I've bought wire looms and looking at the way the door opens I wonder how well they work,looks as though the might do alot of binding. I've only have one set and will likely have to get another for the amount of wires I'll need to pass through, also, where is the best place to position them?

 

I don't know what type you bought, but I used the SS braid covered ones. Allow the sliding end to go into the kick panel. I used 2 sets and installed the first set into the original courtesy light switch hole. There are pix in my "making changes" gallery. There is an internal brace inside the front portion of the door that will prevent you from reaching the looms and/or running the wires, so I cut holes with a hole saw to access it to drill wire holes and install grommets. I will put metal cover plates over the holes before installing the door upholstery panels.

 

The ones I purchased are from Keep It Clean and do have the stainless braided shieth over a rubber?? hose and slides through alumium bushings.
Do they operate well at the location of the courtesy switch hole?

 

Obviously they do according to this picture from your gallery, what procedure did you use to line up the holes in the door and door post?

 

I think maybe…………………………..send them back!

tons of posts on this;

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/7...tallation.html

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/8...or-wiring.html

I like this;

door loom.jpg

 

They work very well. I drilled the hole in the A pillar first then marked the door post. Keep them towards the interior as far as possible and still have room to get the nuts on them. I drilled the doorpost with a right angle drill and Irwin Unibit. Could remove the door to drill if you don't have a rt angle drill. I have not had any problem with them.

 

I had a set of braided looms that slid into the kick area.. but they kinked once, and then were toast..

I found another set from Electric Life that have a teflon ball at the door post, and both slide better than the aluminum sleeve, but the ball swivels to reduce the angle of the slide..

they also screw to the post, instead of locking nut from behind.

see this post for reference https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/8...ml#post7493562

Sam

 

Thanks for posting those links I noticed I had even subscribed to one of them, evidence my mind is really going I guess. I think I'll go ahead with the ones I have as they look very similar to the ones AX used. Has anyone tried the method that was used on the chevy hinge in the link provided?

 

Problem is the ford hinges are made from thinner stock than chevy hinges, so the hinge arm would need to have a bulge to allow for more than one or two wires. I like those that Sam used, but I didn't know they were available before I bought and installed mine.

 

I want to preface this post with a disclaimer: I have no actual experience with this.

Just spitballin', I would wonder why you couldn't put a lightweight spring inside the kick panel to put SLIGHT spring tension on the loom helping to draw it in as you closed the door.

I've seen springs pull tension on wire looms to keep them contained, though not through a hole. It would probably need to be a lightweight coil spring with hooks or loops on either end. one end would attach to the kick panel. the other end would attach around the loom or on a saddle attached to the loom inside the kick panel.

I hope I described this clearly enough, because I don't know how I could illustrate it here.

 

basicaly u are suggesting making the loom PULL back into the kick panel, rather than having the door PUSH it back in.. hopefully avoiding the kink..
never thought of that myself.. I think a coil spring around the loom sleave might be better.. tight area to work in..

AX, I did the same as u initially (I had read your posts on this topic), but once the passenger side kinked, I had to redo,
and given my paint, I had to re-use the same holes..

the set of looms I got actually have black plastic as the swivel instead of white.

Sam