Things I learned installing my wire harness:
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More Turbo
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 582
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From: New Orleans United States
Things I learned installing my wire harness:
I have finished my new Centech harness (pictures are on the way).
Here are some some of the things I realized while working.
1) Remove the hood, it's worth the work.
2) Buy at least a 1000 pack of zip ties.
3) Get in good with the local stereo install shop, they have all kinds of neat toys to make wiring easier.
4) A vehicle where you can sit in the engine bay with the engine still installed is a blessing.
5) A 4x4 truck where you can sit up underneath it with no jacking required is also a blessing.
6) One wire can tie itself into 10 knots just sitting there on its own when it knows its going to be pulled through a grommet.
7) Dirt can fall UP into your eyes when both hands are crammed behind a dash and you have no way to get it out quickly.
8) Wire loom can cut like a razor blade on the seam where it is split.
9) A job planned to take 3 days will take 2 weeks.
10) Don't try this on a computer controlled vehicle.
Here are some some of the things I realized while working.
1) Remove the hood, it's worth the work.
2) Buy at least a 1000 pack of zip ties.
3) Get in good with the local stereo install shop, they have all kinds of neat toys to make wiring easier.
4) A vehicle where you can sit in the engine bay with the engine still installed is a blessing.
5) A 4x4 truck where you can sit up underneath it with no jacking required is also a blessing.
6) One wire can tie itself into 10 knots just sitting there on its own when it knows its going to be pulled through a grommet.
7) Dirt can fall UP into your eyes when both hands are crammed behind a dash and you have no way to get it out quickly.
8) Wire loom can cut like a razor blade on the seam where it is split.
9) A job planned to take 3 days will take 2 weeks.
10) Don't try this on a computer controlled vehicle.
Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2005
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From: the side of a mountain
i have been lookin at that same thing, was it pretty straight forward and a direct replacement?
PS: PREVIOUS OWNERS SUCK, why do they think a roll of yellow wire will fix every electrical problem?!?!
PS: PREVIOUS OWNERS SUCK, why do they think a roll of yellow wire will fix every electrical problem?!?!
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More Turbo
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 582
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From: New Orleans United States
It was amazingly simple. The whole harness comes in 9 sections that intertwine with each other. Just read ALL the directions for every section vbefore starting so you aren't pulling wires out of completed loom, and having to rerun wires from another section to one already installed. I learned the hard way.
I am waiting on the rear light harness that was left out of my first shippment. All it took was one email to Centech asking if it was forgotten, and they admittied it was and have it on the way to me. Great customer service, fast response time, and no hastle what so ever. I am just sorting out dash light gremlins, but that should be done tomorrow. Then I am just reverse lights away from being 100% street legal. I did skip the little things like door switches and dome light since this is my hot rod toy and not the daily driver.
I was debating on if that pesky heater should be ripped out of the dash while I was in there, but I wired it in and have all 3 blower speeds now.
I am waiting on the rear light harness that was left out of my first shippment. All it took was one email to Centech asking if it was forgotten, and they admittied it was and have it on the way to me. Great customer service, fast response time, and no hastle what so ever. I am just sorting out dash light gremlins, but that should be done tomorrow. Then I am just reverse lights away from being 100% street legal. I did skip the little things like door switches and dome light since this is my hot rod toy and not the daily driver.
I was debating on if that pesky heater should be ripped out of the dash while I was in there, but I wired it in and have all 3 blower speeds now.
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More Turbo
Joined: Dec 1999
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From: New Orleans United States
The truck's getting a torture test. I am currently loading it up with the trunk of an oak tree that fell across by back yard that was 10ft across where it was rooted into the ground. I need to take a picture of it when it is fully loaded.
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Posting Guru
Joined: Mar 2006
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From: The City
Originally Posted by 76 F-150 390FE
i have been lookin at that same thing, was it pretty straight forward and a direct replacement?
PS: PREVIOUS OWNERS SUCK, why do they think a roll of yellow wire will fix every electrical problem?!?!
PS: PREVIOUS OWNERS SUCK, why do they think a roll of yellow wire will fix every electrical problem?!?!
Elder User
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 597
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From: San Antonio, TX
Yes, previous owners do suck. The wiring in my truck was all torn up and WRONG. Wires were cut and twisted together, extra wires hanging down, some wires not connected... I'm surprised nothing ever caught on fire! I have no clue what the guy was thinking...
Also, the oil pressure sensor, temp sensor, and something else wasn't working, so instead of fixing it, he installed one of those multi-gauge clusters under the ash-tray, and the oil pressure gauge was the cheap kind where the oil actually went through a tube into the cab to the gauge and leaked everywhere. I know a lot of you guys put those extra gauges in your trucks, and to each his own, but I took that junk out as soon as I got the truck. It wouldn't have been so bad if he did a decent job of putting it in.
I think this thread has gone off on a tangent, but this is an interesting discussion. Maybe the mods can split this thread into a new one about "The horrors of previous owners" or something
Also, the oil pressure sensor, temp sensor, and something else wasn't working, so instead of fixing it, he installed one of those multi-gauge clusters under the ash-tray, and the oil pressure gauge was the cheap kind where the oil actually went through a tube into the cab to the gauge and leaked everywhere. I know a lot of you guys put those extra gauges in your trucks, and to each his own, but I took that junk out as soon as I got the truck. It wouldn't have been so bad if he did a decent job of putting it in.
I think this thread has gone off on a tangent, but this is an interesting discussion. Maybe the mods can split this thread into a new one about "The horrors of previous owners" or something
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,782
Likes: 15
From: Lower Mainland B.C.
Originally Posted by 76 F-150 390FE
PS: PREVIOUS OWNERS SUCK, why do they think a roll of yellow wire will fix every electrical problem?!?!
New User
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 0
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I think he means they bought only one roll of wire *the colour of wire being yellow* and proceeded to wire up every different circuit with it.
\If it isn't yellow, it was green or blue .
I think I saw this truck once
\If it isn't yellow, it was green or blue .
I think I saw this truck once
Posting Legend
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 30,255
Likes: 37
Instead of using that split loom go to Radio Shack or Wall Mart and buy spiral loom in 10' lengths. It is made from spiral cut black plastic tubing. MUCH better than that split loom the OEM's use. The 3/8" tubing will wrap everything from 3/8" to 3" and can be found in 100' spools for big jobs in both natural and black color.
