Wiring Harnes Replacement - Tips

[Grommett2k]

Getting ready to replace the wiring harness on my 06. Anyone tackled this and have any good tips, advice, issues found, etc??

Thanks

[adidasguy]

Duh - building a bike with a 2006 wiring harness right now - Phenix - in the 1993 frame.
Come over and I'll help you replace it. If anything is missing or damaged connectors, I have everything you'd need - wiring harness, handlebar controls, spare connectors, side stand switches, relays, etc.

What year harness did you buy? The 2001-2002 is one version. 2004-2005 is different and 2006+ is still different. Main difference is the handle bar controls connectors. I believe the rest is the same. Front turn signals might be different but that is easy to change. Oh, I think 2001-2002 has the old style carbs and dual timing pick-up.

1989-2000 harness will not work.

You have to remove the tank. Then the rest can go pretty fast. I'd guess 2 hours should do it.

[Grommett2k]

I bought one from another 06 on eBay. Thanks for the offer,  if I get hung up I will definitely drag the bike over to your cave. I was just wondering if anyone had run into issues while doing it, and how they overcame them. I finally got that Savage from my in-laws over to my place and in my garage. So I will be looking at picking up a lift in the next month or so. That will be a complete tear down project. Thing has been outside for at least 2 years.

[adidasguy]

06-06 will be no problem.
Take a few pictures as you take it out so you can remember how things were routed.

The biggest bundle is around the battery area. Start there. You have stuff to stick through and around all kinds of frame bits.
Then work backwards - as that is easy to do. Get the rear done and out of the way.
Then work forward, threading the harness around the frame and inside the front of the frame.

Lots of stuff connects at the right, front, under the tank. You can tape or zip-tie the ends of the control wires so they don't get un-threaded from the handlebars. All wires and connectors are color coded. There are a couple single barrel connectors - but wires are color coded so it should be easy.

Spray all connectors with a little De-Oxit or some other contact cleaner/lubricant. If you don't have any, baby oil or mineral oil will do in a pinch.

[Bluesmudge]

I'm just curious -- what happened that you have to replace the wiring harness?

[Grommett2k]

I'm just curious -- what happened that you have to replace the wiring harness?

Headlights were cutting out. Hit a bump..on, another bump off. I started wiggling wires and found the problem area on the right side of bike right under the tank...when I moved those wires they would come back on and off. I am 99.999% sure I know which connector block is bad. It had some corrosion in it, and when I cleaned it, all was good for a few months. Then they cut off again and no cleaning or anything on that block helped. Bulbs are good (I have Dominator Duals). So rather than chase wires, I found the complete harness on eBay.

[adidasguy]

Which end of the connector? Is it the hand control end or the harness end?
Or is it the bulb connector?
Might want to replace the hand control, too. Probably have one.
Have bulb connectors. If that is it, we can splice on a new one.

OK, re-read it. Hand control connector under the tank.