Removing stuck original wiring from fender

[rms337]

I have original wiring that is stuck inside the rear fender that I am trying to remove. There is nothing extra on the ends to pull on thanks to my prior attempts to get the two wires out. There are minor ends to work with at the inside pivot point, but I have left that alone until I get some ideas.

Any tips or suggestions are greatly welcome!

[Lyle Manheimer]

More in information would help. Here goes. Lube with WD-40 let it sit over night. If it is the penetration in the fender, after siting overnight, take a piece of round stock smaller than the hole, grind a taper on it and try to push it through. Is the fender on the bike? Is it original paint? Is it even stuck in a hole? Not sure what you mean by pivot point.

[vride5]

High pressure air, try from the hinge out.

[Jerry Wieland]

I've had luck twice by using a speedometer core spun in a drill as an auger. Just make sure you are not spinning it in the rotation that would unwind it. Just did one a couple of week ago. The fabric sticks to the metal.

Jerry

[Rubone]

I do like Jerry but I use an old thick diameter brake or clutch cable such as later model Sportster clutch cable or Big Twin front brake cable.Like using a drain snake.

[rms337]

All great ideas. Thank you. I thought I had posted some pictures, but guess they did not stick, so will try again.

By pivot, I meant the area where the rear fender is hinged. The fender is still on the bike, but it is not original paint. Crusty old brushed on black enamel, so want to keep it that way. It is a civilianized 42WLA. I could take it off and will likely have to.

I had also asked Gemini AI and this is what I got. Spot on for what you all provided below.

From Gemini:
On a 1942 Harley-Davidson, the original cloth-covered wiring usually gets cemented inside the rigid metal wire tube spot-welded along the inside of the rear fender due to decades of rust, dirt, and hardened asphalt loom. To get it out without damaging the vintage sheet metal, you need to break down the bond chemically and mechanically.

• Soak it with penetrating oil: Spray a high-quality penetrant like Kroil, PB Blaster, or a 50/50 mix of automatic transmission fluid and acetone into both ends of the fender tube. Stand the fender up if possible so gravity pulls the fluid through the tube, and let it soak for several days.
• Apply heat: Use a heat gun along the outside of the wire tube. This softens the 80-year-old tar, grease, and cloth insulation that has essentially turned to glue. Avoid using a torch unless the fender is already stripped for paint, as you will scorch the finish and risk warping the metal.
• Ream with a flexible chaser: Chuck a length of old speedometer cable, braided aircraft cable, or heavy stiff wire into a variable-speed drill. Feed it into the tube and spin it slowly to act as a flexible auger. This will chew through the old insulation, dirt dauber nests, and rust without punching through the sides of the metal conduit.
• Melt the crud: If the wire is still stubborn, shoot aerosol carb cleaner or brake cleaner down the tube. The solvents will melt the antique organic gunk holding the wire hostage. Keep the runoff away from any paint you want to preserve.
• Pull with steady tension: Once the gunk is softened, grab the exposed end of the wire with vice grips and pull with steady, even pressure. Avoid violent yanking, which usually just snaps the brittle copper wire deep inside the tube and forces you to rely entirely on the drill-and-cable reamer method to clear the channel.

Once you get the channel completely cleared, blow it out with compressed air and run a piece of mechanics wire through it to act as a pull-string for your new harness.

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[PaulCDF]

RMS: Did you ask Gemini AI before 09-28-2026, 10:09 PM or after this time/date?

A.I. will search any available digital data (including this forum) to answer a question.