Wiring Harness Wrap

1952 - 1968, M38A1, M170, questions, discussions, regarding anything related to the M38a1 series.
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Austringer
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Wiring Harness Wrap

Post by Austringer » Thu Feb 08, 2018 11:29 am

What type of "tape" is used to wrap the wiring harness. I know it's not standar electrical tape as that stuff makes a mess when warmed up. Does anyone what this type is called?
THanks
Jason

PS: Need to make a new wiring harness for two vehicles.
Jason Green
Atlanta, Ga

STILL NOT associated with the Georgia MVPA 15 years and counting as long as that one guy is president of the club....

1963 Willys M151 (under resto)
1969 M706E1
1983 M106A2


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muttguru
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Re: Wiring Harness Wrap

Post by muttguru » Thu Feb 08, 2018 2:56 pm

Austringer wrote:
Thu Feb 08, 2018 11:29 am
What type of "tape" is used to wrap the wiring harness.
Jason, search for "self-amalgamating tape".
Ken
Contact address - muttguru@aol.com
Always wanted - Details and pictures of M416 Trailer data plates & M151 data plates & body-tags for my research. Thanks!

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dpcd67
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Re: Wiring Harness Wrap

Post by dpcd67 » Thu Feb 08, 2018 2:57 pm

Yes, it is electrical tape; not the kind with glue on one side. The correct type has no adhesive and sticks to itself. It is available at automotive stores like Oreillys, AutoZone. etc.
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Re: Wiring Harness Wrap

Post by dpcd67 » Thu Feb 08, 2018 3:00 pm

I guarantee you that if you use the word "Amalgamating," at least here in any store, you will get a blank stare from the 20 year old kid you are speaking to.
Vinyl, pressure sensitive, electrical, maybe.
i get it from AutoZone and it works fine. No glue.
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Austringer
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Re: Wiring Harness Wrap

Post by Austringer » Thu Feb 08, 2018 3:17 pm

thanks. i had some tape that i thought was rihht but was sorta thick and had a white snakeskin looking material to seperate the layers. it was a dull finish and had to be stretched to work. once i started using it, figured it was the wrong type. ill try autozone or amazon
Jason Green
Atlanta, Ga

STILL NOT associated with the Georgia MVPA 15 years and counting as long as that one guy is president of the club....

1963 Willys M151 (under resto)
1969 M706E1
1983 M106A2

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Austringer
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Re: Wiring Harness Wrap

Post by Austringer » Thu Feb 08, 2018 4:45 pm

also, the engine wiring harness is in good shape, whatss the best way to clean and preserve the harness.
Jason Green
Atlanta, Ga

STILL NOT associated with the Georgia MVPA 15 years and counting as long as that one guy is president of the club....

1963 Willys M151 (under resto)
1969 M706E1
1983 M106A2

Ron D
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Re: Wiring Harness Wrap

Post by Ron D » Sat Feb 10, 2018 5:32 pm

This Polyken 268 (Made in USA) is pretty good tape. Sticks good, doesn't turn into a gooey mess. It stretches some, but not like regular electrical tape (Scotch 33) and does a neat job. Recommend the 3/4-inch wide roll instead of the wider stuff because of the limited stretch. Need to start the wrap at a slight angle to the wires to get the overlay looking good.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Polyken-268-Au ... SwNnRYhmPE

I took a rag and wiped my harness down with a good soak of good old ArmorAll (also Made in USA). Seems to clean it well enough. Can't say whether or not it helps preserve....check me in a few years.
Ron D
1951 M38
1951 M100

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Re: Wiring Harness Wrap

Post by dpcd67 » Sun Feb 11, 2018 10:30 am

Sounds like you did have the right tape; it has to have material between the layers in the roll otherwise it would not peel off. And it does stretch; it is supposed to; like Ron said. You will learn how to do it; yes, angle it on and overlap.
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Re: Wiring Harness Wrap

Post by Ron D » Sun Feb 11, 2018 7:31 pm

Sounds to me like the "white snakeskin looking material separating the layers" might be like Scotch 23 Rubber Splicing Tape or something similar, where the tape is self-fusing and the "snakeskin" backing has to be peeled off just prior to wrapping in order to get the wraps to fuse together properly. The snakeskin is only there to keep the tape from fusing itself together while still on the roll. And because it's rubber not vinyl it stretches big time (a lot more than regular electrical tape) and that's what seems to activate the fusing property (it kind of "melts" the wraps together). Normally I yank a good stretch into the first inch off the roll just to break it loose to grab it for yanking it off.

That stuff is normally used for high voltage splices or those that need absolute waterproofing. I'd say overkill for a jeep harness. And it's a real pain in the a$$ to get off too. It doesn't unwrap like regular electrical tape or the Polyken 268 will if you need to get it off later--- once it fuses together every inch of it has to be cut off, which usually results in a lot of cut or nicked wire insulation.
Ron D
1951 M38
1951 M100


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