What Products Do You Need for Automotive Cable Management?

Cable management isn’t just about keeping your cell phone cables orderly. You can use products for wire organization anywhere, including your vehicle. Did you know cable management items are important in automotive maintenance? There are many reasons why cables, wires, and hoses, should be properly organized in automotive applications. Doing so provides for the safety, reliability, efficiency, maintenance, and appearance of a vehicle.

Let’s touch on each of these points below:

1. Safety: Optimal wire organization in a car or truck keeps wires safe from short circuiting, electrical fires, and accidents. When automotive cables are fastened properly, it lessens the risk of them getting tangled or caught on anything within the vehicle.


2. Reliability: If cables are managed properly, it ensures the proper function of the vehicle.


3. Efficiency: Organized cables, wires, and hoses optimize vehicle components.


4. Maintenance: A vehicle’s upkeep helps it to last longer, with proper cable management making it easier to access components.


5. Appearance: When wires and cables are organized and concealed, it enhances a vehicle’s look.

What are cable management products that help a vehicle reach — or maintain — its fullest potential?

BRAIDED SLEEVING

It helps keep wire harnesses organized, with targeted types for various sections of a car or truck. Expandable standard braided sleeving like Flexo® PET, can stretch up to 150%, making it a great item to customize the look of cables, and for general wire coverage. Flexo® PET has high tensile strength, as well as cut, moisture, rot, chemical, and abrasion resistance. Exhaust systems need wire protection for high temperatures. Volcano® Exhaust Sleeve is crafted of basalt fiber and structural paracord that cures into place for extreme heat protection, plus shock, abrasion, and vibration resistance. Other high temperature options include Insultherm® Fiberglass Braided Sleeving and Spark Plug Boots. An abrasion resistant sleeve helpful in automotive applications is Flexo® Rodent Resistant, with properties that repel rodents from chewing on vehicle wires. Cables and wires in door panels and dashboards benefit from specialty sleeves to minimize unwanted sounds, like rattling wires. The expandable Flexo® Noise Reduction is designed to lessen sounds from hoses, tubes, and wires, while maintaining resistance to chemicals, cuts, solvents, and abrasion. F6® Quiet Noiseless Braided Sleeving is a noise-reducing split sleeve that can be placed over cables directly without disconnecting them. An aesthetic touch to customize hoses and brake lines is expandable metal sleeving like Flexo® Brass Braid, which additionally has natural germicidal and antimicrobial properties. Orange or blue braided sleeving and wraps are used in electric vehicles, plus gas-powered vehicles converting to electric, typically to mark high voltage electric wires. Among products suitable for EVs are Flexo® PET and Flexo® F6. For heavier duty crush and abrasion protection, some choose Battle Braid® or Battle Wrap®. The latter shields EV cables with an F6® design that embodies Battle Braid® fortitude.

HEATSHRINK TUBING

Another multi-tasking product for automotive cable organization is heatshrink, which can also work together with braided sleeving to terminate wire ends. It can work on its own to bundle wires together and keep harnesses organized. Heatshrink reduces noise and electrical interference in wiring, preventing electrical signals from interfering with vehicle components. It creates another layer of protection to shield cables from abrasion and damage. Heatshrink works to insulate electrical connections, keeping them running reliably and efficiently, preventing entry of dust, moisture, corrosion, and other factors. Lastly, heatshrink comes in many color choices, to code and label wires.

HOOK AND LOOP WRAPS AND FASTENERS

Do you need to secure cables within a vehicle? Hook and loop wraps and fasteners from VELCRO® and RIP-TIE® are reusable solutions that label wires, bundle them together, and temporarily or permanently mounts them within a vehicle. This can help to prevent damage that potentially leads to electrical issues. Labeling wires helps to account for maintenance and repairs.

WRAPS, CLIPS AND CLAMPS

Cable wraps, clips and clamps have several automotive uses. Metal clamps for example, can secure cables in the chassis, engine, or transmission. Some prevent vibration and work with rubber or plastic insulators. Metal clips are helpful in a vehicle frame, body, or interior. Cable wraps secure and organize bundles. These can be used within different parts of a vehicle, depending on the wrap’s construction. All these items can organize cables you bring into a car or truck too, like a cell phone charger or GPS system wire.

CABLE TIES

These handy items — also known as zip ties — bundle, secure, route, and organize wires. Depending on if they are nylon or metal, cable ties can be used within a vehicle’s frame, body, or interior. Heavier duty types may be used to support power steering hoses or battery cables.

CABLE TRACKS AND HOSE CARRIERS

Cable tracks and hose carriers route and safeguard cables and hoses in vehicles and heavy machinery, shielding them from chafing components, high temperatures, and vibrations. Hose carriers, also known as “cable carriers” or “energy chains,” can support power steering hoses and transmission cooler lines. Cable tracks, which often are nicknamed “cable drag chains,” are more enclosed than hose carriers, making them suitable for heavier-duty automotive applications.

CABLE SUPPORT SYSTEMS

There are various items helpful in automotive applications within the cable support systems category, like bridle rings, cable rings, and J-Hooks. Bridle rings support power steering hoses and transmission cooler lines. They can secure cables and wires to a mounting bracket. Cable rings are another variety of cable support, especially those that bear a heavy load. Like bridle rings, they can additionally route cables and wires. J-Hooks are a cable support system to channel wires and cables inside a vehicle, to prevent them from vibration and damage.

FABRIC CORD COVERS

Cord covers are used to conceal and protect wires, often with a durable polyester or nylon. Like other methods of cable cover, these improve a vehicle’s aesthetic, while shielding cables and wires from damage.