Technical: Wire and Cable Routing
Jim Garrett, Stan Diener, Dave Hennessey

1952-1956 K & KH
1957-1958 Sportster XL & XLH

This Article is under Active Development
Please check back in a few days

Now we go into areas the Harley documentation doesn't provide - some pesky little details, and just how the cables are routed. Thank you to Jim Garrett and Stan Diener who provided most of the expertise and photos for this article.

Harley's wiring diagrams do NOT show us how to wire the Headlight High-Low (“dimmer”) switch. When the switch is toward the rider, the headlight should be on Low beam. Flick the switch forward, towards the road ahead, for high beam. Here are two views of how to make it so. Check the de-soldering tools further down this page.

Headlight High-Low Switch

Headlight High-Low Switch

WIRING
Red w/black tracer	Headlight High-Low switch -to- Light Switch terminal #1
Black w/red tracer	Headlight High-Low switch -to- Terminal plate terminal #21
Red w/yellow tracer	Headlight High-Low switch -to- Terminal plate terminal #22
Black w/white tracer -or- Black	Horn switch button -to- Terminal plate terminal #25
Green (1954-1958)	Horn switch base -to- Right rear fork boot support screw

ROUTING
All wiring is behind the fork panel covers

WIRING
Red	Light switch terminal #2 -to- Voltage Regulator “BAT” terminal
Black	Terminal plate terminal #8 -to- Voltage Regulator “GEN” terminal
Green	Terminal plate terminal #7 -to- Oil Signal Light Switch

Confusing! Terminal plate terminal #7 has a black wire and a green wire. Terminal plate terminal #8 has a green wire and a black wire. We don't know why. But it's correct.

ROUTING
All wiring...

Top End of Cable B and Cable Clip	Another View of Cable Clip
Cable B Descending	Another View of Cable Clip

The Neck Spring Clip holds Cable B on the left side of the bike, and Cables C and D on the right side. It is a Harley #9977 Type III. Harley changed the design of this clip several times over the years. “Type III” is Bruce Palmer's designation. Colony sells a reproduction under their Part Number 2546-1.

The Downtube Spring Clip is used in three places - one to hold Cable B, one to hold the speedometer cable, and one to hold Cable D. It is Harley #9979. Colony sells them under their Part Number 2450-1. For some reasonThis does not appear to

The Necessary Clips

The Ground (to headlight shell) wire is Black. There are two small holes in the bottom of the bottom of the headlight bucket. The hole closest to the rim is a water drain. The Black wire is riveted to the other hole.

Headlight Connector

Headlight

The Parts Catalog illustration is missing part of the tan wire, and the 3-way connector. The terminals on the tan wires aren't quite right. The photo of a reproduction cable shows the correct tan wiring. The Black w/yellow tracer wire changed in 1954 to Black - this is minorly confusing with the black headlight wire.

Headlight Connector

Headlight

WIRING
Tan	Ignition switch terminal #3
Black w/red tracer	Terminal plate terminal #21
Red w/yellow tracer	Terminal plate terminal #22
Black -or- Black w/yellow tracer	Terminal plate terminal #7
Green	Terminal plate terminal #8

Confusing! Terminal plate terminal #7 has a black wire and a green wire. Terminal plate terminal #8 has a green wire and a black wire. We don't know why. But it's correct.

ROUTING
All wiring is behind the fork panel covers

De-Soldering Tools

Here are two tools that might make your de-soldering jobs easier. Solder-Wick, put the end of the solder-wick on the item you want to remove solder from, and put your soldering iron on the wick. Once the solder melts, the wick will absorb it. Trim off the used wick, and repeat as necessary. A Solder Sucker, politely known as a “de-soldering pump”. Cock the sucker, place sucker tip next to solder, melt solder, press the sucker release button. It sucks!

 

Solder Wick and Solder Sucker

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