Topic: Where do you find OEM Black Wire Sleeving?

[CBNJ74]

Anyone know where I can get some? or something very close to it? 

I'm talking about the shiny black stuff the factory used for the wiring that snaked down through the bars. It was also used to sleeve the tach and speedo bulb wires. I've found other alternatives from electrical supply stores and Harbor Freight but I'd like to get my hands on the real deal.

[nomad]

http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=86060.msg968711#msg968711

If you can find a source for some 9mm tubing here stateside, please let me know.  I emailed the guy referenced in that thread about his 9mm tubing on ebay and by the time you factor in the cost if the tubing plus shipping, it was going to be around $28... too much for me to pay for some plastic sleeving to do nothing more than cover the wiring coming from my controls.  So, I'm still looking.

[nomad]

If we could get a few people who might be interested in this stuff to commit, maybe one of us could buy the 25 meter roll of this stuff, and split the costs.  Roughly 82 feet of sleeving should more than cover the needs of 4 - 6 people.  I guess it could be sectioned and sold in 4ft/8ft/16ft/24ft lengths and be sent out flat rate USPS. HOWEVER, I'm not entirely sure how this Durite material compares to the OEM stuff.  That would be the only gamble.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/DURITE-BLACK-PVC-SLEEVING-ELEC-HARNESSES-9mm-25M-/300645581442?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item45ffdf8282

[greenjeans]

I have some samples coming from somebody in the states.  Should be here by the end of the week.  I'll let everyone know.
I have my doubts....   I never figured that it would be this hard to find the stuff.   I'm finding more in the UK, but like you, I want to keep things simpler.

If worse come to worse - I'd definitely commit to going in on a roll if we can confirm it's the good stuff.

[CBNJ74]

I'd go in with you guys. I just re did the wiring on my left and right controls a few months ago and the tubing already ripped at the bend coming out of the bars.

Hours of work snaking those wrapped up wires wasted!

[stereosilence]

What is the difference between the OEM kind and normal shrink wrapping? I am redoing my 'lectricals and I just got some large gauge tubing from the spools at my work...

[72500john]

check with newark electronics online..i am suret hat they have somthing that will work.

[nomad]

check with newark electronics online..i am suret hat they have somthing that will work.

Amazingly with all of the stuff they have, I couldn't find any plain black 9mm tubing/ sleeves on their site.  I found heat shrink (which I don't think the original sleeves were), spiral wrap and braided sleeving in that size, but no plain black pvc type of sleeve (in 9mm or 3/8").

[SohRon]

I have some samples coming from somebody in the states.

It looked to me like the Durite stuff wasn't quite as shiny as the OEM sleeving, so I'll be interested in reports on your sample; I'd also be interested in going in on a roll if it's anywhere close

What is the difference between the OEM kind and normal shrink wrapping?

The OEM sleeving isn't shrink wrap; it's a thin walled shiny black plastic tube the wiring runs through. For some reason, 9 or 10mm sleeving is impossible to find.

[KC_Northstar]

Try www.vintageconnections.com    They have 6, 7, 11 and 14mm.

KC

[SohRon]

They have 6, 7, 11 and 14mm.

Well, now, that's just the point. We need the missing 9 or 10mm size. The 11mm is too big, and the 7mm is too small; so far we haven't found anything that's just right...

[madmtnmotors]

McMaster-Carr has some pvc sleeve in various sizes, including 3/8".  Couldn't find much info about the appearance of the material itself, but at 45 cents per foot, ten feet would be less than five bucks. Lots of other types of sleeving too, including metallic braid, high temp ceramic braid, basic nylon braid, etc, might make some nicely detailed coverings for other portions of the harness. Wall thickness on the 3/8" sleeve is listed as .025".

[nomad]

McMaster-Carr has some pvc sleeve in various sizes, including 3/8".  Couldn't find much info about the appearance of the material itself, but at 45 cents per foot, ten feet would be less than five bucks. Lots of other types of sleeving too, including metallic braid, high temp ceramic braid, basic nylon braid, etc, might make some nicely detailed coverings for other portions of the harness. Wall thickness on the 3/8" sleeve is listed as .025".

Thanks for the lead.  I'd order rivets from them in the past, but didn't think to see if they had any sleeving.  Anyway, I decided to bite the bullet and order 25' of the 3/8" tubing (more than enough for my 550 too)... part number 1508T31.  I called the lady there in customer service and she said she had no way of knowing if it was gloss or not.  So I guess I'll just have to see what shows up in the mail.

[madmtnmotors]

Duh-oh! I meant to post a link:

http://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-cable-sleeving/=fyrldy

But Google is a wonderful thing! Be sure and post a review after you've recieved the sleeving. 

[SohRon]

McMaster-Carr has some pvc sleeve in various sizes, including 3/8".  Couldn't find much info about the appearance of the material itself, but at 45 cents per foot, ten feet would be less than five bucks. Lots of other types of sleeving too, including metallic braid, high temp ceramic braid, basic nylon braid, etc, might make some nicely detailed coverings for other portions of the harness. Wall thickness on the 3/8" sleeve is listed as .025".

Thanks for the lead.  I'd order rivets from them in the past, but didn't think to see if they had any sleeving.  Anyway, I decided to bite the bullet and order 25' of the 3/8" tubing (more than enough for my 550 too)... part number 1508T31.  I called the lady there in customer service and she said she had no way of knowing if it was gloss or not.  So I guess I'll just have to see what shows up in the mail.

Be sure and post a review after you've recieved the sleeving.

+1

[greenjeans]

Bad news:  That tubing that is .025" is too thick.   Just got a sample today.   I didn't notice the wall thickness when I ordered it.   Definitely too thick.

Seems like the real deal is somewhere around .5mm thick.    I've yet to find anything in the states, and I went 20 pages deep on several searches.    uuuuugh.

Looks like it's coming from the UK...   2 more weeks.........

[nomad]

Bad news:  That tubing that is .025" is too thick.   Just got a sample today.   I didn't notice the wall thickness when I ordered it.   Definitely too thick.

Seems like the real deal is somewhere around .5mm thick.    I've yet to find anything in the states, and I went 20 pages deep on several searches.    uuuuugh.

Looks like it's coming from the UK...   2 more weeks.........

That's not good.  The 3/8" stuff I'm waiting on from McMaster-Carr is 0.025" thick.  They also sell the same tubing (part number 1508T13) that has a wall thickness of 0.016" (or 0.4mm) and has an I.D. of 0.34" (or 8.7mm)  Maybe that's close enough to work for us.  Still, I haven't seen the glossiness of the tubing yet.  I'm guessing all of the tubing from their chemical resistant pvc line would look the same.

[greenjeans]

Does Mc Master have anything that is closer to 10mm ?  That wall  thickness is probably what we want.  The stuff I got from vintage connections for the rest of the harness seems to be that thin.   

I went ahead and ordered some 9mm from the UK.     If it works out, I'll have plenty left over as it's on a 25 meter roll !    Cross your fingers fellas.   I had emailed them earlier to see if I could get a better photo of it to see the gloss/sheen.   They were not able to send me any.  So, looks like I have a $30 gamble...What the heck - I feel lucky.

[nomad]

Does Mc Master have anything that is closer to 10mm ?  That wall  thickness is probably what we want.  The stuff I got from vintage connections for the rest of the harness seems to be that thin.   

I went ahead and ordered some 9mm from the UK.     If it works out, I'll have plenty left over as it's on a 25 meter roll !    Cross your fingers fellas.   I had emailed them earlier to see if I could get a better photo of it to see the gloss/sheen.   They were not able to send me any.  So, looks like I have a $30 gamble...What the heck - I feel lucky.

Scratch that (what I said about them having a 8.7mm I.D. tubing).  I did that conversion and posted it this morning before my first cup of coffee and forgot to add a "0" in there.  Their tubing has an I.D. of 0.034 instead of 0.34.     Oops.

That 3/8" sleeving I ordered is the closest thing they have to what we're looking for. 

[CBNJ74]

Fingers crossed.

[nomad]

McMaster-Carr tubing vs. Vintage Connections tubing...

MC tube is on the left (9mm), VC tube is on the right (11mm).  The 11mm looks slimmer because it's flattened a bit.

The VC tube has the gloss OEM look.  The MC tube has a slight sheen to it (satin if I had to call it anything).  The wall thickness of the MC tube is listed as 0.025".  Without a gauge, the wall thickness of the VC tube appears to be the same.  However, the MC tube feels slightly more ridged.  I personally don't think it's ridged enough to make that big of a difference.  I'm not sure if it's the type of pvc they make it from or what.  Regardless, I think the MC tube could work it you're willing to not have the original glossy sleeves.

[Dimitri13]

So.. Why not just use heat shrink? I just redid mine with and it looks just as good.

[nomad]

And a shot so you can see the wall thicknesses...

McMaster-Carr on the left (satin); Vintage Connection on the right (gloss):



edit:  I just went back to look at the VC tubing specs and they say the wall thickness of the sleeving they carry is 0.5mm.  The MC wall thickness is 0.025" (0.635mm).

[CBNJ74]

So.. Why not just use heat shrink? I just redid mine with and it looks just as good.

I tried it and it ripped at the exit points. Also it's not shinny like the OEM were.

[greenjeans]

You could use heat shrink if you wanted.   We're searching for tubing that is close to OEM because we are doing restorations.   Those guys are picky.

I hope to have a 25 meter roll by the end of the week as well as some correct  non-adhesive tape to be used for the harness.   Even though the good stuff from 3M looks right, it has adhesive which will ooze a bit after time making things a sticky mess.