I have a 2018 F250. I need to get some wires from the grill for strobes through to the cab.

I know there are pass through wires installed, and I have done wiring using these on other SuperDuties easily. However, on my truck, for whatever reason, the factory install of these wires just left little stub ends of the wire that are only about 1" out of the firewall on the inside of the cab (passenger side near floor).

There is no way I can get in there to solder or crimp; there's just too little wire to work with even if I could contort my body to fit down there (which I can't).

What are my alternatives? Are there any other pass through options, or should I just run the harness under the truck and snake towards the back of the rear seat? I know there is access under the truck outside the rear seat wall.

Thanks in advance.

 

to the right and above the brake is a large black grommet, i drilled 1/2 inch hole with a unibit and extension. That hole, turned into 1/4 hole by the tough rubber.
I was able to pull a number of hot wires through that over to the short wires your talking about. I grounded the similar led lights under the hood.

 

Thanks...will take a peek at that in the AM.

- Pete

 

BTW - in your pic, how did you mount those strobes? That's basically what I want to do as well. I went to take off the grill this AM, but it was too cold in Calgary and I hate playing with plastic for fear of breaking it. I put the radiator shroud back on and will try on warmer day. I was thinking either mount the L brackets that came with the strobes to the plastic grill, or custom fab some metal one that attach inside from the rear.

How are yours attached?

 

If you go to the thread titled Snagging 12V Power, I made a post there, that might work for you.

 

I haven't had a reason to install anything on a pass through yet, but I was thinking about using one of these tap connectors. That way I could just pinch it closed and not try to fight soldering or stripping/crimping laying in the floorboard.

 

If you are only going to keep your vehicle for a year or two, fine.........the problems will be passed on to the next person that will hate you. Otherwise you will hate yourself for ever using them when the problems they create arise.

 

I'd just hate myself, I keep trucks until the wheels fall off once or twice.

 

Dont do a wire tap, they don’t seem to hold up.

 

Counterpoint. Insulation displacement connectors, where the connection is made by piercing through the insulation to make electrical contact to the wire, are used in a wide variety of applications including high reliability. The key to success is to use a good quality connector sized properly for the wire and install per manufacturer's instructions. I've used these wire splice style connectors for years and they have held up very well.

Edit: Agree there a lot of cheap wire splice connectors out there that should be avoided as their performance is questionable. But a good quality connector, such as the 3M brand, will make a difference as will making sure the right size connector is used. Proper installation of a splice style IDC connector can be tricky to ensure the wire is correctly positioned and the piercing contact is engaged squarely. If the wire pops out, or moves out of position, when pressing home the contact, a poor connection will be made. It may work for a short time but fail later.

 

Tapping into the up fitters isnt an option?

 

As mentioned above, the rubber grommet on the driver's side is an easy way to pass wires through. I tried looking for a way on the passenger side but it required more time, patience and dismantling than I was willing to dedicate to the project. There's the same rubber grommet on the passenger side but I can't get a wire to feed through to where I can find it in the passenger footwell.

I'm also not a fan of vampire connectors. If the area is too tight to solder, I get the crimp connections that have the built in heat shrink goo stuff to keep things solid. I know there are higher quality vampire clips that probably work well enough, just not a fan of that style of connection on braided wire.

 

What he said. ^^^^^^^^^^ IDC connectors may have their place but it is not in primary automotive wiring.

 

Do you have upfitters? If so, don't the upfitter wires terminate in the engine bay in the '17s? I know they do in my '20.

 

Here is photo, small l brackets, adhesive