product number.
https://cfmoto.ttmotorsports.com/CFMOTO-Trailer-Wiring-Kit-CFORCE-ZFORCE-UFORCE-OEM-7020-800200-1000-p383333611

I am including photos of the dust cover and the existing connector mounted on the Zforce.Take a look at the dust cover inside along with the grey connector and then compare with the HW-8S including the location of the groove opposite the licking side and see if you come to same conclusion I did.

[mikeyk101]

Now I'm even more confused. Looking closer at the trailer wiring kit, I'm fairly convinced that it has completely different connectors than what exists to install it. The kit appears to be 6 pin connectors, both the white and the grey. The jumper harness does have 5 wires but the socket harness appears to only have 3 wires and appears to be a Sumitomo HW-6P
 https://www.corsa-technic.com/item.php?item_id=872
which wouldn't work. I'm not even sure why this comes up when searching for trailer wiring kit for the 2023 ZForce 800. Also on the TT Motorsports the 2023 Zforce 800 Trail doesn't show up in the compatability list.

On the positive side, the dust plug on the factory wiring connector already appears to be a HW-8P and could be ready to wire up. It has 5 wires. Not completely clear of each function but shouldn't be too hard to figure out. Even without the turn signal switch or flasher, it should have power when tail lights are on and brake lights. From what I can see, the wire colors are white/yellow, orange, green, and 2 green/white wires I think. Not 100% on wires but pretty sure that's what I can see. If I can get my hands on a proper crimper, pins, and seals, I might be able to rig something up. I'm just not interested in hacking up that wiring.

Now I'm debating if it might be better to just tap into the wiring where the reverse lights connector can be swapped and grab power for turn signals there. I really don't want to eliminate the reverse lights feature and putting yellow tape over the white reverse light doesn't appeal to me. Decisions, decisions, ugh...

[bobinmurphy]

Just a wild guess on my part, but I'll bet that 5th wire is actually backup lights for the trailer.  That would be compliant with a 5-pin trailer connector wiring. It looks like the wires in the 6-pin connector don't follow the normal layout of a 4-pin/5-pin connector which would be Ground, Taillights, Left, Right and Reverse.  There aren't any standards on vehicle wire colors but on the CFMoto I "think" the solid Green is Ground (it's the White wire in the standard 4-pin trailer flat connector).  However that isn't true every place on the unit.  I've seen the wire colors switch on things like the headlights, so you really need to trace things with a multi-meter.

I really doubt that the Brake light line would be separate from the Left/Right Turn signal lines as they utilize the same bulb and would therefore be tied together someplace downstream of the wire harness connector in the rear. If they were separate that separation would have to be carried out in the vehicle harness and brake controller upstream in the vehicle.  That's not the case as those lines aren't separated in the connectors behind the right rear quarter panel.  Doing otherwise would defeat the Left/Right turn signals - utilizing one or the other would light up both.

[mikeyk101]

I agree that a multimeter is going to be my best friend on this. I know on Japanese bikes, green is very common for the ground wire so it seems like it may be here as well.

I have only seen reverse lights incorporated in larger trailers that use a 7 pin connector but reverse lights on trailers overall isn't very common. The smaller trailers like could be used with a Zforce, I have never seen have a reverse light so I would be very surprised if any of the wires used in trailer kit are posted on by reverse.

On the trailer kit and the harness that would connect between the socket and the trailer, it has a 5 to 4 converter on it. The wiring used on that 2nd harness do appear to be traditional trailer wire colors. The end of that harness has a flat 4 pin connector. The 5 to 4 converter shows the function of each of the 5 wires. Ground, left turn signal, right turn signal, brake, and taillight. On 5 to 4 outputs, the wires will be taillights, left, and right turn signal and when brakes are activated on vehicle, it will put power to both turn signals outputs with a steady on. It doesn't show reverse input or output on 5 to 4 converter so I'm fairly certain that reverse isn't a function of that harness.

And this would lead me to believe this Zforce main wiring is setup so the left right turn signals are independent of brake function otherwise a 5 to 4 converter wouldn't be needed on the 2nd trailer wiring harness. Although I haven't seen the hidden connectors under right rear that will switch the white reverse lights to be the turn signals, I would take a guess that it's a 3 pin/3 wire connector. I assume that one wire would be ground, 1 wire to left reverse light and 1 wire to right reverse light. When reverse gear is selected, power would be sent to both white lights and both white lights are illuminated. If connector is switched to the alternate connector so the white lights operate as turn signals, only one side of white lights should light up depending on if left or right signal is requested. But like I mentioned, I haven't seen the hidden connectors yet as I read they are a bit difficult to reach and would like to avoid doing this if possible.

[mikeyk101]

@bobinmurphy like I mentioned, I haven't seen the reverse wiring connector or swappable turn signal connector hidden behind the rear passenger fender. Is there any chance you have photos of these? Or can you confirm that they both are 3 wire connectors?

[bobinmurphy]

The alternate/swappable connector in the right rear is taped up to the wire harness and you can't see it until you remove the black tape holding it in place.  Feel the harness and you should find a "bump" in the wire about 6" from the end of the exposed connector. (You must have an older copy of the installation instructions since I think I mentioned this in the current copy.)

I agree, it's unusual to have backup lights on a small trailer, but it's possible and supported with the industry standard 5-pin connector.  So I'm betting that 5th wire in the connector really is backup lights.  The other two lines in a 7-pin are constant 12v power and brake controller line for electric trailer brakes which are of very little use on a small vehicle like the ZForce.

[mikeyk101]

This may be a winter project so not sure when I will tackle it but I will see what I find with my multimeter when I do. Thank you for the help and think I have pretty much most of the info I will need. I will update once I have more answers.

[mikeyk101]

I finally tracked down the correct trailer wiring adapter but appears it is available over in Europe but not US. Im still doing some more research on it. It has the correct 8 pin socket to plug into the trailer wiring socket at rear of passenger side wheel well. It is part number 9DQV-800200-3000

[mikeyk101]

I just found this adapter. It will plug right into that vehicle side trailer connector and each pin and wire is labeled. I will bet the wire colors don't correspond to the Zforce harness but that doesn't really matter.
https://www.kinnettickreations.com/product-page/2022-cf-moto-zforce-950-whip-light-pigtails

This would make having rear turn signals real easy to power. It does mention a jumper might be needed to get rear turn signals working in some cases so this will still take a little more research.

That full turn signal kit is nice but a bit pricey. I wouldn't mind having lever on the steering shaft. And extra running lights up front would be cool. But I want to go the budget diy route.



Edited to update.


Although the Kinnettick harness did plug in fine, CFMoto only has ground, running lights, and most likely brake lights active (but didn't test for that) in trailer connector. So this isn't a workable solution.

[bobinmurphy]

I just found this adapter. It will plug right into that vehicle side trailer connector and each pin and wire is labeled. I will bet the wire colors don't correspond to the Zforce harness but that doesn't really matter.
https://www.kinnettickreations.com/product-page/2022-cf-moto-zforce-950-whip-light-pigtails

This would make having rear turn signals real easy to power. It does mention a jumper might be needed to get rear turn signals working in some cases so this will still take a little more research.

That full turn signal kit is nice but a bit pricey. I wouldn't mind having lever on the steering shaft. And extra running lights up front would be cool. But I want to go the budget diy route.

Thinking about this subject a bit more and now I'm wondering.   IF the trailer connector is wired for a standard 4-pin or 5-pin connection then it should be easy to make a short jumper harness that goes from the trailer connector to the taillight assembly.  That should give you white backup lights and use the brake lights as turn signals as the trailer and cars do.  (I don't think that's possible though as the taillight assembly only uses a 4-wire connection and you'd need a 5-wire connection to have both backup lights and red brake/turn signal lights. Well, it could be done with just 4-wires combining tail, brake and turn signals into a single filament bulb using a lower voltage on the taillights like some vehicles do, but probably not with LED lights.)  I suspect the signals on the 8-pin trailer connector can't be used directly for this which would explain why that European trailer connector adapter 9DQV-800200-3000 incorporates those two "black box" modules.  This could also explain why CFMoto just repurposed the backup lights for turn signals in the factory wire harness, well that and the fact the taillight assemble is short one wire to have both backup lights and turn signals using LEDs.

I did a cursory probe with a multimeter on the trailer connector and located ground and taillights, but couldn't get 12v readings for the other lines which I assumed would be needed to power brake, turn signals and possibly backup lights. There was a small voltage reading present though which could be used as a signaling voltage to one of those "black box" modules.

Guessing here that the trailer connector can't really be used without the CFMoto adapter wire harness and the easiest way to go with rear turn signals is to swap the plugs in the rear quarter panel (using backup lights for turn signals), or wire up aftermarket turn signals tied into the alternate connector in the rear quarter panel (keeping the backup lights).

BTW, CFMoto part number 7020-800200-1000 _MAY_ be an equivalent part to adapt the 8-pin chassis connector to the 4-pin trailer connector.  It's $60 on CFMoto Parts.