Those joints are pretty nice:


Never knew about them. I think I'd be comfortable using those but as STRES said you can't be 100% sure if you can't see. For me I have all the nice wiring tools and lots of practice so I'm fine doing it the old fashioned way.

 

Nice video Matt! So this works great for stranded wire, wonder if it is OK for solid core wire and do you just lap it or the "wrap". Also, been a long time since I have done any mods that involved wiring work, is most of the wiring on HDs stranded?

 

All my rear end and handlebar wiring has been stranded. I think it's because of the AMP connectors can't see using solid wire with those.

 

Well I returned the 20g wire but of course they didn't have any 18g. Guess I'll have to order online and shelve the project until it gets here.

 

In four pages, nobody has told you that you bought the wrong (silver) solder (much higher melting point making regular splice joints way more difficult).... Get some 60/40 rosin core radio solder, you don't need external flux, practice getting the wire hot before you apply the solder, and melt the solder on the WIRE, not the soldering iron tip. I hope you got a 25 watt or higher iron, a Weller 100/150 watt gun would have been preferable, i've bought several at yard sales for next to nothing. A proper solder joint is always preferable to a crimp, when you can use it, unfortunately too many people produce cold solder joints, ignore them and then blame that for failure of a splice. BTW - learn to solder and it's one of those skills they'll never take away from you.... and a lot of people are afraid to try.

 

Im surprised no one mentioned the obvious solution...dont do it. if its just the turn signal wires...why not get longer wires and re-terminate the ends with the correct connector? Just sayin....

 

Thanks for the advice! The iron is a 25w and I'll go check the solder. I plan to practice a fair bit before doing the work.

Well actually someone did mention it getting the wires from a wide glide which are longer, I imagine I could do that as well but Frankly at this point for the $9 in wire I'm kind of looking forward to trying learning something new!

 

Rosin core solder is better than silver I agree, and that's what we use at work WITH the help of external no clean flux. I don't agree with just heating the wire though I was never taught that way you always tin the solder tip first. To each his own.

Robby, as far as I can tell the sig wires are 18awg stranded.
Good luck brother!

 

Thanks so much as always Stres, you're awesome! I'll let you know how I fare once done. I am taking my son to visit some family in Toronto this weekend so will order the pen, and new wire to pick up when I get back. At this point I think I'll take a day next week to do the wires, my brake lever (to replace the one I broke when I dropped), and rewrap, repaint my exhaust all in one fell swoop.

 

I just bought a 60 piece set of these on Amazon I've been wanting to try them. I've always used rosin core solder and tinned the tip, never had any problems but I'm no expert either.. If your going to buy the wire online make sure it's stranded. Any radio shack should have the wire you need. Make a few practice splices and go for it, it's a piece of cake. Just don't put big gobs of solder on, a little goes a ways.