Tidying up Wiring help

sburns

sburns

Well-known member
Finally getting around to adding my aux lighting.The connection on off all good (found a acc port to tie into). But the wiring out of the light pods is shorter, and the wiring harness is also short meaning they connect at a weird length. See below attached. Anyhow I need some plastic sheathing?? Not sure how to wrap the wires or what I am looking for is that is the correct term. Just want to wrap the wires make it look tidy and hide them behind the crash bars etc.

I know GTMA will steer me!!

wiring.jpg
 
sburns said:
Finally getting around to adding my aux lighting.The connection on off all good (found a acc port to tie into). But the wiring out of the light pods is shorter, and the wiring harness is also short meaning they connect at a weird length. See below attached. Anyhow I need some plastic sheathing?? Not sure how to wrap the wires or what I am looking for is that is the correct term. Just want to wrap the wires make it look tidy and hide them behind the crash bars etc.

I know GTMA will steer me!!

View attachment 51358
Click to expand...
Move the lights or add more wire. They will not be long for the world that way. Once that's done, I doubt the loom will look good. How do you feel about hockey tape? Wrap a section like a header and the wires are gone (and protected).
 
GreyGhost said:
Move the lights or add more wire. They will not be long for the world that way. Once that's done, I doubt the loom will look good. How do you feel about hockey tape? Wrap a section like a header and the wires are gone (and protected).
Click to expand...
I can't really move the lights as the openings for my wind protection are on that side. Also that is all the wiring. The switch wiring was also at a weird lenght this particular side is shorter then the other. 🤦‍♂️ I could wrap it all in silicone tape but I will keep looking first.

BTW the photo was just to show what I am dealing with, I wouldn't leave it that way, but I am sure you knew it 😉
 
Heat shrink tubing ... but I would splice in some more wire so you can follow the crash bar... and if you add more wire, why not run it down to the bottom crash bar and out.

... somebody is gonna suggest hiding the wire inside the crash bar. DON'T. I'm pretty sure that crash bar is an air plenum for the forks.
 
sburns said:
I can't really move the lights as the openings for my wind protection are on that side. Also that is all the wiring. The switch wiring was also at a weird lenght this particular side is shorter then the other. 🤦‍♂️ I could wrap it all in silicone tape but I will keep looking first.

BTW the photo was just to show what I am dealing with, I wouldn't leave it that way, but I am sure you knew it 😉
Click to expand...
I know you weren't leaving it that way, but having it flapping in the breeze (even in a loom) will put millions of fatigue cycles on it. You want enough wire so it can comfortably follow the bar and be supported and protected by it. It looks like that requires more than you currently have. I don't like multiple failure points, but a simple solution is make up extenders to go between your two existing connectors.
 
GreyGhost said:
I know you weren't leaving it that way, but having it flapping in the breeze (even in a loom) will put millions of fatigue cycles on it. You want enough wire so it can comfortably follow the bar and be supported and protected by it. It looks like that requires more than you currently have. I don't like multiple failure points, but a simple solution is make up extenders to go between your two existing connectors.
Click to expand...
Yeah I know. So far with my loosey goosey placement there is enough wire, maybe doesn't look that way in the photo. I want to wrap those wires in a shealth/sleeve, then zip tie them to the crash bars. With a tubing like is normally wraped around wiring harness. But I can't find anything like that. The only possibily is this braided tube I found at PA:

I haven't gone down the amazon rabbit hole yet, rather get something, then delivered.
 
bitzz said:
Heat shrink tubing ... but I would splice in some more wire so you can follow the crash bar... and if you add more wire, why not run it down to the bottom crash bar and out.

... somebody is gonna suggest hiding the wire inside the crash bar. DON'T. I'm pretty sure that crash bar is an air plenum for the forks.
Click to expand...
I saw some heat shrink on PA might check it out. There is enough wire just the way the photo looks maybe throwing it off. I rather run it along the top of the bar as the rest of the wiring is at the top of the frame, otherwise going the bottom would have to extend it a lot more (down the crash bar, up the frame to the top).
 
sburns said:
Yeah I know. So far with my loosey goosey placement there is enough wire, maybe doesn't look that way in the photo. I want to wrap those wires in a shealth/sleeve, then zip tie them to the crash bars. With a tubing like is normally wraped around wiring harness. But I can't find anything like that. The only possibily is this braided tube I found at PA:

I haven't gone down the amazon rabbit hole yet, rather get something, then delivered.
Click to expand...
Split wire loom is the plastic tube crap. Searching for that gives you hits.
 
sburns said:
Finally getting around to adding my aux lighting.The connection on off all good (found a acc port to tie into). But the wiring out of the light pods is shorter, and the wiring harness is also short meaning they connect at a weird length. See below attached. Anyhow I need some plastic sheathing?? Not sure how to wrap the wires or what I am looking for is that is the correct term. Just want to wrap the wires make it look tidy and hide them behind the crash bars etc.

I know GTMA will steer me!!

View attachment 51358
Click to expand...
I see 2 issues here, 1 wire length and 2 tidiness.

1) Length. You only have 2 choices, move the lights up higher on your crash bars, or lengthen the wires by splicing.

2) Again 2 options. You could drill the bars with a 3/16 hole the feed the wires inside. You would need 2 rubber grommets to protect the wires. The other option is a sleeve. You can use 1/4” poly tube or poly braid sleeve. All of these are inexpensive PA items.
 
sburns said:
Yeah I know. So far with my loosey goosey placement there is enough wire, maybe doesn't look that way in the photo. I want to wrap those wires in a shealth/sleeve, then zip tie them to the crash bars. With a tubing like is normally wraped around wiring harness. But I can't find anything like that. The only possibily is this braided tube I found at PA:

I haven't gone down the amazon rabbit hole yet, rather get something, then delivered.
Click to expand...
That flexible sleeve would look much better if you can get the stuff that's made of a shiny metal. I have shielded cable here, the shield can be removed and this would look good. I will see if I can get a photo.

The plastic split sleeve stuff will crush and look crappy if you put it on with zip-ties.
 
bitzz said:
Heat shrink tubing ... but I would splice in some more wire so you can follow the crash bar... and if you add more wire, why not run it down to the bottom crash bar and out.

... somebody is gonna suggest hiding the wire inside the crash bar. DON'T. I'm pretty sure that crash bar is an air plenum for the forks.
Click to expand...
I wouldn’t use heat shrink, it’s not UV stable.

Air plenum for forks? Easy fix, remove the fork cdi and coil, not really needed on a cruiser.
 
Th
Lightcycle said:
I know some people will recommend against doing this, but you could drill a small hole and thread the wiring through the inside of the crash bar:

View attachment 51364

Might weaken the engine bar at the spot where you drill the holes... 🤷‍♂️
Click to expand...
that’s how I’d do it. I wouldn’t worry too much about weakening the bars, just do a small hole.
 
Ok I dont have enough of this for your project. Once removed from the cable it can be stretched out to fit your wiring diameter tightly or pushed together to expand it. Sayal Electronics may sell the shield itself. Or call A-1 Electronics and explain to Glen what you need. Some grounding straps are simply this stuff, just flattened out. 20210920_181916.jpg

Sent from my SM-A515F using GTAMotorcycle.com mobile app
 
Freddy Fudpucker said:
Ok I dont have enough of this for your project. Once removed from the cable it can be stretched out to fit your wiring diameter tightly or pushed together to expand it. Sayal Electronics may sell the shield itself. Or call A-1 Electronics and explain to Glen what you need. Some grounding straps are simply this stuff, just flattened out. View attachment 51365

Sent from my SM-A515F using GTAMotorcycle.com mobile app
Click to expand...
That looks like the braided sleeve I posted earlier from PA, which is my plan right now.

Ah I see what you are saying, so this will match better to the chrome because of the colouring....hmmm :unsure:
 
bitzz said:
Harley used that crash bar as an air plenum on a lot of bikes. Is there an air hose attached at the top?
Click to expand...
No air hose on mine. I actually don't know what a air plenum is.
 
Lightcycle said:
I know some people will recommend against doing this, but you could drill a small hole and thread the wiring through the inside of the crash bar:

View attachment 51364

Might weaken the engine bar at the spot where you drill the holes... 🤷‍♂️
Click to expand...
Hmm that would look nice all hidden and such. But I don't want to drill it and fish wires etc.. will turn into a much bigger project.
Once I put the crash bar covers back on it will hide most of it anyway.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top Bottom