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General Topics/Tech TipsDiscussion on break in periods, rider comfort, seats and pad suggestions. Tech tips as they become available will be posted here.
Tough bars for sure to pull wires. I always use a G or D guitar string.They are heavy enough to bend the end over and weave thru the wire ends. I use braided fishing line to wrap the wires together for 2” inches or so up from the wire end. Knot it and then use a drop of super glue over the knot Let dry and pull. For the guitar string on the pull end I warp-around a piece of 1” wood dowel and pull. When it gets tight a shot of non chlorinated brake cleaner will get you over the bend.as it just about freezes the wires for a second or 2. I stopped using any type of grease since I started using this method..Patience and working the wire back and forth when you need to. Stagger your splices for sure with that top bend.I think I would do those bars clamped in a vice for leverage. I have a vice on a stand that I use with some junk risers to clamp bars to. I’ve done lots of internal bar wiring over the years and can’t remember a set that challenging.
Warniing about the brake cleaner. It’s touch and go with powder coatings that’s why I use the non chlorinated type.
Last edited by back again; Sep 18, 2021 at 09:01 PM.
Yes a tough bend, but I wouldn’t be surprised there is weld slag inside the bars making your job even more difficult. I installed KST Mayhem bars and had to file inside edges the best I could before pulling the wires. Frustration over-load.
I used some Tech Flex sleeving from Amazon to cover the wires and was able to pull through KST Mayhem bars. 2x tough bends on each side, and pulled with nylon contractor string tied and taped to the bundle with electrician's tape. Took some patience, but managed to pull all the cables (pre-TBW) and everything is still working since 2013. I wanted the sleeving to protect the wires at the sharp bend locations. Not sure what I lubed it with, but was probably something water-based.
When i ran the wires through my bars i used Palmolive soap as lube and used 550 cord to pull them through.
I took the wires and bundled them together tight and then wrapped the 550 cord around them a few times not close but like a 1.5 inch separation on the loops and then ran a layer of E tape over that super tight and slapped the soap on and started working it back and forth till it finally came down. and i have the small 7/8 bars with 2x 90 degree bends in them so it wasn't an easy task but patience and lube is all that was needed. once i had the wires through i just sprayed it down with the hose for a bit till no more soap came out and then put everything together.
A friend and I put some KST Mayhem Bagger bars on my 2014 SGS last spring and I have a single suggestion for those who are changing bars...... get on the bike and start it up, drive to your preferred HD shop or wherever you go for any type of work you have done.... turn the bike off and go inside and hand them the keys and tell them what you are looking to get done. Have your ride pick you up and go to your favorite watering hole and have an adult beverage and thank yourself for a job well done. Some jobs are just worth paying for imho.