How Do You Remove Heated Grips w/o Cutting Wires?

[88bmwjeff]

Re: 1988 R100 RT

So, I’m researching one of my next projects which includes rebuilding the master cylinder. Taking the right handlebar assembly off would be the better choice; however, I have heated grips. BMW, in their infamous wisdom, had the connection to the harness built up by fishing wires for both heated grips through the handlebar, then click them into a four-prong female connector. Now, if the heated grips need to come off, one must cut the wires, then reconnect them. On the positive side, I have a new right side throttle tube with heated grip, but it looks like I will have to splice into the wires to “plug” them in. IMO, this is an incredibly poor design. Does anybody have any suggestions? Am I missing something here?

 

[6322]

My experience with heated grips has been that they separate from the harness near the steering yoke, under the tank. Each side either plugged into the harness or into a screw in junction that connected with the switch. Never had a problem installing or removing them. Also, the left grip were attached with set screws. Roll the grip back to find the set screw. Good luck with your project.

 

[stevenrankin]

Plastic plug?

So I am not familiar with your bike and how the heated grips are wired. On my bike, the wires for each grip terminate without a plug and are fed into a plastic block with screws to hold them in place and a bridge for current flow. All I have to do is loosen the screws and pull the wires out of the block and feed them back through the bars.

So my question is for you do you have a plastic connector block similar to others on the bike for say the voltage regulator plug? If so, you can get a tiny screw driver or special tool into the plug to release the crimped connectors from the plug. At this point, the hole in the bars should be large enough to fish one wire at a time through.

LOL, Sorry, I don't have pictures, that would make things a lot easier. I will dig around and see if maybe I can find some. At least I can take a picture of the block on my 84 RT to show what that is like. St.

 

[88bmwjeff]

Follow the link below to Max BMW's parts fiche. Select Steering; Retrofit Kit Heated Handle (Diagram #32-0770). Then, you can scroll down to #7, which is the plastic plug that all four wires from both heated grips go into. They have pictures of the items.

https://shop.maxbmw.com/fiche/DiagramsMain.aspx?vid=51666&rnd=09082020

Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be a way to insert a link here that takes you directly to the heating grips diagram.

 

[stevenrankin]

Picture

I can't see clearly in the picture but it looks like there are crimp able connections in the plug. They will come out and you just crimp the wires and re insert. Does this make sense? Like I said in my original post, you may just be able to pull the connectors out of the plastic housing and pull them out of the handle bar one at a time. If you buy the part in the picture, you would thread the wires into the handlebars first then install the plug. St.

 

[lkchris]

You need the tool that pushes the metal terminals out of the plastic block.

This is standard automotive electrical practice and criticism of BMW is ridiculous

 

[88bmwjeff]

You need the tool that pushes the metal terminals out of the plastic block.

This is standard automotive electrical practice and criticism of BMW is ridiculous

OK, I confess electrical repair is low on my knowledge list. I didn't know those electrical connectors could come apart. I hope the set of tools to remove the terminals from Amazon covers what I need. Live an learn.

 

[45460]

Why don't you just remove the master cylinder from the handlebar bracket? They are not one piece.

 

[syvrider]

You don't need to remove the grip and throttle to overhaul the MC on this bike. The MC detaches separately from the throttle and brake lever. I just rebuilt the MC on my 88 RT.

If you must pull the grip, first trace the wires for both grips to a four prong connector. The grip side of that connector contains the four female plugs from the grips. You need to get those connectors out of the plastic block (a tricky task). Then you can carefully pull the grip while feeding the wire up into the handlebar.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[stevenrankin]

tool

You DON'T need a special tool to remove the connectors from the plug block a jewelers screw driver or any screwdriver tiny and small will work on these plug connections.

There are some connectors in the trade that do need special tools and yes the special tool is a lot handier most of the time to have on hand but for airheads it is not needed.

Look closely at the plug and you will see a tiny slot or indent above the crimped connector. This is access to the spring or bent part of the metal crimp connector that holds it in the plastic. inserting a skinny screwdriver and pushing that tab down will allow the crimped on connecter to slide out the back of the plastic plug.

LOL, when you do this, make darned sure when you put things back together you put the proper wire into the proper spot.

IKChris, I haven't seen any criticism of BMW in any of the postings on this particular topic other than a comment about poor design LOL, compared to the older method of wiring heated grips, I have to agree with the owner of the bike, the new Plug at the end is a big pain in the butt compared to the thermal block on my 78 and 84 year bikes.

I never understand why criticism of BMW is bad, they are far from perfect and those of us who have owned them have strong opinions of them one way or the other. This is not a glee club for BMW, it is a open forum, and if I don't like something BMW did, I am happy to say so. Unlike some of the BMW owners, I still am riding my airhead and have no plans to trade it in, it is as close to a perfect motorcycle I have found. But it is NOT perfect. Anyway, this is a topic for another section of the forum. St.

 

[stevenrankin]

tool

To make my point and post clear, have a look at one of the special tools for electrical connectors. Gee, it looks like perhaps the two arrows point to things that kind of look like small or tiny screwdrivers?

LOL, I may be wrong but I believe the last time I took apart a connector a few months ago, I used the free screwdriver I got from EME, if not, as I said a jeweler's driver. I am NOT saying it is foolish to buy special tools, in some cases they are NEEDED but sorry, not in this case.

I don't know or care what kind of plug block set up any of the bikes newer than 95, and they may need one of the other fittings on the special tool, this particular plug in question from what I can see doesn't need any special tool as does 99% of the plug connectors on any airhead.

There are hundreds of special tools for auto connectors, and newer BMW and OM bikes, LOL, one kit had twenty different variations on the theme. I suppose if I were working the newer bikes or cars I would have more in my tool box. St.