Cleaning up the wire harness
Road Master
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 791
Likes: 1
From: New Hampshire
RE: Cleaning up the wire harness
What a coincidence - I have a wiring harness question/concern, and someone has just rebuilt theirs.....I LOVE THIS PLACE!!!
WS6: WOW - amazing job! I worked on F-14's in the Navy andthey are a nightmare for avionics wiring. I know a masterpiece when I see one!!
I have a question: I just replaced the headlight on my 07 Bob. I spliced in the new lampwith mechanical splices, and environmental heat shrink and environmental tape. I cut the factory wires in the bucket back a little too close to the frame than I wanted to - don't ask,an "innovative idea" gone wrong- and I pulled on the headlight bundle only just outside the neck to get a bit more slack. At first it was like there wasn't any at all, then I exerted just a bit more force and it gave all of a sudden. I got a few more inches fairly easily.
After I had all the connections done, I had that sick thought - oh crap, now I'm going to have to remove the tank and take a look at what I just unplugged in the harness bundle.
Since the bike is in the basement in hibernation mode, I didn't panic, brought the battery over, and connected it. Everything lit up fine, the fuel pump kicked on, all indicator lights looked good, and the headlight went from low to high no problems. I even shook the headlight cable around a bit while it was on - no problems. I checked the brake light, etc. everything pretty much just short of the horn and firing the engine up.
I guess before I disassemble, I would like to know if you (or anyone) thinks I disconnected anything with that tug. Ie. Is there some slack built into the harness under the tank to pull a bit safely? Everything in the manual appears to be connected by hard wire or molex, so I doubt anything could have come loose with a tug...Most of the time I have to pry a molex off something just to disconnect it.
Just wondering aloud if I should look deeper, or if all is likely okay....
WS6: WOW - amazing job! I worked on F-14's in the Navy andthey are a nightmare for avionics wiring. I know a masterpiece when I see one!!
I have a question: I just replaced the headlight on my 07 Bob. I spliced in the new lampwith mechanical splices, and environmental heat shrink and environmental tape. I cut the factory wires in the bucket back a little too close to the frame than I wanted to - don't ask,an "innovative idea" gone wrong- and I pulled on the headlight bundle only just outside the neck to get a bit more slack. At first it was like there wasn't any at all, then I exerted just a bit more force and it gave all of a sudden. I got a few more inches fairly easily.
After I had all the connections done, I had that sick thought - oh crap, now I'm going to have to remove the tank and take a look at what I just unplugged in the harness bundle.
Since the bike is in the basement in hibernation mode, I didn't panic, brought the battery over, and connected it. Everything lit up fine, the fuel pump kicked on, all indicator lights looked good, and the headlight went from low to high no problems. I even shook the headlight cable around a bit while it was on - no problems. I checked the brake light, etc. everything pretty much just short of the horn and firing the engine up.
I guess before I disassemble, I would like to know if you (or anyone) thinks I disconnected anything with that tug. Ie. Is there some slack built into the harness under the tank to pull a bit safely? Everything in the manual appears to be connected by hard wire or molex, so I doubt anything could have come loose with a tug...Most of the time I have to pry a molex off something just to disconnect it.
Just wondering aloud if I should look deeper, or if all is likely okay....
Cruiser
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 145
Likes: 0
From:
RE: Cleaning up the wire harness
flynavy - you should be fine. Seems HD almost puts in service loops in the harnesses for much "extree" length than needed.
WS6 Excellent. I bow to the superior being.
I wish I had the stones to do that when I relocated the tach / speedo to the bars.
I'm still confused (more like wiring impaired
on the part where the harness goes up and back to the switches??
Did you cut and splice - hard wire and just stagger the splices to keep the thickness down??
I really appreciate the pics - any of the splices??
5 hours - geeeeze. If I get snowed in in ATL - maybe...
WS6 Excellent. I bow to the superior being.
I wish I had the stones to do that when I relocated the tach / speedo to the bars.
I'm still confused (more like wiring impaired
on the part where the harness goes up and back to the switches??Did you cut and splice - hard wire and just stagger the splices to keep the thickness down??
I really appreciate the pics - any of the splices??
5 hours - geeeeze. If I get snowed in in ATL - maybe...
Thread Starter
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Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 3,124
Likes: 255
From: From Long Island, now in So. Cal
RE: Cleaning up the wire harness
The headlight harness is a long run, when you pulled on the wiring, the connector was probably stuck between several harnesses then squeezed through, giving you the extra slack. I wouldn't worry about it since everything is working.
Thread Starter
|
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 3,124
Likes: 255
From: From Long Island, now in So. Cal
RE: Cleaning up the wire harness
ORIGINAL: DynaDon
flynavy - you should be fine. Seems HD almost puts in service loops in the harnesses for much "extree" length than needed.
WS6 Excellent. I bow to the superior being.
I wish I had the stones to do that when I relocated the tach / speedo to the bars.
I'm still confused (more like wiring impaired on the part where the harness goes up and back to the switches??
Did you cut and splice - hard wire and just stagger the splices to keep the thickness down??
I really appreciate the pics - any of the splices??
5 hours - geeeeze. If I get snowed in in ATL - maybe...
flynavy - you should be fine. Seems HD almost puts in service loops in the harnesses for much "extree" length than needed.
WS6 Excellent. I bow to the superior being.
I wish I had the stones to do that when I relocated the tach / speedo to the bars.
I'm still confused (more like wiring impaired
on the part where the harness goes up and back to the switches??Did you cut and splice - hard wire and just stagger the splices to keep the thickness down??
I really appreciate the pics - any of the splices??
5 hours - geeeeze. If I get snowed in in ATL - maybe...
The original indicator light wires run across the triple clamps, then up into the console. To get rid of that extra bundle, I spliced in extra wire and ran the indicator wires along with the control wires that are coming from the handle bars and go into the frame. The indicator light wires then loop back out of the frame and go up into the console.
I cut the original indicator light wires under the console and added the extra wire there. Splices are also staggered, and you have to put the sleeving on before you solder the wires back together.
Last edited by WS6 Formula; Dec 22, 2008 at 10:00 PM.
Thread Starter
|
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 3,124
Likes: 255
From: From Long Island, now in So. Cal
RE: Cleaning up the wire harness
ORIGINAL: DynaDon
flynavy - you should be fine. Seems HD almost puts in service loops in the harnesses for much "extree" length than needed.
WS6 Excellent. I bow to the superior being.
I wish I had the stones to do that when I relocated the tach / speedo to the bars.
I'm still confused (more like wiring impaired on the part where the harness goes up and back to the switches??
Did you cut and splice - hard wire and just stagger the splices to keep the thickness down??
I really appreciate the pics - any of the splices??
5 hours - geeeeze. If I get snowed in in ATL - maybe...
flynavy - you should be fine. Seems HD almost puts in service loops in the harnesses for much "extree" length than needed.
WS6 Excellent. I bow to the superior being.
I wish I had the stones to do that when I relocated the tach / speedo to the bars.
I'm still confused (more like wiring impaired
on the part where the harness goes up and back to the switches??Did you cut and splice - hard wire and just stagger the splices to keep the thickness down??
I really appreciate the pics - any of the splices??
5 hours - geeeeze. If I get snowed in in ATL - maybe...
This photo is after I spliced in the extra wire and dressed in all the wires coming from the handle bars. Next step was to dress the wiring going to the console, add the braided sleeving then solder the wires back together. You can see the extra wire for the indicator lights that I added coming back out of the frame on the left side next to the clutch cable.
Club Member
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 14,564
Likes: 9,225
From: the 50s & the 60s
RE: Cleaning up the wire harness
ORIGINAL: WS6 Formula
.................................................. .........................................
Sleeving is 3/4", it came in a eight foot roll for $7.00.
.................................................. .........................................
.................................................. .........................................
Sleeving is 3/4", it came in a eight foot roll for $7.00.
.................................................. .........................................
have you got a brand name and/or part #
for the sleeving??
Having a hard time locating it over here.
mud
Thread Starter
|
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 3,124
Likes: 255
From: From Long Island, now in So. Cal
RE: Cleaning up the wire harness
This is where Igot the sleeving:
http://shop3.outpost.com/product/228...H:MAIN_RSLT_PG
This is the manufacture:
http://www.jttproducts.com/
http://shop3.outpost.com/product/228...H:MAIN_RSLT_PG
This is the manufacture:
http://www.jttproducts.com/
Club Member
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 14,564
Likes: 9,225
From: the 50s & the 60s
RE: Cleaning up the wire harness
Appreciate the info.
Ordered all four sizes, be here by Wednesday, they say.
Interesting also,
it appears this product is available in a variety of colors.
mud
Ordered all four sizes, be here by Wednesday, they say.
Interesting also,
it appears this product is available in a variety of colors.
mud
ORIGINAL: WS6 Formula
This is where Igot the sleeving:
http://shop3.outpost.com/product/228...H:MAIN_RSLT_PG
This is the manufacture:
http://www.jttproducts.com/
This is where Igot the sleeving:
http://shop3.outpost.com/product/228...H:MAIN_RSLT_PG
This is the manufacture:
http://www.jttproducts.com/
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Tourer
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 264
Likes: 0
RE: Cleaning up the wire harness
ORIGINAL: labfreak
Awesome job WS6 ! Man, wish I had you around my garage this weekend! Five hours is all!?! It has taken me all weekend just to put my switches back together without blowin' a fuse, literally[:@]
Nice work! Thanks for the great pics too!
Awesome job WS6 ! Man, wish I had you around my garage this weekend! Five hours is all!?! It has taken me all weekend just to put my switches back together without blowin' a fuse, literally[:@]
Nice work! Thanks for the great pics too!
Cruiser
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 145
Likes: 0
From:
RE: Cleaning up the wire harness
Thanks WS6 - great pics / tutorial. Unfortunately it is NOT within my skill level. I'll stick to fiberglass / welding / fabbing / paint and the like. This would end up being a trailor-job to the dealer for me. I'm sure I would cause for release of the "factory-sealed blue smoke" or worse. Seems black is negative - red is positive is all I'm good for. I do appreciate craftsmanship / work since I have re-wired the headlight and tailight and it took all the concentration / patience I could muster - but NOTHING to this level. Has to take stones to "cut and paste" the entire front harness.
Five hours - maybe five months...
I guess, as stated,HD should have done this from thefactory.
LS1-don (99Z28)
Five hours - maybe five months...
I guess, as stated,HD should have done this from thefactory.
LS1-don (99Z28)