Topic: '78 cb750 headlight swap-extra connections in the bucket?

[Kev Nemo]

Saw I purchased a smaller h4 unit off the Bay and thought it would be an easy swap. When I look at the back of the stock headlight unit, there are two connection with about 5 wires each going into them; aftermarket light has 3 wires. What do all these extra wires attach to? Can I ditch/ re-route them? FYI:

-No speedo/tach or idiot lights (except the hi beam light which the aftermarket has)
-no turn signals front or rear.

Thanks!

[kerryb]

All those extra connections in the headlight bucket did something at one time.  the headlight on my '78 has three wires to the back of the bulb.  I would think you could just use those and not mess with the others.  The other route would be to get a wiring diagram and follow the colors.  It really isn't too hard, but it will take some time and patience.  Think of it as preventative maintanence.  It may prevent you from being stranded by a wiring issue this summer.

good luck.

[Kev Nemo]

 Well, that's the problem- they're plugged into the stock bucket, which I'd like to remove.

[kerryb]

Sooo...you want to take the headlight bucket off, do you?  Have you given much thought to where all these wires are going to go?  And which ones to reconnect, and which ones to leave out because you're not using them anyway? 


Now you do need to get the diagram,... and wipe off enough wire to see the colors, ...and figure out if the new bucket will hold all the wires that are left.

(I tried to insert a pic of the wires)
good luck, have patience, it IS worth it when you finish.

[Kev Nemo]

Sooo...you want to take the headlight bucket off, do you?  Have you given much thought to where all these wires are going to go?  And which ones to reconnect, and which ones to leave out because you're not using them anyway? 


Now you do need to get the diagram,... and wipe off enough wire to see the colors, ...and figure out if the new bucket will hold all the wires that are left.

(I tried to insert a pic of the wires)
good luck, have patience, it IS worth it when you finish.

Yeah, that's hideous. I'm talking one wire each for the

-horn
-starter
-headlight (which will probably be 3 wires bundled).

no wires in the bucket except the ones to the light itself, the idiot light and the toggle switch I'm running through the top. I'm guessing the wires in the bucket now are some sort of junction set-up. I'm just going to pull the whole damn harness and keep the bare minimum.

[mystic_1]

I'm guessing the wires in the bucket now are some sort of junction set-up.

Yes exactly.  ALL of the wiring at the front of the bike runs into the headlight bucket then back out in the main harness.  The additional wires you're seeing will be from your handlebar controls, front brake switch, etc.  You'll have to relocate all of that to keep them out of the headlight bucket.

mystic_1

[Kev Nemo]

yeah I tried to check hondachopper, since so many of those guys run stripped-down set-ups and no luck.