I am doing a mild restoration on a 77' FLH and after trying to salvage it, have decided to re-wire the whole thing. I'm not a novice to wiring, and understand all the basic properties, components and functions, so feel free to be as technical as you can in your responses. This is however the first "restoration" i've done and i'm trying to revert the bike back to original as possible. I have everything wired up and am having an issue with the ignition grounding out, but here's the odd part. It only happens when the dash cover is on??? My best guess is that I'm somehow touching a wire and grounding out once the cover is on and secured. My main question is: are the terminal posts on the instrument panel mount use to run power from the key switch to the breakers? The picture attached are the posts I'm talking about. Currently my wiring set up has power coming into the key switch by way of a main breaker. I then have individual wires running from the accessory, ignition and light posts on the key switch, each to their own breaker. I then have all my components (tail lights, head light, horn, ignition) running off the breaker. I currently have nothing attached to the posts on the instrument panel bracket. Through some research I've found several photo's/videos where I can see wiring running to these posts and it looks much "cleaner". Any info?

And please, with all due respect, don't respond with a general "get a manual" statement. Because if you'd crack one yourself you know it has no reference to this question.

 

I can't see the switch you are using, but, it is not uncommon for the Ears with the screws into them to touch the perimeter of the switch hole, in the Dash cover, especially with a mix of Chiwanese parts..
I guess I have never dealt with one New enough to have those "hot spots" you show..

 

If it only grounds out with the dash cover on then my suggestion would be that some part of the ignition switch terminals is making contact with your cover.

Easy way to find out would be to put some electrical tape on the portion of the base that goes over ther switch terminal areas. If that stops the problems then you need to make some adjustments in the base plate mounting and/or tank height at the rear in order to elimiante the contact.

I haven't seen this problem with stock tanks but have encountered it 2X with aftermarket tanks.

Regarding wiring and the terminal post pictured, I have owned and/or worked on 3 stock FLH models (1975, 1976 and currently my 1984) and haven't seen a base plate that looked like that before. That being said it would make sense that one would be for the iginition, one for the lights, and one for the accessories circuit breakers.

Pics of the base plate and wiring from my 84 FLH. (Note: the circuit breakers are attached underneath the base plate. This is the same configuration on a 1975 FLH I just rewired. Wondering where your circuit breakers are mounted?)

 

Thank you both for the responses!

Panz, those pictures are great, I do have a feeling over the years some of the parts have been swapped out with repop components. I'm going to pull the tanks off tonight and just try and run the wiring one component at a time and narrow down where my issue is. I feel much better knowing those 3 posts I was referring to are just as foreign to anyone else! haha.

I'll update with m conclusion.

 

the extra terminals that are used for power need to be isolated from the metal of the dash base

in the kit you should have a HAT type brown fiber washer affair and that goes in the hole to iso the screw from the base -- check that