My Switch Solution

[Jesus Joe]

I decided to rewire this Ridgeback. I'm a cheap bastard, so I couldn't swallow the 700-900 bucks for the replacement EHC stuff. Plus the wait for them is an eternity!!!! The alternative was to change out the controls, change bars, or chop and weld and rechrome. Too major of a surgery and too expensive. I decided to get rid of the ground command wiring AND save the controls. That stuff may work in computers and airplanes, but I am wiring this with the chassis as a ground as God intended. Probably been done before....but this is how I did it.

I cut a .250 thick aluminum plate to the shape of the face of the controls. I had Gary's Speed Shop machine out the front of the housings, and weld on the plate with really high beads to allow me to grind them down. I drilled for new switches and started shaping with 36 grit to 180 to 220 to 400 and up. I stamped 'em and polished 'em and put in new switches. The added thickness to the front of the housing gives plenty of room for connections on the back of the switches, so they won't rub on the handlebar.

I am finishing the wiring up today. I just thought I would share my solution to the Achilles Heel of these bikes. Thanks!!!

 

[Thors]

Awesome job on those controls! Someone with a machine shop should take notice and start cranking these out.

Really great idea. :2thumbs: Put up some pics when you get everything back together.

 

[Brew]

Interesting concept! Post pics when you have them installed and let us know how well they work... :2thumbs:

 

[DRBarnhart]

Well done JJ! These controls look like a great solution to get rid of the crazy expensive control PCBs and allow the use of better switches and wiring!!!! :2thumbs:

Dennis

PS Are you seeing this Raywood? Looks like a great new product for Wild Steed Worx...

 

[Jesus Joe]

Thanks....... They are far from perfect, but will look just fine on the bike, its a flat black with pinstripes, so anything with a polish on it stands out.

Don't get me wrong.....there is alot time behind the belt sander and the polisher on these. And there is more than a few hours on the rewire. But.....the bike maintains its stock good looking controls, and I am it less than $200.

Confession: I am using a harness, and relay/fuse box that was made for BMC 918's. I got a few when they went out of business, so it is making the rewire pretty simple, and it will have a wiring diagram if somebody else works on it.

 

[Tim]

Those are insane! Love them and want a set.

Do you have any pictures prior to and right after welding???

 

[Jesus Joe]

Those are insane! Love them and want a set.

Duo you have any pictures prior to and right after welding???

Yes....I have pics right after.....but they are on my other camera. I will have to post them after Monday. I didn't take one after they were machined, but I can take one from the backside just before I put them on. You should be able to see how much was cut out. Basically all the way to the inside edge of the housing.

 

[Jesus Joe]

Pics of each from the back

 

[mark whitrock]

Nice work!

 

[Tim]

Yes....I have pics right after.....but they are on my other camera. I will have to post them after Monday. I didn't take one after they were machined, but I can take one from the backside just before I put them on. You should be able to see how much was cut out. Basically all the way to the inside edge of the housing.

That would be awesome Joe, looking forward to the pics.

Sent from my AT100 using Tapatalk 2

 

[RADAMS445]

It's about time someone stepped up to the plate and hit it out of the park!! Engineering is just a frame of mind. Who said necessity is the mother of invention? Nice job.:2thumbs:

 

[Jesus Joe]

If somebody is going to do some inventing....I would like to place an order:

I want some soldering wire that changes color right before it gets to temperature.

Somebody needs to invent some electrical butt connectors that work like Klecos do for sheet metal. Temporary connectors that you can use over and over, or hit them with heat to melt a solder plug down inside to set it....and forget it!

I want a soldering iron that you can clamp the wires in and it makes mold around it. Heat it up and all you have to do is feed the solder through the hole is the top, let it cool and it makes a perfect cylinder shape everytime.

That's 3 wishes....I guess I need to go find another Genie.

 

[V]

Good work Joe!

 

[Jesus Joe]

Okay...3 more wishes before I go to bed:

Can they make the opposite end of the Sharpie markers flavored? Seems I'm always walking around with one in my mouth....be nice if they were flavored. Maybe beer flavor, or better yet a glittered one that tastes like a stripper named "Cinnamon".

Can't they make shrink tubing that would get bigger if you blew some compressed air over it. Seems like I can never get the 1/8 inch shrink tube over the 18-24 guage solderless butt connectors without some type of divine intervention. It would be nice if you could loosen them up to slide them over, and then heat them to shrink them down.

Speaking of solder: Can't they make solder that doesn't give off fumes that smell like incense burning at some Tibetan Monk ceremony? Maybe a tire burning scent....or Nitromethane exhaust from a dragster. Or better yet, really strong perfume from a stripper named "Cinnamon"

Night-Night

 

[RCAdd1ct]

If somebody is going to do some inventing....I would like to place an order:

I want some soldering wire that changes color right before it gets to temperature.

Somebody needs to invent some electrical butt connectors that work like Klecos do for sheet metal. Temporary connectors that you can use over and over, or hit them with heat to melt a solder plug down inside to set it....and forget it!

I want a soldering iron that you can clamp the wires in and it makes mold around it. Heat it up and all you have to do is feed the solder through the hole is the top, let it cool and it makes a perfect cylinder shape everytime.

That's 3 wishes....I guess I need to go find another Genie.

Not totally like klecos but....

Posi-Lock(R) - The Best Connectors You'll Ever Use!

 

[alphadog]

Great job on that Jesus Joe. Put a patent on it before someone steals it!!! Especially the scent of the stripper "Cinnamon"!!!

 

[DemonK9]

Killer job, great detail and info sir!

 

[Jwooky]

Very nice. I had this in mind too.

I was thinking of just using four chrome domes buttons.

I don't really need a kill switch and would relocate or eliminate high beam.

 

[Jesus Joe]

I got the left one wired up today. Rest of the bike is wired...just the right control at the bar, and the ends to the harness to go.

Word of caution: careful if you use header wrap!!!

I couldn't find my squirt bottle with water in it...so I decided to wrap the 2 into 1 header last night dry. I noticed as I was doing it that glass dust was in the air, but didn't think anything of it. I started hacking about 2am, and haven't felt right all day. Make sure you wet that wrap to keep from inhaling the fiberglass...take my word for it. Plus it comes out better when its wet, it pulls tighter, and forms around the courves better.

 

[RCAdd1ct]

I wrapped mine dry, but I wore a mask, gloves and a long sleeved shirt.