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Thread: Adapters for anything, ignition switches etc.

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    USA
    --
    4,114

    Adapters for anything, ignition switches etc.

    Since these machines have so many out of production parts, it seems to make sense to adapt the harnesses to more modern parts with the same or better specs. The basic function of everything on these 3 wheelers hasn't really changed much over the years so I think the simplest solution is to build adapters and be the middle man in all of this.

    I know a hot selling item was ignition switches, the Chinese have copied and undercut my prices so bad with their sub par parts and since covid Chinese suppliers are scamming a lot more often now, so I refuse to buy from Chinese suppliers whenever possible. However, I can make adapters for the stock wiring for a given machine, and make the wiring match a Honda OEM switch for a pretty reasonable price.

    Basically this all boils down to, what is the market willing to do, buy an adapter + quality part, or buy the cheap china junk because it works here and now for an unknown length of time?


    For example, the Honda part number 35100-HN1-A41 is about $30, I can build an adapter for any 3 wheeler to that model for about $20-25 so about $50-55 total, several models have Chinese knock off switches for $10 that often don't even fit the machine and requires modifications to work. That ignition switch is setup correctly for just about every Honda atv made except for the ones with DC CDI's, sometimes only 2 wires are used of the 4.

    I can do this same logic for just about anything, have a modern voltage regulator that should work on the older models, as long as I can match up the wiring to make it work, it shouldn't be too bad of a price. I've searched for a reasonable one I could buy + resell with all the fees, double shipping, etc on it and I haven't came up with something that ends up being a reasonable price, but the adapter idea cuts the middle man out (me) and saves us both money and less ultimately goes to payment processors (paypal and ebay).


    I've been thinking about this issues on and off for years, and this idea just popped in my head recently with the adapters and I think it's one of the best solutions we have. Next best would be completely redesigning the harnesses to use modern parts, but that's more work and costs than I really want to put into things right now, but maybe down the road? How great would it be to have all connections on your 3 wheeler be actually weather proofed besides the engine wires.

    Anyway post ideas, feedback, etc. If this sounds feasible, lets get the ball rolling on what is needed and what a solid newer part can be used in place of an older part.

    Side note, I've also thought about working out a "double" harness design that's kind of a middle ground to replacing everything. Use the stock harness for ignition (race cut logic) and the lighting, charging system, etc is on a new harness using more modern parts. There would need to be a pass through adapter to make it work, but shouldn't be to hard to work out. All of the machines with the round CDI connector should be able to be "upgraded" to the 4+2 style that all the newer machines run. Also instead of adapters, I could always make pigtails but then it requires cutting the OEM harness up to splice it together.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2016
    Location
    East of Worcester ma
    --
    1,326
    I vote for using an actual honda part with your built adapter- its called "china junk" for a reason. I'm sure people would be willing to pay for quality, well most of them anyway.....

    shep

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    USA
    --
    4,114
    I'd like to think so atleast. Problem is, most people will be looking for say an ignition switch instead of an adapter. Probably have to make a click bait thumbnail in the ebay listings just to get people to look at what I'm even selling.

    I think I'll try out the ignition switch adapter idea on ebay. I have 4 of the connectors on hand for the switch part number I mentioned in the first post. If anyone needs one for any Honda atc, let me know. I never jumped ship into the kawasaki, yamaha, suzuki, etc machines to see how those ignition switches mount, but in theory the same story should exist for them too, just have to do some parts digging to figure out what switches will work and which one is the best price. I'm not sure what the best model is now, my old best sellers are flooded with China copies and it seemed like 95% of people switched to the lower quality part when they became available just because they were cheaper.


    On the voltage regulator/rectifier side of things, I suspect there must be a newer model of atv that's affordable that the 3 wheelers could be adapted to work with. I know quite a few of them are 3 phase, but a single phase machine should work on a 3 phase regulator/rectifier as long as it has good enough specs to handle the power all on one phase of the wiring. For example, this part 31600-HM8-B00 comes on machines with 130w alternators so easily handles 43w, should be safe for 200es,s,m, etc, however it is 5 wire and needs a 12v wire ran to ignition switch to turn it "on", so not the most ideal part to target, but most of the newer ones are setup that way. Price is $50 brand new, it's hard to beat that price for OEM.

    Another possible concept.... the only thing that must stay the same on a 3 wheeler is the engine and CDI box, everything else is just supporting wiring for lights, kill switch, etc. Maybe a newer quad harness I could adapt the engine wiring to and just run all the components from the source machine assuming they are within spec.

    Really annoying Honda never standardized their wiring design. Every few years they had to change something on the harness even though the harness basically didn't change. It looks like a TRX250EX harness might be an option. Entire main harness... $85 part number 32100-HN6-A50. I bet that harness would work for a lot of atc models, might be a solid option to get dc output for the 200 series machines (s, es, m etc). CDI box might even be wired right already to match the OEM CDI box, it even has a rear brake light switch in its design. Kill switch operation is correct for the 3 wheelers too, pretty much boils down to engine adapter, tail light, and headlight. This is also a 2020 part, so it won't be out of production for quite some time.

    Big question is, who would want to be the guinea pig to buy the related parts (even used) and test the theory out, help me with validating pinouts on the harness and such? The harness even supports neutral/reverse lights for the models that have that (200es) as long as the machine has a way to detect the gear it's in.

    This is all with just looking at the first models that pop in my head. Clearly wire lengths and such won't be perfect, but if an adapter is made, the adapter can extend the wiring if needed. I thnk this is a neat idea, can't get much better than affordable brand new Honda built harnesses + some random guy's adapters to make it work =).

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