How to Wire Hot Grips on a Snowmobile
Snowmobiling is a winter sport that many people enjoy. Riding across the snow can, naturally, be a very cold activity. One way to help keep warm while riding a snowmobile is by installing heated grips on the handlebars. Hot Grips is a popular manufacturer of heated grips for all kinds of snowmobiles. Hot Grips can be used to replace existing heated grips or can be added as an aftermarket upgrade.
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Things You'll Need
- Sandpaper
- Fish-wire
- Screwdrivers
- Drill
- 1/2-inch drill bit
- Slow-cure epoxy
- Wire ties
- Soldering iron
- Solder
- Wire strippers
- Electrical tape
- Self-tapping screw
Instructions
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1
Remove the existing handlebar grips. Sand the handlebars to remove any residual adhesive and to provide a rough surface for the new grips to adhere to.
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2
Remove any trim pieces near the center of the steering column to expose the wire-lead hole. Use the existing wires or a "fish-wire" to run the black wires from the Hot Grips through the handlebars and out through the wire-lead hole.
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3
Mix the epoxy according to the manufacturer's instructions. Spread a thin coat of epoxy on the handlebars where the Hot Grips will be attached. Slide the Hot Grips 3/4 of the way onto the handlebars, slide them back off, redistribute the epoxy and fully install the Hot Grips. Clean up any excess epoxy. Allow the epoxy to fully cure according to the manufacturer's instructions.
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4
Choose a convenient location to mount the control switch. Run one wire from the left heated grip to the switch location and cut to length. Run one wire from the right heated grip to a ground wire or chassis ground, cut the wire to length and strip 1/2 inch of insulation from the end. Strip 1/2 inch of insulation from the ground wire or sand the paint off the location for a chassis ground. Solder the wire to the ground wire or connect the wire to the chassis with a self-tapping screw. Cover the solder connection with electrical tape.
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5
Cut the remaining two wires from the Hot Grips to length and strip 1/2 inch of insulation from each. Solder the two wires together and cover the connection in electrical tape.
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6
Choose a mounting location for the resistor. Ensure that the location will allow adequate airflow for cooling the resistor. Run two wires from the resistor location to the switch location and cut to length. Strip 1/2 inch of insulation from both ends of each wire. Solder one of the wires to each terminal on the resistor. Mount the resistor with wire ties.
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7
Solder one wire from the resistor to the "Hi" terminal on the switch. Solder the other wire from the resistor to the "Lo" side of the switch. Run the remaining wire from the left heated grip to the "Lo" wire and cut to length. Strip 1/2 inch of insulation from the heated grip wire and the "Lo" wire and solder the two together. Cover the solder connection with electrical tape.
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8
Run a wire from the remaining switch terminal to a switched, fused 12-volt wire. Strip 1/2 inch of insulation from the switch-end of the wire and solder it to the remaining terminal. Mount the switch with the included hardware. Strip 1/2 inch of insulation from the other end of the wire and from the 12-volt source wire. Solder the two wires together and cover the connection with electrical tape.
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9
Turn the snowmobile on and test the Hot Grips for proper operation in the "Hi" and "Lo" settings. Check all connections and fuses if the grips fail to operate correctly.
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Tips & Warnings
Do not attempt to force the Hot Grips onto the handlebars. If the Hot Grips do not slide onto the handlebars, continue sanding the handlebars until the grips slide on easily.
References
- Photo Credit snowmobile image by monamakela.com from Fotolia.com
