When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I had mine installed by a local independent shop last year. A couple months ago my headlight stopped working -- only the high beam would work. After weeks of diagnosis and trying to figure out the problem it was determined to be shorts in the wiring in the bars. Since they had installed the bars they didn't charge me for the repair work, but it's still not right. The low beam works find now, but the high beam goes out intermitently, along with the left turn signal. Obviously there's still a short in there someplace. I think I'll be redoing the whole left side this winter -- sooner if the problem worsens. I'm thinking I'll try doing it myself and just take my time.
The challenge, as you all know, is the corners. They are pretty jagged inside my bars and the wires seem to snag or something. Quite the frustration.
That's why I heat shrinked mine. It makes it a bit tougher to pull (the left side should still be easy). Just don't shrink the wrap down so that it gets wrinkled or makes the bundle stiff.
Just finished installing the 10" bars on my bike. Get some small chain and drop in the end. It will easily find its way to the bottom. On the throttle side, pull 2 pieces of weed trimmer line, one on the other side. Shrink wrap the wires leaving 3" for the pull. Use white lithium grease and spray everything! Use push and pull (push works better than pulling). I would definitely recommend removing the green plug and soldering the wires to avoid any TBW issues. Really wasn't too bad using this method. About 15-20 minutes to run both sides. Patience is key! Good luck to all!
From reading through many post/threads it sounds like many got away with using stock sheathing on left side. On right side I'd think to prevent wire insulation snags/cuts etc it'd be important to have more protection than just individual wires insulation. Interested what size shrink tubing you guys used? Did you leave it lose in shrink tube not heating it up? Was it for full length inside bars or just enough cover bends etc?
Originally Posted by SG_Dave
That's why I heat shrinked mine. It makes it a bit tougher to pull (the left side should still be easy). Just don't shrink the wrap down so that it gets wrinkled or makes the bundle stiff.
From reading through many post/threads it sounds like many got away with using stock sheathing on left side. On right side I'd think to prevent wire insulation snags/cuts etc it'd be important to have more protection than just individual wires insulation. Interested what size shrink tubing you guys used? Did you leave it lose in shrink tube not heating it up? Was it for full length inside bars or just enough cover bends etc?
I did 1/2" shrink tubing. Hope you have an easier time finding it than I did. Most places you might expect to find it never had more than a foot. Went to several bike shops who either didn't have it or were sold out. Finally found it at a communications distributor.
For the left I was indeed able to keep it in the original sheath. For the right (believe it or not) I was actually able to slowly sqeeze wiring AND TBW wires through the heat shrink and I didn't actually heat it at all. If I had kept TBW out of shrink I'm sure I would've had to shrink it. Yes, you should cover the whole thing in shrink wrap. I did cut smaller pieces of heat shrink, heated it to end of wires so it wouldn't let go. Then took what extended past wire ends, heated it up and flattened it. Then took what I flattened, folded it up flat and used a hole punch to make a hole to tie twine to for pulling wires.
If you do heatshrink the whole thing then bend the wires as you heat it so they stay flexible.
Thanks Dew Me great info! Yep longer lengths of shrink tube are hard to find. Also had me thinking if the braided flexible black loom might work too.
Originally Posted by Dew Me
I did 1/2" shrink tubing. Hope you have an easier time finding it than I did. Most places you might expect to find it never had more than a foot. Went to several bike shops who either didn't have it or were sold out. Finally found it at a communications distributor.
For the left I was indeed able to keep it in the original sheath. For the right (believe it or not) I was actually able to slowly sqeeze wiring AND TBW wires through the heat shrink and I didn't actually heat it at all. If I had kept TBW out of shrink I'm sure I would've had to shrink it. Yes, you should cover the whole thing in shrink wrap. I did cut smaller pieces of heat shrink, heated it to end of wires so it wouldn't let go. Then took what extended past wire ends, heated it up and flattened it. Then took what I flattened, folded it up flat and used a hole punch to make a hole to tie twine to for pulling wires.
If you do heatshrink the whole thing then bend the wires as you heat it so they stay flexible.
Thanks Dew Me great info! Yep longer lengths of shrink tube are hard to find. Also had me thinking if the braided flexible black loom might work too.
Getting wires AND TBW wires through a 1/2" shrink tube wasn't the easiest thing to do. Pretty sure if I had it to do over again I'd look for 3/4" and actually heat it.
Oh, and I used a tough nylon string. Got through bars by tying a metal washer to it and letting gravity do it's thing.
I'm going with the 12" too. Where did you get everything?
Email sent.
Pretty sure I got everything from Brian at Eastern Performance, he's always taken real good care of me.
Their prices are good, not the least expensive every time but service is more important anyway.
I'm assuming they're still around, I haven't bought any bike parts for quite some time now as I am now dumping stupid $$ into a 67 C/10 project I started.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.
Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.