Author Topic: Rewire advice (Read 2546 times)

GrandRapids750K3 · « **on:** April 12, 2011, 09:21:00 AM »

Within the next week or two I hope to find time to put in my new wire harness. The previous owner cut ALL the wire front of the bike. Should I lengthen them to make my life easier or just put on new bullet connectors and try to work with them stubby. I have no idea how long they should be originally, so if I do lengthen them how long should I make them. I plan on going out and picking up some wire shrink wrap to make everytyhing look nice and clean.

Ricky_Racer · « **Reply #1 on:** April 12, 2011, 09:42:27 AM »

GrandRapids, you might want to consider Wire Harness #24-4001 | Honda CB750K (1973-1975) at http://www.partsnmore.com/parts/honda/cb750/?filters%5Bfitting%5D=custom&filters%5Bcategory%5D=electrical. It's $75. RR

ksmith0034 · « **Reply #2 on:** April 12, 2011, 09:47:23 AM »

Wow, that's a good price for a wiring harness! I had to get mine from Yamiya as Parts N More doesn't carry a harness for the K1.
Is your original wiring harness there, just with cut off ends? I recommend spending a few bucks to be done with the electrical hassles! That way everything is the correct length and the connections are all correct.

GrandRapids750K3 · « **Reply #3 on:** April 12, 2011, 10:43:52 AM »

I did purchase a new harness. The cut wires in the photo are the wires off the right and left controls. Either way I'll have to put new male bullet conectors on, just wondering if I should lengthen while I'm at it. After placing the bucket back on to see how much room I'll have it seems like it will be difficult to contect things and hide them away from teh elements as they would be sticking out of the back of the bucket.

ksmith0034 · « **Reply #4 on:** April 12, 2011, 11:02:48 AM »

You definitely want the connections inside the bucket!

GrandRapids750K3 · « **Reply #5 on:** April 12, 2011, 11:15:31 AM »

Yea, I'm thinking I'll need to lengthen them using the wires from inside the old harness. I did that with my tac/odo because those were cut as well. The horn is next to get lenghtned. My only concnern is that if i lenghten them using bullet connectors I'm going to have a very wide bundle that I will need to shrink wrap... If I lengthen with bullet connectors should I skip the protective covers and just shrink wrap? My concern is water running down the wires and into the bundle, and I really only want to do this once....

bollingball · « **Reply #6 on:** April 12, 2011, 11:34:43 AM »

Also put on new sleeving.

http://www.z1enterprises.com/catalog.aspx?pid=CB750K-1978-EL0

http://www.vintageconnections.com/

Z1 has a lot of the color coded wire vintage is the best place for your connections and sleeving

If you have to add wire solder and shrink wrap no wire nut. Also I don't like crimp-on butt splices if you use them shrink wrap them too. Either way cut the wire that is all ready there different lengths so you don't have one big knot that makes a big bulge.Vintage has the sleeving to cover the harness up before it goes in the bucket. Don't make them much longer it get tight in that bucket. Also DS has a chrome bucket for a good price.

OldSchool_IsCool · « **Reply #7 on:** April 12, 2011, 11:44:20 AM »

The more connections you have, the more opportunity for corrosion and power loss. At 12v and a couple of amps, there isn't much power as is.

My advice would be to lengthen only if absolutly required. Solder the extender joint and cover with the smallest diameter shrink wrap you can get over the joint for the tightest possible shrink.

bollingball · « **Reply #8 on:** April 12, 2011, 11:51:51 AM »

Also if this end up outside the bucket I would shrink each wire then shrink the whole bundle then put on the sleeve some would call this over kill but like you I don't want water in there to each his own.

GrandRapids750K3 · « **Reply #9 on:** April 12, 2011, 12:11:30 PM »

Thanks everyone, I'm hoping to get out in the garage tomorrow to get started.

Eydugstr · « **Reply #10 on:** April 12, 2011, 06:16:47 PM »

Let us know how it turns out, and post a pic!

Johnie · « **Reply #11 on:** April 12, 2011, 06:35:34 PM »

Did your female and male connections come with the clear protective sleeves as in the picture below? If so, you do not need to shrink wrap all the wires in the bucket. Honda did not see a need to shrink wrap all the wiring in the bucket and you should not either. That would be very time consuming and would make it pretty hard to shift those wires around in the bucket.

GrandRapids750K3 · « **Reply #12 on:** April 13, 2011, 10:21:13 AM »

I did end up starting to lenghthen the wires because they were cut so short they would not fit in the bucket. I'm going to solder all my connections and the shrink wrap the connections because it will create less of a bundle then using the plastic covers. I need to shrink wrap the tac/odo and insturment panel wires anyways since I needed to rewire all that as well... Take a look at the pictures and let me know what you think. I used wires from inside the old harness to lengthen everything, however, there were some wires that are from the handle bar controls that I did not find in the harness. Off the top of my head I'm thinking an orange with white strip, brown with blue strip, 2 brown with white strip, and light blue with white strip... I plan on looking at this closer when I get the new harness on the bike as well as the tac/odo and intrument lights...

OldSchool_IsCool · « **Reply #13 on:** April 13, 2011, 10:42:09 AM »

You've got quite a hobby on your hands ther GRR! I'd say if you don't need your splice to seperate, don't waste a bullet connector on it. Just bare the wires and solder the copper strands togeather then a nice tight shrink wrap on each wire with a shrink wrap sheath over the bundle.

GrandRapids750K3 · « **Reply #14 on:** April 13, 2011, 11:36:37 AM »

Honestly solder was kind of an after thought...I ran out of bullet connectors so for the last couple of wires I may just solder. I realize I might be going a little over kill... but it's my first time dealing with wiring so I want to make sure it's done right and that I never have to do it again. Although I'll admit I am enjoying myself... assuming everything works in the end....

OldSchool_IsCool · « **Reply #15 on:** April 13, 2011, 11:46:33 AM »

Check the quote in my sig. I think you have the right attitude. There's NO WAY you won't have a running bike eventually!

GrandRapids750K3 · « **Reply #16 on:** April 13, 2011, 12:19:44 PM »

You got the "lots of things" parts right... One thing at at time though, and that first ride when it's running strong is going to be great...

vames · « **Reply #17 on:** April 13, 2011, 12:52:26 PM »

Is it me, or are there no clear plastic sleeves on your bullets in the last picture? They're all going to touch and short each other out.

If you're going to shrink wrap over the bullets, then the functionality of a bullet (being able to disconnenct when you need) is lost and you might as well have soldered the wires together, then shrinkwrapped.

Also, you probably didn't need bullets for the extenders as seen in the second picture -- you could have just soldered/shrinkwrapped those too.

I'm not quite sure I get the strategy. You probably want to minimize bullet connections in favor of solder connections wherever possible. Bullets should only be where you might want to disconnect in the future.

GrandRapids750K3 · « **Reply #18 on:** April 13, 2011, 01:51:04 PM »

Yea... I get that now... Learning as I go I guess... Originally it was going to be plastic covers, now I'm going to shrink wrap them and shrink wrap the whole bundle. I had never soldered before, that is why I used teh bullets to lengthen. I decided to not us the covers to try to minimalize the size of the final wrap. I just finished soldering for the first time, so from here on out I'll just solder the wires.

At this point I regred using the connectores... but what are ya going to do. It may not be pretty but it will be better then it was before...

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Author Topic: Rewire advice (Read 2546 times)

bollingball

bollingball