Basic Repair Techniques And Practices; Introduction - Honda VT750CD ACE Electrical Repair And Modification

Honda VT750CD ACE
3.0 Basic Repair Techniques and Practices
3.1 Introduction
One of the most important decisions you will have to make when attempting a repair to your bikes electrical
system or when making a modification is whether to use crimp-on connectors or whether to solder the wires.
Both have their good points and their bad ones.
We have all seen the new "reality" TV shows like American Chopper, where they make these $100,000 dream
machines that we would all love to own. On American Chopper, you see Vinnie wiring up a new machine and he
pulls the wires through the frame and makes all the connections with solder and seals them with shrink wrap.
This technique is very fast, very neat and very unobtrusive. Practically everyone I talk too seems to think this is
the "Proper" way to do wiring. It certainly is the nicest looking way.
However, strictly speaking, solder joints are not necessarily the best choice for wiring, especially on a
motorcycle. Now I am sure I just made 90% of the people who read this say "Bullshit!", but please hear me
out. Solder connections are a quick, easy, inexpensive and streamlined looking way of making a connection,
sure... But they suffer from one very big drawback; they are very susceptible to damage from vibration. Even
the best solder joint in the world will degrade and eventually crack under long-term and severe vibration loads.
Also, the area where the solder is applied becomes an area where no bending or flexing is possible. Any
movement in the wires near this joint can cause the solder joint to become brittle and crack, eventually
breaking off all together.
This is the reason why solder connections are not allowed as repairs, expect in very limited circumstances, in
almost all modern aircraft wiring. The rate of failures due to vibration, flexing and bad solder joints is
unacceptable to modern aviation safety regulators.
Instead, we use solderless connectors. Most people reading this will know these as those crimp-on connectors
with the color-coded plastic shells. Now, I know that using cheap Canadian Tire connectors, crimped on with an
equally cheap tool makes for a rather ugly connection and that's why so many people prefer to do a nice
soldering job instead. But believe me... using the proper connector with the proper tool, will result in a
connection that is stronger then the wires it is holding, while still being resistant to vibration stresses.
The biggest complaint about solderless connectors seems to be the fact that they are prone to build ups of
road grime and crap that cause the joint to corrode over time. In fact, this is mainly caused by using cheap
crimp tools. A proper tool will have two crimps for each color coded connector. One setting is to crimp the
metal, joining the wires and the connector. The other setting is to crimp the plastic outer sleeve creating a
reasonably weather proof seal. Many people don't even realize that you are supposed to crimp this sleeve as
well. There are also newer style connectors called "enviro-connectors" that have two pieces; a small metal
crimp for the main connection and a plastic slip on sleeve that is made of heat shrink material. You crimp the
metal piece then heat the plastic sleeve around it to create an air-tight and low profile connection that is rated
to last many, many years in the worst environments. Just for an example, these connectors are used on aircraft
in areas where weather and environment are a major consideration, like the landing gear wheel wells.
In this section, I will try to cover the basic techniques for both soldering and using crimp connectors. Chances
are, you will be using both techniques during the life of you motorcycle. Which style you use will be a personal
choice. I will also cover some basic maintenance practices and tips for keeping your bike's electrical system as
healthy as can be.
8 Electrical Repair and Modification