robe5000
Well-known member
The cloth tape you find on bundles of wires, same as hockey tape?
Cloth tape?
- Thread starter robe5000
- Start date
TimDaToolMan
Banned
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2013
- Messages
- 536
Just use electrical tape. I HATE cloth tape.
humpdawg
Well-known member
http://www.tesatape.com/industry/automotive/bundling
Tesa tape is good. Coroplast is also very nice, somewhat difficult to find.
Tesa tape is good. Coroplast is also very nice, somewhat difficult to find.
MadTinkerer
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jan 26, 2013
- Messages
- 213
I hate people that use electrical tape in an automotive application. It heats up and turns to a gooey mess, plus it looks out of place. I use the same stuff as what was posted above with no complaints.
jeffmoss26
Well-known member
Gaffer's tape?
TimDaToolMan
Banned
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2013
- Messages
- 536
E-tape only heats up in certain areas like close to the engine.
I have removed electrical tape off wires, and reused them. Cloth tape leaves a sticky residue on the wires that's a ***** to remove.
Cloth tape might be okay for a hockey stick, or a tennis racket handle, but it has no place in a car.
Unmarked Bill
Well-known member
You must be upset a lot of the time.
kythri
Well-known member
Electrical tape leaves a gooey mess regardless of being near a heat source.
theoldwizard1
Well-known member
Okay, let's get this straight ! Automotive wiring harnesses use 2 totally different kinds of tape.
The shinny black tape with no adhesive is called "harness tape". Basically it is the same as the "10 for $10" electrical tape you buy at HF WITHOUT the adhesive applied to the underside. This is why it is reusable. Hard to find, but Google and eBay are you friends.
The second tape is black gooey cloth tape also known as friction tape (or if your from Canada, hockey stick tape). The best stuff is probably 3M 1755. This stuff stays gooey for a long time and is pretty water repellent.
The friction tape is used in 2 places. To terminate a run of harness tape (which would just unwind if there is nothing to hold the end). It is also used on splices (typically 2 bared wires just twisted together) underneath harness tape or inside convoluted tubing.
EDIT: Friction tape is also sometimes used to terminate convoluted tubing runs so that the tubing does not slide around. It is also used to transition from tubing to harness tape.
The shinny black tape with no adhesive is called "harness tape". Basically it is the same as the "10 for $10" electrical tape you buy at HF WITHOUT the adhesive applied to the underside. This is why it is reusable. Hard to find, but Google and eBay are you friends.
The second tape is black gooey cloth tape also known as friction tape (or if your from Canada, hockey stick tape). The best stuff is probably 3M 1755. This stuff stays gooey for a long time and is pretty water repellent.
The friction tape is used in 2 places. To terminate a run of harness tape (which would just unwind if there is nothing to hold the end). It is also used on splices (typically 2 bared wires just twisted together) underneath harness tape or inside convoluted tubing.
EDIT: Friction tape is also sometimes used to terminate convoluted tubing runs so that the tubing does not slide around. It is also used to transition from tubing to harness tape.
Last edited:
theoldwizard1
Well-known member
Gaffer tape is closer to duct tape. Typically it is 1½ to 3" wide. The adhesive used is different than what is used on duct tape so that, in theory, gaffer tape can be removed cleanly.
jeffmoss26
Well-known member
I've used miles of it 
SantaAna12
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 1, 2012
- Messages
- 1,091
Second the 3M friction tape. Amazon has it....Autozone too.
theoldwizard1
Well-known member
I've used miles of it (gaffer tape)
Does it live up to its claim that it can be removed cleanly (no residue) ?
MadTinkerer
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jan 26, 2013
- Messages
- 213
I work in a euro dealership, my customers don't mess with anything on their cars let alone wiring.
We use a cloth tape that is very similar to the factory oem tape that is used on our wiring harnesses. It does not melt at all and get all gooey like electrical tape does. I have seen electrical tape melt under a dash simply from summer temps in the cabin. What a mess that stuff makes.
rlitman
Well-known member
The cheap ones are the worst at that. Scotch 88 is pretty good at not getting gooey.
Still, wiring harnesses are supposed to be wrapped in a non-adhesive tape. Only the ends get wrapped in adhesive tape, and I find that 3m friction tape gets FAR more gooey than most electrical tapes.
jeffmoss26
Well-known member
Absolutely. I did theater/event sound and lighting from middle school through college and its uses are MANY. Of course most of the time it was just for taping down wires. It does not leave a mess on the cable or the surface it was attached to. Don't get me started on duct tape being used on cables...
Gaffer tape comes in many colors; won't leave a residue, even on carpet. As mentioned its uses are many. I won't use duct tape ever again.
I'm with Jeff on Gaffer tape. Real gaffer tape is about $25.00 a roll and there are tons of fake gaffers tape around. The real stuff has acid free glue that doesn't yellow. You can get in various degrees of tackiness. You can tape lights to a wall and peel off the tape later without pulling the paint off. It tears really nicely too. 2" wide can be ripped in 1/2" strips down the length and it moulds over contour surfaces very well. Buy it at theatrical supply places or film/video production shops. ie "RoseBrand.com" or "ABELCINE.com" etc.
Confession: I have never tried it on wiring but it should work well as long as you get the ply-able type. I don't think it insulates against current too well.
Confession: I have never tried it on wiring but it should work well as long as you get the ply-able type. I don't think it insulates against current too well.
jeffmoss26
Well-known member
We even used it on the corners of our stage sets, paint right over it, and it worked perfectly.
At school, we bought tape by the case, so the price was not as bad. Markertek had the most competitive prices IIRC.
Permacel/ShurTape was always the best stuff, though.
At school, we bought tape by the case, so the price was not as bad. Markertek had the most competitive prices IIRC.
Permacel/ShurTape was always the best stuff, though.
theoldwizard1
Well-known member
The flip side of gaffer tape is of course duct tape.
I bought a roll of 3M duct tape at HD (under $5) the other day to hang some plastic to keep dust from getting into the rest of the house. Who knew that 3M duct tape had far superior adhesive compared to the "no name" brand that you get at the dollar store !
mobiledynamics
Well-known member
I have in my stash the cloth tape you see in wires harness in the interior of the car.
Is that what you are referring to.
I have a stash I ordered from the UK....
Keeps things *oem*ish
Is that what you are referring to.
I have a stash I ordered from the UK....
Keeps things *oem*ish
humpdawg
Well-known member
I like getting Mercedes in the shop that have headrests deployed, remove the blown headrests and clip the wire harness, and there you have 2 good lengths of valuable coroplast fleece tape.
seems like VW and Mercedes use the really good stuff. BMW is a different story.