Wire harness repair/restoration

All to do with wiring, charging or just trying to figure out whats gone wrong.

Moderators: oldjapanesebikes, H2RICK, diamondj, Suzsmokeyallan

User avatar
Suzsmokeyallan
Moto GP
Posts: 4326
Joined: Fri Oct 24, 2008 9:11 am
Location: Mostly Barbados, sometimes Florida and western Canada
Contact:

Wire harness repair/restoration

Post by Suzsmokeyallan »

After having some members go through electrical issues regarding wiring harnesses, I decided to compile this thread with some restorative work and photos.
Here is a bit of useful info about what you can do to make an old tired harness look and work like new again.
In the first part of this set of postings we are restoring a digital gear indicator sub harness for a GT750 of 74 to 77.

Ok, so here's the poor abused victim, a harness with hard ripped sheathing and a broken connector block, plus some free dirt.

Image
At this point you will check for continuity while bending and twisting the connectors lightly to make sure there's no internal separation at the crimps.
Then you strip off the old sheathing thats usually brittle by carefully using an 'exacto' knife; dont go deep into the sheathing or you will cut into the wire casings.
Measure the old sheathing and add a portion to allow for shrinkage, in this case I added two inches, and since this is a four foot harness I've got the sheathing at 24 inches now.
On this one the lower white connector block was brittle and damaged, plus its clips that fit into the frame square loop were missing and no one I know has these.
So,,, I borrowed the other equivalent one from the headlamp bucket harness since it doesn't need the clips up there.
*If you have any continuity issues you need to locate them with a meter or test lamp at this stage*


Image
Removing the lower block and marking the wires individual locations, I then wiped the casing wires with thinners to clean them of the old stains etc and this also makes the casings supple.
The upper blue block I soaked in vinegar to clean the socket connectors and applied some WD40 to them afterwards. I then polished it up as it was a bit stained; well its got to look 100% for this photo shoot right???
Next up is to put on the sheathing, in this case 7mm gloss black from Vintage Connections is used. Try to keep the wires as untangled as possible and to make it easy, use WD40 to help them slide in better.
Once the sheathing is on, wash off the harness of all the WD40 and dry it properly as its now time to tape it.
Tape the wires in sections at intervals to keep them from shifting, before you start full wrapping.
I like to go one half overlap on my taping at about a 45 degree angle but other people have different ideas on that.



Image
A photo of how the connectors looked after some partial cleaning for the lower white connector block. I went on to clean them up fully using a toothbrush and some vinegar with repeated soaking and brushing to get them clean. Don't forget to bend the retention tangs up a tad to get a decent 'click'



Image
A detailed photo of the blue upper socket after completion of the work.


Image
Detailed photo of the white lower socket after completion of the work.


Image
At the lower end I had to align the connectors and this resulted in having to replace one as that wire was significantly longer. This is because of over lapping of that wire in the old original tape wrapping which can create that issue.
The white socket shown here was stolen from the HL bucket, but it will be replaced with a non clip version when that sub harness gets restored.
Clicking in the 'new' used lower white block onto the terminal ends makes the harness look like new again and its very presentable. Dont forget to recheck continuity, its no good going to this work then finding out its got an issue afterwards.

Info you may need
Most sockets and terminals can be obtained from Cycle terminal Vintage Connections or Oregon Motorcycle
Sheathing can be obtained from both of the above, make sure you buy enough of the sizes and lengths you will need for all your harness work.
Tape used is Scotch 33+, the best for most applications such as this.
Two strokes, its just that simple.

69 Suz U70
69 Suz T500
72 Suz GT750 cafe
74 Suz TS250
74 Suz GTXVR project
75 Suz RE5
75 Suz GT750
76 Suz TS400
76 Suz GT750
81 Suz GSX1100
86 Suz RG500x2
88 Hon CR500
93 Hon CBR900RR
98 Suz GSF1200x3
15 Kaw Ninja H2
User avatar
H2RICK
AMA Superbike
Posts: 1659
Joined: Sun Oct 19, 2008 11:07 am
Country: CANADA
Suzuki 2-Strokes: GT550A, GSF1200SK6 currently
Location: Cowtown aka Calgary, Canada

Re: Wire harness restoration

Post by H2RICK »

Free dirt ??? Where can I get some of that ?? :lol: :lol: :lol:

Nice work, Allan. Yes, vinegar is a mild acid and works very nicely to get rid of corrosion and oxidation on brass bits.......and it's cheap and available everywhere......and you don't need a bunch of personal protective gear to use it. Great stuff. Every home workshop should have a jug in the chemical "storage" area.
GT550A Mint & Original
H2A Semi-Hot Rod Built From A Basket Case
KZ650C2 Mint & Original...mostly
GSF1200SK6 Bandit...My LD Ride
Additional H2 projects In Boxes.....
MBD Sufferer
User avatar
Suzsmokeyallan
Moto GP
Posts: 4326
Joined: Fri Oct 24, 2008 9:11 am
Location: Mostly Barbados, sometimes Florida and western Canada
Contact:

Re: Wire harness restoration

Post by Suzsmokeyallan »

For Uncle Rick:
"Free dirt", a loosely applied black or brown material coating on most pre-enjoyed motorcycle parts.
Two strokes, its just that simple.

69 Suz U70
69 Suz T500
72 Suz GT750 cafe
74 Suz TS250
74 Suz GTXVR project
75 Suz RE5
75 Suz GT750
76 Suz TS400
76 Suz GT750
81 Suz GSX1100
86 Suz RG500x2
88 Hon CR500
93 Hon CBR900RR
98 Suz GSF1200x3
15 Kaw Ninja H2
User avatar
Suzsmokeyallan
Moto GP
Posts: 4326
Joined: Fri Oct 24, 2008 9:11 am
Location: Mostly Barbados, sometimes Florida and western Canada
Contact:

Re: Wire harness restoration

Post by Suzsmokeyallan »

Onto the tail lamp assembly harness restoration in part two:
Don't mind this one is for an RE5, its the same as a Buffalo except for the little rubber grommet by the bulb holder.


Image
The usual suspect, hard sheathing and general poor condition after years of neglect. I've already removed the three pin connector in this photo.


Image
Test the wires for continuity and clean them as listed before, sometimes you may need to add fresh solder to create new "blobs" to the bulb socket terminals in the holder as vibration does flatten them.


Image
This is how you want the terminals to look after cleaning, check each one for tightness into a test male pin and carefully adjust the crimping grip on each one if necessary. Don't forget to bend up the locking tabs slightly so they click in properly.


Image
The completed product with some new 6mm glossy black sheathing, cleaned wires, cleaned terminals and a clean three pin socket. Now its all ready to go back into the tail lamp assembly.
Two strokes, its just that simple.

69 Suz U70
69 Suz T500
72 Suz GT750 cafe
74 Suz TS250
74 Suz GTXVR project
75 Suz RE5
75 Suz GT750
76 Suz TS400
76 Suz GT750
81 Suz GSX1100
86 Suz RG500x2
88 Hon CR500
93 Hon CBR900RR
98 Suz GSF1200x3
15 Kaw Ninja H2
Roger486
Around the block
Posts: 67
Joined: Wed Jun 15, 2011 7:52 pm
Location: Auckland, New Zealand

Re: Wire harness repair/restoration

Post by Roger486 »

Well it was simple to pull it together after all of your work!

I have just re-started my GT500 restoration after a six year gap with the bike in the back of the shed! Looking for a place to start I found a wiring loom on eBay at a good price. I knew that my loom was a mess so I grabbed it. Now I have two looms to use as I head down your footsteps!

Roger
Regards
Roger

"One slowly evolving GT500A"
User avatar
H2RICK
AMA Superbike
Posts: 1659
Joined: Sun Oct 19, 2008 11:07 am
Country: CANADA
Suzuki 2-Strokes: GT550A, GSF1200SK6 currently
Location: Cowtown aka Calgary, Canada

Re: Wire harness repair/restoration

Post by H2RICK »

Allan, I really need to get a new project bike so I can mess around with the wiring bits as shown in your excellent posts. Refurbishing the wiring on an old pounder is just as important as pulling the engine down and rebuilding it, IMO. No, or intermittent, electricity on an old Suzi because of dodgy wiring can cause no end of heartburn. :wink:
Something about an ounce of prevention, I believe. :D
GT550A Mint & Original
H2A Semi-Hot Rod Built From A Basket Case
KZ650C2 Mint & Original...mostly
GSF1200SK6 Bandit...My LD Ride
Additional H2 projects In Boxes.....
MBD Sufferer
User avatar
tz375
Moto GP
Posts: 6204
Joined: Mon Nov 03, 2008 10:47 am
Location: Illinois

Re: Wire harness repair/restoration

Post by tz375 »

Allan, Really high quality work as usual for you.

Really good point about cleaning the connectors. How often do we read a post from someone chasing electrical problems and it turns out to be corroded pins.

Any plans for a switch refurbishing series?
User avatar
Suzsmokeyallan
Moto GP
Posts: 4326
Joined: Fri Oct 24, 2008 9:11 am
Location: Mostly Barbados, sometimes Florida and western Canada
Contact:

Re: Wire harness repair/restoration

Post by Suzsmokeyallan »

Actually the ignition switches seem to have been good to me,, ok let me correct that, so far I mean.
I've had good luck flushing them with WD 40 through the key tumblers and switching them back and forth while flushing, then I also flush through the lower side hole and switch it back and forth some more. Then I position the body on a paper towel to let all the remaining fluid drain out the hole in the lower side of the metal housing.
If its looking dirty I keep flushing/switching till its clear, then I blow it out and try again if I see any dark residue.
Once thats done, I squirt in some engine oil to the key hole and lower side hole and switch it through the positions. Let that wash around a bit and then position it to drain overnight through the lower hole on a bounty towel to examine the hopefully clean oily contents.
You want to be able to hear positive clicks at each position of the key and feel that its action is smooth. Once most of the oil is all drained out, I squeeze in some waterproof grease through the side hole in the base and add some as well to the key cylinder slot and push in the key to get it down inside.
Do this ritual a few times to ensure the tumblers and contacts are well coated, then I go test it out.

If its not working after this or giving intermittent contact, then you will need to un-crimp the base plate and remove the base itself and check the tension springs and the contact plates.
If you find them faulty or burned, you can use parts from another good used switch to replace these items in the lower switch assy and therefore still get to keep your matching key numbers.

Let me see if I can locate a switch I can pull apart for display purposes.
Two strokes, its just that simple.

69 Suz U70
69 Suz T500
72 Suz GT750 cafe
74 Suz TS250
74 Suz GTXVR project
75 Suz RE5
75 Suz GT750
76 Suz TS400
76 Suz GT750
81 Suz GSX1100
86 Suz RG500x2
88 Hon CR500
93 Hon CBR900RR
98 Suz GSF1200x3
15 Kaw Ninja H2
User avatar
Suzsmokeyallan
Moto GP
Posts: 4326
Joined: Fri Oct 24, 2008 9:11 am
Location: Mostly Barbados, sometimes Florida and western Canada
Contact:

Re: Wire harness repair/restoration

Post by Suzsmokeyallan »

Ok Richard, you asked for it so here are some switch photos showing whats going on inside there and how to get into the contact section. Firstly, place the switch upside down in a vise and align the crimped tabs towards the jaws, tighten it just enough to hold it there. Use a small blunt punch to open them up, the jaws will stop you from overbending them but still be careful.
Then undo the harness wrap band by opening it and remove the base, holding the switch upside down while you do this.
Heres how it all unfolded in photos.

Image
The base plate about to be removed from the housing.

Image
Whats inside the switches lower contact portion

Image
The contactor parts in an exploded view.

Image
The base plates contacts on this switch are very dirty indeed, a typical problem with age, dust and moisture.

Image
The base plates contacts quickly cleaned for inspection. This one is damaged, you can see the 12volt input (red wire) contact at the top right has perished due to corrosion and age related issues.
This could be fixed if you found a piece of brass the same thickness and made a new one, then formed it to the shape and soldered the wire back onto it.
Surprisingly the harness socket shows no signs of overheating, but you should upgrade the small four pin socket to the larger four pin type which allows a better interface.
Two strokes, its just that simple.

69 Suz U70
69 Suz T500
72 Suz GT750 cafe
74 Suz TS250
74 Suz GTXVR project
75 Suz RE5
75 Suz GT750
76 Suz TS400
76 Suz GT750
81 Suz GSX1100
86 Suz RG500x2
88 Hon CR500
93 Hon CBR900RR
98 Suz GSF1200x3
15 Kaw Ninja H2
Roger486
Around the block
Posts: 67
Joined: Wed Jun 15, 2011 7:52 pm
Location: Auckland, New Zealand

Re: Wire harness repair/restoration

Post by Roger486 »

OK... here is a printable version.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Regards
Roger

"One slowly evolving GT500A"
User avatar
Suzsmokeyallan
Moto GP
Posts: 4326
Joined: Fri Oct 24, 2008 9:11 am
Location: Mostly Barbados, sometimes Florida and western Canada
Contact:

Re: Wire harness repair/restoration

Post by Suzsmokeyallan »

Here I have a front main harness assembly for a Buffalo, its the usual looking suspect bought off of Ebay as part of a whole harness and its related parts.
This one is a late version type as it has the round pin type of socket by the ign coils connections.
I'm also going to modify this for a few improvements over the stock harness that will make it better than how it was.

The list of things done will be along these lines:
Strip all the tape and sheathing off.
Remove all the sockets and clean them and the connectors, suspect ones will be replaced.
Test the wires for continuity and repair any issues.
Retape it and fit new sheathing.

The upgrades will be:
Change some of the sockets to a different style for a better interface.
Change some of the wires to a different gauge for improved current flow.


Image
The harness as it was bought, 30 plus years old



Image
The tapes coming off and its got some visual problems, dirty connectors, corrosion in the terminals, and of course a melted one.


Image
The worlds longest Buffalo horn wires as fitted from the factory and then taped up in a bundle. I have not undone these but they are easily two feet long. How about a horn on the front fender tip for a change as this could reach there easily. What were they thinking?


Image
This socket was the one from the gear indicator harness that I temporarily swapped out as I needed one that had good clips.


Image
The main harness connectors, the white one above is the main power wires from the rear harness and battery. You can see the red and orange coloured ones are faded, which means this bike was somewhere out in the open with the tank off for quite a while.
This is a very weak point on these harnesses and usually these are burnt up or showing signs of melting, it definitely needs an upgrade.



Image
The ignition wire socket to the switch, as usual its melted and will be upgraded, this is also a common problem.


Image
Another view of the same melted socket, this is very dangerous as it sits inside the H.L bucket, which means there's grounded metal all around it.


Just so you know, I've got some other work to do for restoration purposes so I'll get to this when I have some spare time and keep you updated accordingly.
Two strokes, its just that simple.

69 Suz U70
69 Suz T500
72 Suz GT750 cafe
74 Suz TS250
74 Suz GTXVR project
75 Suz RE5
75 Suz GT750
76 Suz TS400
76 Suz GT750
81 Suz GSX1100
86 Suz RG500x2
88 Hon CR500
93 Hon CBR900RR
98 Suz GSF1200x3
15 Kaw Ninja H2
User avatar
Suzsmokeyallan
Moto GP
Posts: 4326
Joined: Fri Oct 24, 2008 9:11 am
Location: Mostly Barbados, sometimes Florida and western Canada
Contact:

Re: Wire harness repair/restoration

Post by Suzsmokeyallan »

Hey Roger, I notice the PDFs are getting a fancier looking layout, my names now in a green font, :lol:
Two strokes, its just that simple.

69 Suz U70
69 Suz T500
72 Suz GT750 cafe
74 Suz TS250
74 Suz GTXVR project
75 Suz RE5
75 Suz GT750
76 Suz TS400
76 Suz GT750
81 Suz GSX1100
86 Suz RG500x2
88 Hon CR500
93 Hon CBR900RR
98 Suz GSF1200x3
15 Kaw Ninja H2
Roger486
Around the block
Posts: 67
Joined: Wed Jun 15, 2011 7:52 pm
Location: Auckland, New Zealand

Re: Wire harness repair/restoration

Post by Roger486 »

I've got to give credit where it is due! I will put this latest stuff into a pdf for people (especially myself) and post it... and wait eagerly for the rest!

My GT500 has been sitting un-touched for about 7 years (inside at least)... but I have got enthused to re-start the project.

I know that my wiring loom was a cot-case, and by luck I spotted what looks like a good one on eBay and picked it up at a good price. So now I have two, from which to make one good one.

I am tempted to lay out the best one on a board and make a new copy by laying new wires over it... and then re-selling the old one on eBay. What do you think? Is it a reasonable idea to try and manufacture a new one? Only problem would be that I would not be able to get the correct wire colours. It would also be made a bit tricky by me being colour blind! :oops:

Regards
Roger
Regards
Roger

"One slowly evolving GT500A"
Roger486
Around the block
Posts: 67
Joined: Wed Jun 15, 2011 7:52 pm
Location: Auckland, New Zealand

Re: Wire harness repair/restoration

Post by Roger486 »

Here is Part 1 of Suzsmokeyallan's thesis on restoring a wiring loom in printable form :mrgreen:
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Regards
Roger

"One slowly evolving GT500A"
User avatar
Joiseygirl
Yeah Man, the Interstate
Posts: 593
Joined: Mon Mar 22, 2010 4:33 pm
Location: Florida
Contact:

Re: Wire harness repair/restoration

Post by Joiseygirl »

Jeez.....they look spankin' new!
Post Reply