A looming Question

The Commando 1968 one is wrong within the harness, on others it's just the diagram but by the time you have figured that out you may have fried a component plus hours trying to figure it out. The question is where are they made, marketed by Wassell who have a licence to use the Lucas name and will source from far east.

To ensure the harness is UK made I buy from TMS Motorcycles who are the distributor for Autosparks, a UK based harness maker. Never had an issue and used a few, bought first one in the 80's and still have the bike and never had an electrical issue. Used silicone grease on all connections.

For my 1972 Fastback I bought a "Lucas" loom from Andover Norton, and broadly speaking this was a satisfactory experience.

Physically it was fine, bar some not-quite-successful crimping of one or two bullets. I'd very strongly recommend acquiring a proper crimping tool from the likes of Vehicle Wiring Products or Auto Electrical Supplies before embarking on a re-wiring project.

Importantly, the various wires were the right length and joined the loom at the right places, and the diagram supplied was helpful (but see below).

The question of wiring colours is a bit vexed, as nearly all sources (including the diagram that came with my loom) appear to contain at least some mistakes — or to put it less strongly, may not agree either with other sources or the objects in one's hand.

Someone embarking on a re-wiring project would be well-advised to consult Grant Tiller's fantastically comprehensive on-line collection of very clear diagrams for a variety of standard and non-standard set-ups (https://granttiller.com). Grant's site includes documented corrections for a number of other published diagrams.

Just go to Al Osborn of AO Services, get one of his very comprehensive kits. I did and with my limited electrical knowledge made a decent job of it

Yes I supply a wiring kit. The idea being that if any electrical part is moved or changed then the 'standard' loom becomes an issue making it work. The LUCAS name is used for parts made under licence so the term Genuine Lucas is a lie when attributed to new parts. Lucas as a name is used under licence by Wassell and is stuck on parts made in the far East. Wassell do not have any technical advice department/persons for any of their products as far as I understand.

As for colours of wires and their meanings most of the wiring and diagrams for Commandos I have seen have agreed with one another, and this colour scheme is the British Standard for all Vehicles from the early 1960s. I have the list if any one is stuck but searching on the web for Risks/Lucas wiring colours should bring it up. On early Commandos there is only about 10 anyway.

That 'Lucas' loom looks like its cloth covered and if its like the cloth covered loom that i had to deal with on a customers Mk3 it will be a real pain to fit to the bike. Very stiff to get to fit around the frame amongst other problems. The owner had fitted this loom and kinked the oil tank breather hose which then caused the engine to pop the crankshaft oil seal! The ends of the cloth covering are superglued to stop it unravelling. Eventually i stripped all the cloth covering off to enable me to get the wires in the right place and then retaped the loom with the proper non adhesive tape.

Alan Osborn supplied me with a kit when i made the loom up on my mk3, if going down this route ask Al to supply the wire a couple of feet longer, makes it a tad easier.

I bought one from Norvil for my alternator Dommie and I am very pleased with it, especially with it being cloth covered. The wiring diagram has the wiring colours and has switch terminal numbers, so easy compared to using the grubby Haynes schematic!

The crimping tool sold by the likes of Vehicle Wiring Products and Auto Electrical Supplies, will impart a 2-sided crimp to the bullet connectors. This may be sufficient, has anyone got any comments?

Does anyone know where to buy a crimp tool that will give a 6-sided crimp? Holden Vintage Classics produced a video (YouTube) where the chap uses a "professional" 6-sided crimp tool but unfortunately they no longer sell these.

I like the idea of making my own wiring loom but feel that a really decent crimping tool is an essential part of the process.

Hi,

For ‘Hex’ crimps, Google can be your friend. I typed in “hexagon bullet connector crimp tool” and lots come up, many with ‘Triumph BSA Norton MG’ as an additional descriptor. Be prepared to have deep pockets for a good tool.

Me? Being a maverick, I make all my looms to suit what I want, and use a lot of waterproof ‘multipin’ connectors on the bike. My Morini loom is now 26 years/30,000 miles old and still fault free (more than could be said for Mr Lucas's Italian cousin's products) The pins in the multipin connectors require a ‘W’ crimp where part of the connector is folded over and pushed into the wires. A secondary foldover grips the insulation/ waterproofing grommet.

I haven’t suffered electrical malfunctions on my Morini's and Norton, whatever the weather using these.

(Cue electrical maladies all summer long now!)

Where I have to use bullets or spade terminals, I use ones that fix to the wires in the same way so I only need the one tool to fix them. VWP also sell the bullets at a 4.7mm size to suit British bike looms.

See attached pics for examples of these.

Vehicle Wiring Products? Not the cheapest, but I have found them good to deal with over the last 30 odd years and are my ‘go to’ shop for electrical sundries.

Regards,

George.

I bought one for a 61 Dommie and I am very pleased with it. There was one colour error on the wiring diagram, which is a pity because otherwise the diagram is great. One of the wires to the rectifier is shown brown/blue, but it should be purple/brown.

I solder my bullets and spades on. 'Twere good enough for my father, aye an 'is father afore 'im.

It sems to be hard to find female spade connectors of the original gauge. They just don't grip. 

I've just bought a six sided bullet crimp tool c/w 3 sizes of bullet (for different size cables) from Autosparks. £50 or thereabouts. Works well.

I presume this one...

https://www.autosparks.co.uk/electrical-components/wiring-tools/ratchet-hexagon-crimping-tool

Steve, if you like to get in touch (aoservices.co.uk)  I can possible help you with your lack of 'grip' There is quite a few variations with Luca's (common term spades) sizes. widths, depths etc. Same with bulletts, just have keep trying.