Re-wrapping a harness?

[Guest]

I've got a couple of feet of my main harness unwrapped now and various ends have been coming unstuck for awhile so I think its time to re-wrap the whole thing or at least the part I have open and the loose ends.

What do you like for repairing a harness? I've never used the non-glue electrical tape before but it seems like it might work well. I'm talking about the kind you just stretch over itself and maybe tie off the end.

Also, should I do anything with the factory splices while I'm in there?

Thanks,
/\/\ac

[tkent02]

There is some electrical tape now that is made of heat shrink plastic, might try that.

Swap all the high current connectors with spades. Bullets suck when they get hot.

[Macmatic]

There is some electrical tape now that is made of heat shrink plastic, might try that.

Swap all the high current connectors with spades. Bullets suck when they get hot.

My stator connectors are already the spade type, are there others?

/\/\ac

[TheCafeKid]

My stator connectors are already the spade type, are there others?

/\/\ac

Some on here suggest actually SOLDERING those wires together, eliminating any joint altogether. I have not done such, but, had I the desire, and not a hatered of wiring, i wouldnt hesitate.

[simon kuether]

You can get this stuff called spiralwrap.It's like a thin walled plastic tube cut in a spiral.You wrap it around your harness real easily.Comes in different sizes so you can join small bunches to the main harness.Absolutely the best for around your steering head.It allows your harness to flex,won't let your wires rub on the goose neck or headlight bucket.One of the electrician/tech's on here will know the stuff.Cheap as.Black or white(have seen some coloured as well).The insulating tape 'leckies use turns to a mess with age or fuel/oil.Heat shrink doesn't let the wires move independently and is a bugger if you want to do anything with your wiring.That non sticky tape takes a bit of skill to put on and tends to come loose and look like sh@t.Use good,well crimped connectors,spiral wrap and your harness itself will rarely give you trouble.It's usually the things hanging off the ends of the wires.Cheers,Simon.:grin:\\/

[argonsagas]

I have also heard of sticky tape turning to mush, and it has been said with anger, yet the reality is that the original harnesses are now 25 years old, and they have not turned to mush.

Mine get wrapped with this type of tape. They have the loose ends/fittings checked for length and then the harness is given several circular wraps to hold the wires in place. After that, starting at the area where the ends are loose, go back several inches. Then start at another end and do the same until all of the loose parts are small bunches and look like harness ends. The main wires then get tape spiral-rolled but with very wide spacing along the full length, to give it the necessary shape.


After that I do a full spiral wrap along the full length, front to back, overlapping every time,keeping the roll against the wires and letting the tape roll itself provide the resistance as it is rolled around the wiring. This way the tape is kept taut, but not stretched unduly, and it will remain good for a long time.

As I reach the pre-wrapped parts I double back around the joints, then continue onto the pre-wrap and carry on to the original start point.

[p_s]

I wrapped my wires in split loom. Something to consider. It is a little bulkier than tape, though.

[Macmatic]

Thanks for the input everyone! I have plenty of split loom I just bought to neaten up the ends before I ended up opening half the harness.... so I'm probably going to use that on the small bunches and under the cowl where its gotten kind of messy. For the main harness I'm going to try agronsagas's method only with a "dry" vinyl tape like the one linked below.

http://www.eastwoodco.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=1368&itemType=PRODUCT&iProductID=1368

I'm doing the coil mod and headlight reply install now too so I'm going to wrap that all inside. I'll have to post some before and after pics.

/\/\ac

[Matchless]

When you unwrap use "benzine" to clean the old glue and dirt of the plastic wires. It will not harm the plastic.
If you decide to rewrap use a well known brand of insulation tape, the cheaper types have the adhesive loosen in hot weather. The types without adhesive becomes a headache when it unwraps at the ends.

Stay away from wrapping with "rubber" tape, that usually is the expensive type with no adhesive and is stretched and bonds into itself. You will learn new words if you ever have to open the loom sometime in the future!
If you decide to use the split sprague type conduit for the wires, just note that it is going to be much wider in diameter at the head (due to the ridges) and coils area and may cause problems. Where you have enough space it will look very neat.

Also note stationary wires are OK in a loose tube, but in areas such as the head they are pulled and moved and may chafe individually against each other, when wrapped they bend and move together as one. Wires loose in a tube may feel better on the steering, but it is not really a good idea.

If rewrapping the complete loom, pull it out, put it on a large wooden board and put some nails at the ends and junctions. Take a few photos.
Unwrap and use cable ties to hold them together at intervals and at the branches. Clean the wires with a benzine soaked cloth. Inspect the wires and replace if too short or damaged. Decide if you are replacing all connectors and connector plugs and have them at hand. Remove wires such as the 2 stator 3rd phase wires that is not to be used again. Add you coil, headlight and or horn relay wiring. Relace any wires with heavier gauge if this is required.
Now make sure that your wires are clean, straight without any kinks and nicely laying alongside each other and eleiminate any crossovers. Keep them in place with a couple of cable ties.
Some looms have a split sheathing around the wires under the tape to protect the wires, especially in areas where there is movement. Replace this or reuse, but fold it over as tightly as possible to keep the diameter down. Pull the wire tight at each end of the tubing and wrap the wires for an inch or so and over the tube
Now start wrapping from the center moving towards the ends, so as to eliminate any slack and crossings causing bulges being trapped, At the end overlap the wrapping a few times and move back a bit so as to not leave an end that can start peeling back. Always stretch the insulation tape so that it just starts stretching as you wrap. Try to keep the wires parallel with each other, crossing over is untidy and makes the bundle thicker. Remove the cable tie as you get to it.
Finally make sure you have wrapped the complete loom and the branches as it was done originally. This will keep out water grime, protect the wires and make the loom look good again.

[psyguy]

You can get this stuff called spiralwrap.It's like a thin walled plastic tube cut in a spiral.You wrap it around your harness real easily.Comes in different sizes so you can join small bunches to the main harness.Absolutely the best for around your steering head.It allows your harness to flex,won't let your wires rub on the goose neck or headlight bucket.

just used that wrap today and it works a charm, just as simon says

[Macmatic]

I've seen that spiral wrap too, it looks good but I'm concerned about using it on the bike. Doesn't it leave a lot of the harness exposed to air, water, dust? I'd think that keeping the bundle as sealed as possible would be a good thing.

/\/\ac

[PAULYBOY]

Hey, Mac, one thing to remember is that the wiring your dealing with is 25 years old. Here, where I work in Mercedes land, we have underhood harnesses on these big beautiful $80,000 cars go brittle and start snapping all over after 10 or 12 years. Be really careful so you don't have to start tracing down wire breaks after you get the whole thing back on the bike!

[psyguy]

sorry i wasnt clear

I've seen that spiral wrap too, it looks good but I'm concerned about using it on the bike. Doesn't it leave a lot of the harness exposed to air, water, dust? I'd think that keeping the bundle as sealed as possible would be a good thing.

/\/\ac

i did wrap the bundle in the good quality electrician's tape first

[cbrophy22]

there are three types of electric tape

first is the pure rubber tape. don't use it. It is not what you want. second is your standard vinal tape and then you have 33 vinyl tape. the only differnce between the two is the 33 tape stays soft in winter time thats is. and you can tell the differnce between the the bye looking at the size of the cardboard roll 33 is smaller of the two.

Use 33

[Go Mifune]

I vote for split loom. I got the one I used from my local ACE hardware, I think radio shack has it too.