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Grounding Harness

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Brodie

Darksider #16 - and Proud of it !
Joined
Sep 17, 2006
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Location
--- Milpitas, CA --- San Jose Bay Area
Gentlemen, Ladies



As of 1 January 2012 I have decided to get out of the Grounding Harness business. Yamaha has a current recall for this problem that will protect that nasty S4 spider, although the S6 and S7, which have also given us grief, remains unprotected. If your bike is a victim of the dreaded spider bite, take it directly to your Yamaha dealer and take advantage of the recall - it will cost you nothing.

If after you have the recall performed to your bike and you desire to go beyond Yamaha's solution, there is someone who can help you out. FJRForum member Art Cooper "road runner" has an excellent series of harnesses that will essentially do the same thing that my Grounding Harness did. His fix is to add a line from the various pigtail connectors of the high amp devices to an engine bolt. The net effect is to bleed off some of the current traveling across these "spider" connections and redirect it to the frame which is bonded to the battery with the ground strap. I have no problem recommending his solution going forward, he does excellent work. Check it out...

Ground Spider overload harnesses takes the high load away from spiders

I'm sure Art will be happy to take care of your needs.



As for my friends who purchased my Grounding Harness throughout the past 2 years, thank you very much, Please do me a favor and support your favorite tire manufactures and get out and ride.
yahoo.gif


smile.gif


Brodie



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Here it is...

My answer to the melting grounding shunt issue that has been plaguing the owners of Yamaha's second generation FJR 1300…

IMG_1905_2.jpg


In contrast, here is Yamaha's Recall ground harness...

IMG_2515.jpg


Please notice the Recall ground harness only provides an alternate electrical path for 1 pin in 1 spider to a large connector further up stream. . My Grounding Harness connects up to all 36 pins and provides a direct path to battery negative terminal.

For those of you who don't have the time to read the dozens of pages on this subject , here is the condensed version of the issue…

Yamaha upped the alternator output on the 2nd gen. bikes in 2006. They also introduced a new method of tying all the black (return) wires together on the way back to the battery negative terminal. They used a 6 pin Sumitomo MT connector that is open to the environment. When the bike is new all the connections are fresh and have minimal resistance to the current flowing through them.

In order to keep cost down they engineered the smallest gage wires to do the job. The largest wire that the connector is rated at is 1.0 mm2 (16 gage). My opinion is that the wire is large enough to work, but the connectors are the weak link. As the bike ages the pins oxidize thereby adding more resistance to the current. When this resistance builds it causes heat. With heat brings more resistance, and so on. Left unchecked, this is a recipe for a classic thermal runaway condition (see picture below). If all they had to do was handle 1 or 2 components, there would be no issue. However, these spyders are connected in series; the ones closest to the battery channels all the current on 1 skinny pin. It's typically that one, and the next one upstream from it on the fairing sub-harness that have a history of failure. My Grounding Harness takes the place of the forked shorting bars (aka ground spyders). It provides a second path of 10 gauge (thick) copper wire back to battery negative terminal for all 6 grounding shunts on the bike's wiring harness. Thats 6 groups of 6 wires attached to the 10 gage wire. The whole idea is to keep this from happening...

Burnt-1.jpg


Several weeks back I built my first "proof of concept" Grounding Harness on my '06 AE model FJR. Prototype Grounding Harness Since then I built and installed 3 more, one on Don Carver's '06A, one on Roy Epperson's '07A, and one on my buddy Brian's 08A. All went in smoothly and have no reports of ground loop issues. The radio reception on my bike has not been impacted. What's involved is removal of the fuel tank, T bar, and heat shield. Removal of all 4 dash panels. Removal of the left side cover (by your ankle), and removal of the left inner fairing panel (behind the turn signal, next to the radiator/horn). Then you locate and remove the 6 grounding spyders (the ones with the all black wires) and attach my harness to them. My harness also attaches to the battery negative terminal. The other 2 spyders are serviced with dielectric grease (provided) reassembeled and tucked out of harm's way. It's not a difficult job if you are handy with some basic tools. The job will take about 2 hours if you keep at it. The 2 "Spider Nests" above the headlight sockets are the trickiest to get to. I am providing instructions on my personal website on how to install it. I am tooled up and am in production now. As of today I have 18 Grounding Harnesses ready to ship. My price is $90.00 plus shipping - UPS Ground, unless otherwise specified. This following is the waiting list gleaned from my Prototype Grounding Harness thread. I will send PM's to each in order as Grounding Harnesses become available. This PM will direct you to my personal website where you will make the PayPal transaction. VERY IMPORTANT... Please include your FJRForum name in the comment area on the PayPal order page. I need to keep this list up to date.

As of 12/05/2011

Installed Brodie

Sent FJR Flyer

Sent Joe2Lmaker

Installed dcarver

Installed Roy Epperson

Installed FJRONAMISSION

Sent JetDoc

Sent petey

Sent FJR919

Sent OK Red

Sent Larry33319

Sent AuburnFJR

Sent WRichStrom

Sent nwrider1

Sent johnny80s

PM Sent majicmaker Deferred until later

Sent steve

Sent Good2Go

Sent turbodave 98

Sent doug5551

PM Sent mr.paul Deferred until later

Sent Nosecone

PM Sent clubber On hold until later

Sent FJRRider08

Sent ahchiu

Sent blackarrow

PM Sent Mikeysduck Deferred until later

Sent Cavy

Sent Beacher

Sent Panman

Sent Alex

Sent Carl Stark, IBA #339

Sent ShinyPartsUp

Sent Beamer Reamer

Sent Dragonchef

Sent Boostn

Sent BwanaDik

Sent Hudson

Sent Rushes

Sent phroenips - 1st one

Sent phroenips - 2nd one

Sent rfulcher

Sent recreate

Sent Topspeed

Sent Wes Nile

Sent Greb

Sent 1stFJR

Sent reddog

Sent canucklehead-biker

Sent Ian Stephens

Sent HaulinAshe - 1st one

PM Sent HaulinAshe - 2nd one Deferred until later

Sent HJHFJR

Sent BILL

Sent bikesniffer

Sent GL4435

Sent fossil

Sent William42

Sent 1911

Sent Diavalos

PM Sent Jeff Q Deferred until later

Installed Yamalude

Sent Hayduke

PM Sent mdisher Deferred until later

Sent CRMH Eagle

Installed Old Michael

Decided not to buy TheZsdad

Sent c-zulu

Sent Solo

Sent spinblue

Sent RavFJR

Decided not to buy VanHarlan

Sent shiloh

PM Sent skifrik Deferred until later

Sent Bigbeavk

Sent rockmurf

Sent HelzBelz

Sent jpcfjr

Sent Donal

Sent Yzerman19

Decided not to buy noire

Decided not to buy ridgerunner88

Sent yamafitter

Sent Jogle

PM Sent wpbfjr from FJR Riders Forum Deferred until later

PM Sent Powerman Deferred until later

Sent 08FJRSteve

Sent gsozz

Sent Painman

Sent Rudy

Sent tesla

Installed showstopper

Sent Designer

Sent GillaFunk

Installed feeger

Installed art miller

Sent jkirk

Sent Cosman

Sent Silverdog

Sent Joey78XS on FJROwners Forum

Sent Peter Murray

Sent Motorcycledoc

Sent no1passesme

Sent shakin

Sent fjr183

Sent FastJoyRide

Sent Noland

Sent Owen

Decided not to buy leftfield123

Sent Shakey

Sent zed88

Sent Daniel Pierson - off Forum

PM Sent Richouse Deferred until later

Sent Change

Sent twizted1

Sent Polarize

Sent Dirtmonkey8

Sent mr7q

Sent EDubya

Sent Hawkerplt

Sent dreamweaver

PM Sent sin_loki Deferred until later

Sent Flybum

Sent Drew

Sent war eagle

Sent Palerider

Sent Altaflyer

PM Sent KenR Deferred until later

Sent pawfeejer

Sent FJRChris

Sent TriggerT

Sent Deacon06

Sent Raymond Thomas - off forum

PM Sent CaptianBanana Deferred until later

PM Sent YZF505 Deferred until later

Sent tel

PM Sent RickyRey Deferred until later

Sent Silent

Sent brap

Sent Karmak

Sent twistedcricket

Sent COLDCUT

Sent wil780

Sent shiney side up

Sent CraigRegs

Sent Gmann

Sent backfill

Sent ARFJR

Sent Janet

Sent DaveInMn

Sent Wesley Comstock - off Forum

Installed Moto

Sent spoilsport

Installed Santa Fe Dreamin

Delivered Slappy

Delivered Cibrd0wn

Sent jgreen

Sent FJR919 - 2nd one

Sent pjr

Sent fjrbrad

Sent mackeroni

Sent bobg3723

Sent luxrybound

Sent John d

PM Sent Madree Deferred until later

Sent BkrK12

Sent Speedygg

Sent treetop flyer - FJRiders Forum

Sent Leperchaun

Sent dsmack

Sent Mohawk

Sent bashaw

Sent seventyss

Sent Scottej

Sent RTGwalt

Sent CCook82

Sent CAFJRider

Sent lovemyfjr07 - FJRiders Forum

Sent mamiya67

Sent zaneoh

Sent DaPuff

Sent rmcobb

Sent Strayshot

Installed russperry

Sent Blue Crab

Sent JeffJR

Sent Highlander

Sent rwg375

Sent CATCH ME IF UCAN

Sent ApexGT

Sent FastJustRulz

Sent Wocketman - Returned

Sent TILLAM

Sent gr8timesndsun

*** Recall Announced ***

PM Sent mvette Deferred until later

PM Sent arg Deferred until later

PM Sent yamatour Deferred until later

PM Sent waltonr1 Deferred until later

PM Sent d6diesel

Sent Gilk51

Decided not to buy CheapSOB

Sent n1acguy

Sent ktown

Sent Greenman

PM Sent 1300AE

Sent Queensland Ken

Sent Black2

Sent mcyleman

dingofarmer

Decided not to buy Arturo

Sent Daily Commuter

Sent dreambike

Sent Vernon Moore - off forum

Sent howardp73

Sent El Camino Kid

Sent howardp73

Sent Jeff F

Sent Ryan

Sent Ron Wess - off forum

Sent T Stan Walton - off forum

PM sent aa9pz

If you made a request on another thread and your name isn't listed above, send me a PM and I will get it up there. If you wish to buy a harness and haven't yet asked, please post your request on this thread. If I have you marked Deferred until later, when you are ready just send me a PM indicating so and I will re-activate your name at it's original place in line on the waiting list. For those of you with a 3 digit IBA number (the flea on the back of a flea, on the back of a flea), Let me know up front and I will attempt to accommodate your schedule. Many thanks to RZ350 and RoadRunner for the excellent work they did on tracing out the grounding circuit on the bike's wire harness. My Grounding Harness isn't the only fix offered on this FJRForum, RoadRunner went a different direction with his harness. Which ever method you choose, you will have addressed a major fault that has reared it's ugly head. Take care of it before your bike has a melt down and leaves you stranded several thousand/hundred miles from home. Thank you.

smile.gif


Brodie

 
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Sounds like a very effective fix for a potentially serious problem. Please add me to your list; shipping would be to zip 21769. Thanks

 
Payment sent Brodie. Thanks again for stepping up to the plate and solving a problem before Yamaha. Chris

 
Anyone have any ideas as to the possible impact on warranty if this harness is installed? Specifically, if an electrical problem is encountered (whether or not it's related to this mod) and the mod is "found," what would be the expected response? I can imagine many bad scenarios.

The question above notwithstanding, I like this idea from an engineering perspective...Brodie knows his stuff.

Just thinking out loud,

W2

 
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Anyone have any ideas as to the possible impact on warranty if this harness is installed? Specifically, if an electrical problem is encountered (whether or not it's related to this mod) and the mod is "found," what would be the expected response? I can imagine many bad scenarios.
My two cents, I don't work for Yamaha (but I did sleep at a Holiday Inn Express once). Brodie made one of the prototypes using my bike as one of the "Ginny pigs"; and gave a "helping hand".

I'm sure Yamaha Corp could/would/might come up with a "ton" of excuses and reasons that a problem was not their fault. To counter that, I would keep the spiders you remove when you installed Brodie's cable especially if they show any dis-colorization or corrosion as that is the sign they're going bad. The plugs on the harness provide the same loop through from the item's ground to the Yamaha grounding system plus connect the item's ground to a much heavier ground wire attached to be battery. Having physically traced wire through other harness, it is quite possible that the path to ground with Brodie's is much shorter.

As we saw with the ignition switch, they blamed everything but their design but finally came acknowledged the problem and "fixed" (I still have Brodie's fix installed 15,000 miles later).

 
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I'd like two value meals and an order of large fries.

(I'd like two of them please)

 
Put me on the list. No signs of problems yet, but I will get one for peace of mind.

Ross

 
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