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DIY Wire harness?


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Only challenge is getting it wrapped in cloth, if you are originality obsessed.   Not important if you have a post 59 car that had pvc taped loom, which you can do yourself.

Cables of the correct colour codes and gauges may be bought to follow the original wiring loom pattern/diagram.

My boss, when I was an apprentice made a loom for his Aerominx using aircraft cable, which is all the same colour, and numbered the ends of each to identify.  He wrapped the loom in nylon spiral wrap, also out of our aircraft stores 

 

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10 hours ago, BlueTR3A-5EKT said:

Only challenge is getting it wrapped in cloth, if you are originality obsessed.   Not important if you have a post 59 car that had pvc taped loom, which you can do yourself.

Cables of the correct colour codes and gauges may be bought to follow the original wiring loom pattern/diagram.

My boss, when I was an apprentice made a loom for his Aerominx using aircraft cable, which is all the same colour, and numbered the ends of each to identify.  He wrapped the loom in nylon spiral wrap, also out of our aircraft stores 

 

Hi Pete,

the aircraft stores had a lot to answer for    :)

 

Roger

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10 hours ago, BlueTR3A-5EKT said:

Only challenge is getting it wrapped in cloth, if you are originality obsessed

You can buy cloth tape - wrapping with it is no harder than using PVC.  

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14 hours ago, Chris Adams said:

Maybe a stupid question but a new cloth wrapped wiring harness from Moss is $419.  How difficult would it be to make one, seems like to would be completely feasible for about 25% of the cost. . .

If thats for your 3B then its not a cloth covered one anyway, PVC coated is much cheaper  TRF have the PVC covered at $329.00 in their sale.

Stuart.

Edited by stuart
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Although you can get the various colours of the wire needed, as already mentioned, the problem I found was knowing how much of each colour to buy. It’s a bit pricey to end up with too much and it’s a hassle to have to keep going back for more. It’s nice to have multi coloured wires as original, but I made my own loom using a combination of red, white and black that I had hanging about.

If you have the old loom you could strip it and measure the lengths of each colour then add one extra meter to be on the safe side.

If you do it yourself DO NOT wrap it in PVC adhesive insulating tape. It will get warm in the engine bay and start to ooze the sticky stuff within a year.

I used cloth based insulating tape, or you can use non-adhesive PVC tape.

Charlie.

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The correct Loom tape is readily available https://www.autosparks.co.uk/electrical-components/tapes/black-pvc-harness-tapeand then finish it at each junction with self amalgamating tape. https://www.autosparks.co.uk/electrical-components/tapes/self-amalgamating-tape

Stuart.

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Not used loom tape which sounds great but confirm through bitter experience not to use plastic insulation tape, it will unwind and slide about. Self-amalgamating "GPO" tape I used is just as bad if it gets close to any oil or petrol. 

If you copy the old loom be aware that the wire strand sizes have since changed from Imperial to Metric and you need to look up the modern equivalent. I put a table in TR Action a while back but it got mangled during print layout, half of it appeared in a later edition!  If you need a conversion table for Lucas standard cables (as used for all TRs) mail me and I will send it.

While you are about it then it's a great opportunity to add any new cables for modern toys and tidy up unused wiring post alternator conversion or to add additional fuses for rad fans etc.

If doing it again, I'd uncomplicate the two connection areas between the main and front harness. Perhaps replacing the Lucas connectors with a decent multi-way automotive plug & skt.

Mike

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12 hours ago, mikej said:

Not used loom tape which sounds great but confirm through bitter experience not to use plastic insulation tape, it will unwind and slide about. Self-amalgamating "GPO" tape I used is just as bad if it gets close to any oil or petrol. 

If you copy the old loom be aware that the wire strand sizes have since changed from Imperial to Metric and you need to look up the modern equivalent. I put a table in TR Action a while back but it got mangled during print layout, half of it appeared in a later edition!  If you need a conversion table for Lucas standard cables (as used for all TRs) mail me and I will send it.

While you are about it then it's a great opportunity to add any new cables for modern toys and tidy up unused wiring post alternator conversion or to add additional fuses for rad fans etc.

If doing it again, I'd uncomplicate the two connection areas between the main and front harness. Perhaps replacing the Lucas connectors with a decent multi-way automotive plug & skt.

Mike

Dear Mike,

If you do send me the technical drawing I shall gladly include it in the growing technical archive, built on the expertise and creativity of people like you. If we have it available there, everyone can find it easily when they need it.

Kindest regards,

  David

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Hello Chris, To get back to your original question. Its not hard I did mine about 30 years ago and has not presented a problem. I seem to remember it took a week end to do. Making your own loom allows for the addition of relays for the lights and ignition, and most important of all the addition of an earth wire through the loom.

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