new wiring harness

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Jun 4, 2014 | 03:18 PM

lafermedavid

Thread Starter

Cargo Master

Joined: Nov 2010

Posts: 3,172

Likes: 101

From: darlington

new wiring harness

My wiring harness is out of my shell of a truck..Seeing its out,If it was you would you replace with a new modern wiring harness with fresh wires?Thanks appreciate input.sorta hard decision.

Jun 4, 2014 | 03:22 PM

4x4slik

Elder User

Joined: Jan 2014

Posts: 898

Likes: 3

From: Chillicothe, IA

If I could afford it, then yes.

Jun 4, 2014 | 03:57 PM

hickory1991

Fleet Mechanic

Joined: Feb 2011

Posts: 1,410

Likes: 42

From: Michigan

How hacked up is the original? If not too bad, just make necessary repairs to it. All the connector's are there. I just put in a Centech. Wasn't too bad. I salvaged what connector's they didn't supply.

Jun 4, 2014 | 04:36 PM

fmc400

MSEE

Joined: Apr 2004

Posts: 10,386

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From: Austin, TX

If there's nothing wrong with it, or it only needs minor repair, use the original. Too many connectors that would have to be transplanted to a new harness. In my opinion, the only reason to switch to an aftermarket harness is if the original is hacked beyond repair. I don't think the transition to blade fuses is worth any trouble, and any auxiliary circuits you need can just be ran in conjunction with the factory harness.

Jun 6, 2014 | 06:08 AM

lafermedavid

Thread Starter

Cargo Master

Joined: Nov 2010

Posts: 3,172

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From: darlington

wiring harness

Thanks for all the sound answers.I think we doing the restoring,hear 40 year old wiring should be replaced.period.And so even if wiring looks great,we rationalize its 40 years old.

Jun 11, 2014 | 04:33 PM

thatsrealnice

Laughing Gas

Joined: Oct 2009

Posts: 874

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From: Merlin, OR

Quote:

Originally Posted by lafermedavid

Thanks for all the sound answers.I think we doing the restoring,hear 40 year old wiring should be replaced.period.And so even if wiring looks great,we rationalize its 40 years old.

I could see that if it was old cloth covered wiring. With modern plastic coated wiring that hasn't been hacked up and boogered together should be fine. No sense of replacing something just because it's old.

Jun 11, 2014 | 10:21 PM

KIKKUP

Elder User

Joined: Sep 2012

Posts: 654

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From: The Lone Star State

Quote:

Originally Posted by lafermedavid

Thanks for all the sound answers.I think we doing the restoring,hear 40 year old wiring should be replaced.period.And so even if wiring looks great,we rationalize its 40 years old.

Correct answer. A new harness is expensive and a pain to replace but if you are about to dump 10K or maybe a lot more into a restoration, it will make you sick seeing it catch on fire. My first accessory was a fire extinguisher.

Wiring has gone through many heat cycles and and even though it might look good, there is a good chance it got hot and the copper inside is baked and brittle. There is a better chance that the insulation is not that good and is brittle and even a higher chance that the connectors are corroded. A custom wiring harness with modern fuses is like $600 or so and I think that will give you peace of mind especially if you want to take it on some road trips and not worry about some electrical gremlin getting you when you least need it.

I have not replaced all of mine yet but it's on my punch list.

Good luck!