MTFCA Forum

I gather from the service manual that the tail lamp wire and battery wire with loom, as well as the starter cable, should all pass through the cable sleeve. The cable sleeve that came with the reproduction wiring harness is smaller in diameter than the old, greasy cable sleeve that was on my '25 runabout. I've tried every which way, and I can't get both the loom and battery cable to fit inside the sleeve. I could run the loom outside the new sleeve, use the greasy sleeve...or I was wondering if anyone knew what this reproduction sleeve material is called and if it comes in a larger diameter. Thoughts? Thanks!
Also, my starter button (with extension) barely peeks up through the steel floor hole. The bracket is mounted on the inside of the frame rail like shown above, and it's not bent down. Is this normal? Was there more than one extender length? It works, but it's none too long. There's not even a hole cut in the mat, because I'm not sure it would protrude above the mat if there was.

I will have to go see if I still have the original battery cable that was on my 21. I seem to recall there was a clamp that held the wires next to the big cable not in it. Seems to me you would have to have an large cable cover for the two wires to run thru, then also there are the terminals in the way.

I should have mentioned, the new loom and cable do fit into the old sleeve. They're snug but they go. It's just that the old sleeve isn't in very good shape anymore.

That wire loom sleeve that Lang's sells is a bit too small inside diameter, should be larger to match originals.

To use it, place the tail lamp black wire and the yellow wire along side the battery cable that Lang's sells. Pull with both hands to stretch the wires along the cable. Wrap paper tape around the wire assembly at each ends, distance longer than the wire loom sleeve.

Then lace the tail lamp wire first, pull it thru the wire loom sleeve, until the yellow wire advances with it, then push the battery cable terminal first into the loom.

Combination of pulling on the tail lamp wire, and yellow wire, and pushing the cable along, you can pull and push the assembly all the way thru the loom. Then remove the holding tape.

Or, if you don't like that.....order larger diameter wire loom sleeves from Restoration Supply, the 1" id should do. Have used these wire looms on many small wires like the tail lamp or ditch light too.

When I got my 1921, this is the loom that went from the starter button to starter. As far condition of wiring, it all looked original to the car from the factory. I am wondering if this is a date thing. Maybe the early starter cars had the wires fed thru but later as a cost savings they were clamped.

Mark

The March 1920 Parts books doesn't list the battery loom sleeve, a later July 1924 Parts books lists the loom, 5051B and notes dates 1921-1924, last book lists 5027B, Fac # 2119, as for '21-'27.

So that loom came along sometime in '21, and the earlier starter cars must have used that clip, but the early parts books don't list a clip.

Dan, in your first picture is that the 3/4" from the vendors or a larger one from RS?

Google <Asphalt-Coated Fabric Wire Loom> and you'll find many sizes, many sources.

I measured the new sleeve, and it is 11/16" ID as Dan said. The old is 3/4" ID. I tried Dan's idea and even cut the ring terminal off since I'm adding a fuse. My wires/loom must be just a little bigger or I didn't hold my tongue just right because there's no way it's going on. I trimmed up the frays on the old one and will use it. I think a full 3/4" ID new one would work (given the old one did, although it may have a bit more radial stretch to it), but I haven't found anywhere that the shipping or minimum order doesn't kill the idea. Maybe some day when I'm ordering something else from somewhere I'll throw that into the order.

I wish I could be of more help here, but when I restored my '25 about ten years ago, I had custom wire looms made to match the originals. I had no problems pushing the looms through the sleeve which I also bought separately. Since the battery cable is the same at both ends, I would install it last after having installed the wire loom.