Getting connected

Fix bust connectors and worn wires with ease and speed

1 Choose your method

A broken wire can be soldered or crimped – and the method you use depends on where the repair is and the tools you have to hand. Most looms are crimped as standard and if done properly the joint will be weatherproof and able to withstand temperature variations and vibration. Always go for the same type of connectors as used on the original loom.

2 Cause and effect

A broken wire can go unnoticed if it relates to something minor, such as a daytime riding lamp. Whereas other times a broken connection could leave you stranded at the roadside. Often, a loose or badly repaired connection can kick up an intermittent fault, as we found with this connection to a coolant temperature sensor which resulted in inconsistent readings.

3 Push and pull

This type of connector is relatively common and easy to repair. First, disconnect the battery or remove the component with the broken connector from the bike. Next, remove the wires from the pins inside the connector then insert the tip of a precision screwdriver into the connector and push down on the barbs holding the wire in place and pull each wire free.

4 Strip back ends

With the pins removed, make a decision on whether the wire has enough length to allow you to trim off the damaged end, or whether you need to renew it. Prepare the ends by stripping the insulation with wire strippers. You only need to remove enough to fit into the new pins, bearing in mind that part of the pin crimps round the last few millimetres of insulation.

5 Crimp the connector

Select a connector pin then insert the stripped wire into the section to be crimped. Crimp the connector with one smooth movement of the pliers. Crimping pliers which have a levered and ratchet action will give a superior crimp, more so than the cheap basic ones, and will ensure that the joint is well sealed.

6 Colour matched

Before you insert the pins into the connector check that the colour coding for each wire is correct. The colours need to be referenced against what they are plugging into. The example shown here is straightforward – red to red and black to black – but connectors with multiple pins require more care.

7 A simple solder

An inline repair of a single wire can be made using a self-soldering connector. This type of repair is probably not suited to an area of the loom that is subject to movement. These connectors are easy to prepare by simply stripping back the ends of each wire’s insulation and inserting them either side of the connector.

8 Wrap before you shrink

Self-soldering connectors claim to be waterproof as they have a glue that is released at either end when the connector is heated. But you can add protection by introducing a length of heatshrink sleeving over the top. Do this before you solder the connection, and make sure it is far enough away from the heat source.

9 Shrink to fit

Use a heat gun to activate the connector. As the connector heats up you will see the solder start to flow and the small beads of glue start to run. Stop the heat after a second or two and wait for the joint to cool. Slide the heat shrink over and then warm it up until it grips tightly around the connector and wire.

10 Clip, jiggle and test

Refit the component if you removed it and reconnect the battery to check the repair. In the case of this temperature gauge repair, all that is needed is to run the bike up to temperature then jiggle the wire around to check the intermittent fault has been cured. Do a final check to make sure the repair hasn’t disrupted any routing.