rewiring question
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 107
Likes: 0
From: Vancouver Washington
rewiring question
i have a question about rewiring my truck, it is a 78 f150. What does a rewing kit such as the ones from painless or centech replace? It is just the wiring to the lights and radio and stuff like that or is it all the wiring in the whole truck. What i really mean is would the truck still be able to drive without any of the wiring that the kit would replace. I ask this because due to my families parking situation i have to move my truck so people can get in and out. Plus its cold out and I would like to do this in the garage but I will have to move it out daily since I cant park in there. I hope this question makes sense.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,371
Likes: 10
From: Green Springs, OH
I think it will depend on what you want to replace I think they sell kits for the whole truck or dash kits and so on you will just have to call and ask them. As far as running that just depends if you take out the wiring for the iginition or not.
New User
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 0
Likes: 24
There is a main harness with the number #14401 fixed to it.
This harness starts at the fuse box > portions of it stay in the cab under & through the dash, and another portion out to the firewall to battery & lighting.
It is a major undertaking to replacing this harness.
There are also many other option related harnesses that attach to this main harness.
This harness starts at the fuse box > portions of it stay in the cab under & through the dash, and another portion out to the firewall to battery & lighting.
It is a major undertaking to replacing this harness.
There are also many other option related harnesses that attach to this main harness.
Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,003
Likes: 0
Yes unfortunatly it is not an afternoon project. You will have to really think out what you want for wiring before you order parts and plan some down time in a place you can work on it. What problems are you having? Could you just rewire smaller sections at a time and keep the main factory harness?
EDIT:
My '79 has had the main harness cut completely in two behind the glove box apparently to remove the cab. I had an electrical problem which led me to where it had been cut and spliced back together with butt splices. Some of the main power wires had been just twisted together and covered with electrical tape. I took each wire one at a time (so you don't mix any up), removed the splices and any corrosion, slid my new shrink wrap on the wire and soldered using non acid flux. I then heated the shrinkwrap with a heat gun and moved on to the next wire. It works great now and as for reliability I will have to run it another 30 years and let you know...
EDIT:
My '79 has had the main harness cut completely in two behind the glove box apparently to remove the cab. I had an electrical problem which led me to where it had been cut and spliced back together with butt splices. Some of the main power wires had been just twisted together and covered with electrical tape. I took each wire one at a time (so you don't mix any up), removed the splices and any corrosion, slid my new shrink wrap on the wire and soldered using non acid flux. I then heated the shrinkwrap with a heat gun and moved on to the next wire. It works great now and as for reliability I will have to run it another 30 years and let you know...
Posting Legend
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 30,255
Likes: 37
Yeah, -you have to twist the connections, solder them, and cover them with heatshrink if you want the connections to last. Those but connector and other crimp type connections are OK if done properly. Very few people do them properly tho. Even if done properly they are not as good as soldered connections.
