Lvlhead's Vmax - The Splice

Fixing "the splice" on a Vmax

A guide for improved charging.

When I purchased my 1985, I was unimpressed with its starting ability. A bit weak, especially when hot. I replaced the battery and it was better, but not great. I would often leave the bike on a battery charger to be sure it was ready to go.

It was mentioned on a tech list there was a factory crimp splice in the stock wiring harness. This connection needs to be soldered making it more conductive. This connection supplies voltage directly from the Regulator/Rectifier to charge the battery.

I soldered the connection and voltage at the battery increased by over one full volt. This is important to allow your charging system to keep up with the electrical demands of the Vmax.

See Removing the Seat to uh.. remove the seat.

A picture is worth a thousand words:

Tools Required: (all from Radio Shack)

	Soldering Iron and Solder (8$)
	Electrical Tape (Opt for Super33+ from Home Depot)(4$)
	DC Voltmeter (to log your results if desired)(10$+)

Results and opinion:

This fix takes a few minutes to perform and replaces the aftermarket harness you can purchase to bypass this splice (and the FUSE!!). The starting power of my Max has, without a doubt, gotten better as a result of better charging. I am sure the battery is accepting all the juice the Regulator/Rectifier can put out. (BTW, there is a modular connector from the R/R that needs to be maintained properly as well).

I haven't done this to the 98 yet, but when it happens I will share the exact results.