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Harness wrap tape

E28 technical advice asked and given! Troubleshooting, modifications and more.
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db9
Posts: 113
Joined: Jun 30, 2019 8:27 AM
Location: Mississauga, Ontario

Harness wrap tape

Post by db9 »

For those who have done new harnesses or harness repair what tape are you using? Different tape for locations? (static run vs a vibration or motion jump - motor to firewall)
I did a search and see reference to TESA tape but no specific details.

Thanks in advance..
Chimi-Changa
Posts: 1693
Joined: Nov 08, 2011 11:02 PM
Location: Massachusetts

Re: Harness wrap tape

Post by Chimi-Changa »

Hey- The Tesa 51036 is great. Works very well and looks good. I used it all the way around without issue. Thanks to Jay L in ATL for the recommendation.
Mike W.
Posts: 27513
Joined: Feb 12, 2006 12:00 PM
Location: California Whine Country

Re: Harness wrap tape

Post by Mike W. »

Basic friction tape is what it seems like to me. There's an assortment of brands, kind of an old tape, not sure what it was really used for, but these days a plain old hardware store seems to be the best bet for it. Fabric, kind of sticky, but not like say electrical tape. From the factory they always seemed to end it by giving a wrap under itself to keep it from unraveling. Not sure quite how they did that, but there's an assortment of factory stuff like that.
stuartinmn
Posts: 9584
Joined: Feb 12, 2006 12:00 PM
Location: Minneapolis

Re: Harness wrap tape

Post by stuartinmn »

Regular electrical tape tends to get gummy and sticky over time when used in under hood applications.  Years ago I got some harness tape from Eastwood that was non-adhesive, you'd either tuck the final wrap under itself at the end or use a short piece of shrink tube to secure it in place.  I don't know if they still sell it.

Tesa sells several different versions of harness tape, I see they have some that's self-adhesive; if that's what I think it is it will stick to itself but not to anything else.  https://www.amazon.com/tesa-tape/s?k=tesa+tape
Mike W.
Posts: 27513
Joined: Feb 12, 2006 12:00 PM
Location: California Whine Country

Re: Harness wrap tape

Post by Mike W. »

Tesa tape is a brand of tape, they make many different types. https://www.tesa.com/en-us Friction tape is the type of tape.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=friction+tape&ref=nav_bb_sb
tig
Posts: 9431
Joined: Mar 18, 2013 6:25 PM
Location: Durango
Contact:

Re: Harness wrap tape

Post by tig »

F4 Tape. 

it’s what I used on vlad and it’s held up amazing over 35k miles and 10 years. 

 
db9
Posts: 113
Joined: Jun 30, 2019 8:27 AM
Location: Mississauga, Ontario

Re: Harness wrap tape

Post by db9 »

F4 tape, I feel as if I should know about this. 
Would this work well for a harness that goes through motion? Once wrapped does it reduce flexibility?
On the Touring there is a bundle that follows the hatch motion.
jdb
Posts: 162
Joined: Jan 01, 2007 6:56 PM
Location: Humboldt County, Ca.

Re: Harness wrap tape

Post by jdb »

F4 tape is pretty nice stuff!
I use it most for slight damage to a wire that could not apply heat shrink, like just a nick, or when a customer car has minor critter damage.
Because it stretches and is self fusing, It is almost water tight I believe.

The original friction tape that BMW used is difficult and messy to use, But the friction tape used now I have found much cleaner and easy.
Tesa is one of BMW's suppliers but also Certoplast. This thin cloth tape is 14mm wide so it works well for replacement of wire loom tape like in the trunk where the wire is not taped up completely

BMW part number 61 13 6 933 055 for Certoplast cloth tape.

Jeff
tig
Posts: 9431
Joined: Mar 18, 2013 6:25 PM
Location: Durango
Contact:

Re: Harness wrap tape

Post by tig »

db9 wrote: Mar 04, 2025 10:16 AM F4 tape, I feel as if I should know about this. 
Would this work well for a harness that goes through motion? Once wrapped does it reduce flexibility?
On the Touring there is a bundle that follows the hatch motion.
Yep. I've used it on door harnesses and brake sensor wiring for years. Very flexible.
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