Swingarm removal, cut the wiring harness?

[Moespeeds]

Tonight I took off my swingarm, and realized that the wiring harness runs behind the swingarm pivot. Since I couldn't see a way to remove the pivot without removing one of the bearings pressed into the swingarm, does this mean that whenever you have to pull the swingarm, you have to disconnect or cut the harness? This seemed ridiculous to me, but after staring at it for 20 min I couldn't see any other way? I tried to get the pivot axle out, it just won't come out of there, or make enough clearance to slip the harness around it, even after spinning down the adjuster there is barely 1/4". I'm ditching my stock harness anyway so I just cut it, but there had to be a better way? Sorry I didn't get pics, I was too greasy to pick up the camera!

 

[LDO]

Moe,
are you talking about the harness for the brake / tail lights? If so, there is a plug disconnect under your seat. Or, at least, there SHOULD be.

 

[Raywood]

Moe, on both my 03 and my 05 the rear lights and tag light went up around the swingarm axle up under the seat behind the battery and to a dis-connect. This allows you to pull the struts and remove the fender struts and lights in one unit.

Don't remember on my 03 but the 05 has a bolt on each side of the swingarm axle. You remove them then the swingarm drops out.

 

[LDO]

Moe,
I believe the tag light wiring does run thru a metal tube welded to the swingarm (on my 03 Mastiff). If yours is the same, you will have to de-pin and pull those wires out of the plug under the seat and pull them out of the tube. Unless, of course, you are taking everything off as one complete unit (struts, fender & swingarm together).

Your swingarm axle should also have a bolt on each end like Ray mentioned.

 

[Vegas]

They nailed it....big dog pins are really easy. All you need is a pocket screw driver or pick. Just be gentle and make sure to bend the tab back up before re install.

 

[Moespeeds]

No guys, I'm talking about the main harness, every wire coming from the front of the bike, bars, speedo, ignition, coil, every wire going into the EHC was looped over the top and back under my pivot axle. The bundle was 5/8" thick! The pivot axle itself does not seem to be removable, you have the pivot bolts on either side that come out, but the axle seems like it's installed before the HEIM bearings are pressed into the swingarm. It won't come out!

Sorry about the poor pic quality, but you can see the harness hanging at the bottom, I just cut it since I'm trashing it anyway, but that was run from the EHC, over the top of my pivot axle, then back under towards the front of the bike.

 

[Raywood]

Can't tell from your pic but couldn't you just unplug the harness from the EHC then route it under and back up around your axle?

Your axle should drop right out of there. Play with it a bit and it should drop out.

 

[Moespeeds]

I'm left side drive so The swingarm is offset to the right and the pivot axle is recessed into that offset. No matter how I twist and angle it, it won't come out. It seems to me like it should! I'll fool with it some more tommorrow.

 

[alhall88]

Moe I have a left side drive as well and I can't see the issue? The wires that come from the hand controls and such go the main EHC plug that plug directly to the top of the EHC come from the back bone harness. Then on the 04 models there is 5 other leads that run down to solenoid,horn,temp sensor etc. Here is a couple pics, that maybe you could tell better.

 

[Moespeeds]

That's it right there Al. Your main harness is in front of your pivot. Mine was routed behind!

 

[alhall88]

But Moe even so, if you were to unplug all the wires that came from the EHC there would only be 1 wire left in that bundle which is the feed from the voltage regulator that goes to the circuit breaker. The reason I know this is because I just removed my EHC and that was the only wire left to deal with and that just unscrews from one side of the breaker.

 

[MARV]

my 05 pivot axle is adjustable. has a threaded sleeve that extends to the swingarm bearings. then the axle bolts thread into each end of that.

sounds like yours is different.

 

[Moespeeds]

No, Mine is adjustable Marv, there just isn't enough adjustment to cock it enough to get it out! I must be missing something, there is no way it can be this complicated! I'm going to fool with it some more tonight.

 

[Moespeeds]

Ok, here is a video. Here I have the adjuster spun all the way down.

 

[MARV]

Moe, from the back of the bike looking down at the right side of the swingarm, the "knob" to the right of the swingarm bushing is threaded on my bike. its an adjustable spacer to take up any space to the frame.

 

[alhall88]

Yep Marv's right you'll even notice that it has 2 small flats on it for a wrench.

 

[Moespeeds]

"Ok, here is a video. Here I have the adjuster spun all the way down."

It's still not giving me enough room!

 

[Gas Man]

This piece is what they are talking about...

You can see if on the right side of the bike (left on the pic) between the swingarm and frame plates. The belt is just in front of it.

 

[Moespeeds]

Jeez I must be brain dead. My axle has no flats on it, and there is no more adjustment left in the adjuster, but after I wiped all the grease off the swingarm I noticed there are clips holding the bushings in on either end. Oops.