I'm getting to the point on the F-Dat project where I need to start extending wires.
The donor harness is from the motorcycle that donated it's engine - a cbr600. I'm planning to use almost all of the stock ancillaries, cluster, handlebar switches, etc, but they all need about 2 or 3 extra feet of wire in them to make it up to the dash. So a pretty simple process, just do one wire at a time, take my time, no big deal. But then I got to thinking, should I add wire on the harness side of each connector? or on the ancillary side? why?
I'm thinking it's less likely that I need to replace the main harness than it is that I need to replace something like the starter switch, and it would be really nice to be able to just buy another starter switch and unplug and plug in another stock part. This would mean I modify the harness side and leave the ancillary side stock. Any reason not to do it this way?
Also, planning to use crimp connectors, and going to try to stagger them out so I don't have a huge fat wad of crimps.
Couple of things...
1st) I hate crimp connectors.
2) buy 2 new plugs and make an extension harness so you never need to worry about either side needing replacement and needing to do the work again.
In reply to wvumtnbkr :
Why do you hate crimp connectors? I did consider building stub harnesses like you say but I have no idea how to get duplicate connectors without buying another harness and more ancillaries?
I'd second the vote to make a extension pigtail.
Determining what connectors the factory used is the hardest part of this for sure. If you can determine what you have, finding a place that sells small quantities is the next hurdle.
Failing there, I'd splice extensions into the ancillary side. Components should be replaceable without any impact on the harness, or at the worst case another splice. Properly made connections are nothing to worry about.
Crimps can be great if done properly. The red, yellow, and blue vinyl coated ones are one step up from twisting them together and using duct tape, but a proper non-insulated "stay-kon" with a dab of solder and shrink tube is perfectly transparent and totally acceptable. In fact, if you're using tinned copper stranded wire, chances are that connection has less resistance than the rest of the wire.
I think that sourcing the connectors and making a pigtail is perfectly viable, but it adds 3 additional connections per conductor; wire to pin, pin to pin, and pin back to wire. The "real" way to do it would be to source more pins and construct new wires to go in the connectors that are long enough to reach, but that is overkill.
non-insulated crimps, solder, shrink wrap. Extend what you need and don't stress.
