Thread: Whose wiring did you use?

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I've heard the same comments about Painless being tough to install. We just used a Summit wiring kit and I think it was made by Painless, the box looks exactly the same. We have done a fair amount of wiring and it was a good thing, because parts of it even had us scratching our heads and going for an educated guess sometimes. Very bad instructions, vague, skipped lots of important parts.

I think the next one is going to be an American Autowire. We hear good things. I have always just done my own, but the kits aren't a bad deal when you add up the cost of all the components you have to buy.

Don

Originally Posted by Itoldyouso

I have always just done my own, but the kits aren't a bad deal when you add up the cost of all the components you have to buy.

Don

Agree! But. I make mine as I go because I never know what, I'm going to end up with, and where, or when!

Pat

I used Haywire when I built the 46. That was about 10 years ago. The instructions were very good and the quality of the parts was good too. It even came with heat shrink on the crimp ends and a seperate plug-in harness for the dash. At that time I spoke with one of the owners and he added a couple extra circuits to the harness for me. Very good service then but I haven't seen any of their stuff lately.

I have an EZ harness in the shop for another car. It'll get the job done, but the instructions would give someone with little experience fits, I think.

I'm going to make my own for the T.

Try EZ- Wiring. Good instructions, quality wire, has the wire destination printed clearly every 5 inches along the wire, and is 1/2 the price of Painless.

Originally Posted by DennyW

I keep adding, or changing things I'm going to run.

Yeah, I know what you mean. I've wrangled with a several possible changes to the T over the last few months, but in the end I usually did what I started to do. Sometimes I think about this stuff TOO much.

Sorry, didn't mean to hijack.

Originally Posted by Itoldyouso

I've heard the same comments about Painless being tough to install. We just used a Summit wiring kit and I think it was made by Painless, the box looks exactly the same. We have done a fair amount of wiring and it was a good thing, because parts of it even had us scratching our heads and going for an educated guess sometimes. Very bad instructions, vague, skipped lots of important parts.

I think the next one is going to be an American Autowire. We hear good things. I have always just done my own, but the kits aren't a bad deal when you add up the cost of all the components you have to buy.

Don

After reading Don's and IC2's imput ,I went to the American Autowire web site. It actual looks easier than Painless. They don't post their instructions, but do have a help line to call. I'll give them a ring tomorrow about the highway 15 series hot rod kit. Looks to be the way to go. They seem to lean towards chevy, but work in fords so we'll see!

Originally Posted by stovens

After reading Don's and IC2's imput ,I went to the American Autowire web site. It actual looks easier than Painless. They don't post their instructions, but do have a help line to call. I'll give them a ring tomorrow about the highway 15 series hot rod kit. Looks to be the way to go. They seem to lean towards chevy, but work in fords so we'll see!

I just put one in a '32 roadster. Yuk! That would be my last choice. Boy did I chop that one up to work.

Geronimo
Clarify, please. Have you used other brands, and what made this one so bad?

Here is a link to Streetrodding forum that did a great job of summing up what's out there and the merits of each system.
http://www.streetrodding.com/index.c...Thread/id/1525
I'm going with American, because it's not preterminated, you wire what you need as you need it! No extra wires hanging around until you add say AC or radio. Plus the prices are quite variable, their 22 circuit highway kit, goes for as low as 360.00 on the web, maybe cheaper if you search more than I did. Biggeset complaint is it has a big fuse board for small applications. O.K. with me in the truck. I also like the guage disconnect so you can bench wire all of your guages then install and snap the connectors together! I talked with the owner on the phone and he was quite friendly and helpfull. For what it is worth, Steve.

This is a specialty of mine. If you have a good grasp on this aspect of your build then I recommend the Centech kit. If you don't, go with Ron Francis. The RF kit panel acts as a hub for all your components reducing the number of connection away from the panel. The American Auto wire kit is your run-of-the-mill GM connection kit. Yes its not preterminated at the panel but... everywhere else there is a GM connector for individual components. I have boxes full of GM style connectors I cut off wire kits because the connector doesn't end up in an accessible location. If I were to make my own harness for my own car I would still buy a run-of-the-mill kit simply because you can't buy the amount of GLX crosslinked wire for the price they sell it for. Then I would cut it up just for the wire.

Originally Posted by Geronimo

el. The American Auto wire kit is your run-of-the-mill GM connection kit. Yes its not preterminated at the panel but... everywhere else there is a GM connector for individual components. I have boxes full of GM style connectors I cut off wire kits because the connector doesn't end up in an accessible location.

Even as a Fordnatic, do not understand why you feel that GM connectors are a negative on a wiring kit - and why they end up in the wrong place. GM connectors are the "standard" of the industry as well as easy to obtain if necessary at auto parts stores - they work and with a dab of dialectric grease, very well. If you have a connector in an incorrect place - sounds like you miscalculated, not the manufacturer. The RF Bare Bonz kit is $430 plus ingnition switch and dimmer plus alternator wiring. It includes "proper connectors and terminals" whatever that means. Centech is a bit cheaper and seems to include, again, "correct connectors and terminals", but again, switches are extra - I would almost bet they are GM style. I will stick with the AAW kit.