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Help Me Choose a Wiring Harness Please

FORD*DIEHARD

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Sep 20, 2018
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298
I am new to the forum but I can already say, Great info! I have been having issues with my '74 not starting with the ignition key, I could only start it by bypassing the solenoid. I started to follow the wire back and came to a connector, as I unplugged the connector it was so brittle that it fell apart...now my problems just got worse. So at this point due to the age of all the parts, this would be the time to do it right. With the info provided I am leaning towards the Painless wire harness. I understand installation timing depends on experience and barring no other issues arise, how long does it usually take to install an all new harness? I looked up the Painless harness and noticed a couple different ones (Painless part#10123-21 circuit harness, part# 10113-28 circuit harness, Painless #10101, and from Wild Horses a 28 circuit with night lighter headlight harness & loom kit). Any recommendations which one I should go with? With my research it looks like only the Wild Horses products come with a new glove box. Thank you in advance for everyone's help. Sonny
 

onpier55

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Joined
Oct 19, 2017
Messages
339
Loc.
Roseville Ca
If you wait til Christmas. Painless has a 25% off with free shipping. I bought last thanksgiving for 25% off but had to pay shipping. I’m installing it now and am happy with it. And I’m doing an explorer motor also. Good luck
 

ObscureMachine

Seatbelt Orifice Officer
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Sep 28, 2006
Messages
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World Headquarters
I always over-complicate everything. I'm going with centech. But I'm doing custom dash with rocker switches from OTTRAW for lights and gadgets. I will have an extra fuse panel and a relay panel with up to 6 relays.
 

ransil

Bronco Guru
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Sep 6, 2003
Messages
8,122
I always over-complicate everything. I'm going with centech. But I'm doing custom dash with rocker switches from OTTRAW for lights and gadgets. I will have an extra fuse panel and a relay panel with up to 6 relays.

i would re think this and either buy a different harness or a universal one
 

sprdv1

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REBEL
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Mar 8, 2007
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can't go wrong w/the painless.. even though it is a little high dolla
 

sykanr0ng

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Aug 11, 2014
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5,363
I always over-complicate everything. I'm going with centech. But I'm doing custom dash with rocker switches from OTTRAW for lights and gadgets. I will have an extra fuse panel and a relay panel with up to 6 relays.

i would re think this and either buy a different harness or a universal one

/\/\ What he said +1!

Why pay for stuff that you are going to start throwing away as soon as you take it out of the box?
 

ObscureMachine

Seatbelt Orifice Officer
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Sep 28, 2006
Messages
3,998
Loc.
World Headquarters
/\/\ What he said +1!

Why pay for stuff that you are going to start throwing away as soon as you take it out of the box?

I'm not going to throw away everything away, just add some for the extras and perhaps need to extend a few.

I'm not doing universal. What other brand would you suggest? AAW?

Thanks - Jim
 

DirtDonk

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Bronco Guru
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Nov 3, 2003
Messages
47,355
Centech is the poorest choice for your Bronco.
Painless as you say is too much and is for a stock bronco.

For all your mods my choice would be Ron Francis, it does come with a lawn mower switch, figure out how to get a stock on in there.( AAW does too)

Can't actually argue with the order of desirability stated above, but I would say that Centech isn't actually a poor choice per sé, and is powering up a ton of Broncos running around.
Easy enough to make a few minor changes and to add that secondary fuse panel too.

The others mentioned are definitely "better" for most. Just don't want you to think a Centech is crap.

I am new to the forum but I can already say, Great info!
...I started to follow the wire back and came to a connector, as I unplugged the connector it was so brittle that it fell apart...now my problems just got worse.
...With the info provided I am leaning towards the Painless wire harness. I understand installation timing depends on experience and barring no other issues arise, how long does it usually take to install an all new harness?
...I looked up the Painless harness and noticed a couple different ones (Painless part#10123-21 circuit harness, part# 10113-28 circuit harness, Painless #10101, and from Wild Horses a 28 circuit with night lighter headlight harness & loom kit).
...Any recommendations which one I should go with? With my research it looks like only the Wild Horses products come with a new glove box.

Hey Sonny, welcome!
Yep, yours sure sounds like a perfect candidate for new wiring. The dried out and brittle connector you found is the dead giveaway. Surprisingly, most of our old EB's still have wiring that's at least semi-supple, but most of those that are still in good shape age-wise, have been hacked to death by PO's that thought they were wiring experts!

Would love to say that our version of the Painless is the only one that comes with the glove box, but that's not the case. The Bronco-specific harness (Our #6095** and the Painless #10113 (with switches is the best way) 28-circuit) comes with the glovebox from Painless already cut out for the proper size hole to fit their larger than stock fuse box.
So anyone you purchase one from will include the box.
I usually recommend the one with the switches (any brand of harness) but for someone that might already have purchased new switches recently, or perhaps just wants to save a little money, you can get the version without switches too.

When you have some extra time on your hands check out the thread started by Eric from Painless (member Eric0o1 here) a few years ago where he joined the forum and with the help of many members here designed the harness for Painless.
Great read, like so many semi-epic threads hereabouts.


I'm going with centech. But I'm doing custom dash with rocker switches from OTTRAW for lights and gadgets. I will have an extra fuse panel and a relay panel with up to 6 relays.

Easy to do with yours I think. If I remember, you're adding, or have already added a high power alternator? If so then before you even install the harness, plan to use the Yellow alternator charge wire to feed any number of fuses and/or relays.
It's a heavy duty 10ga wire and can either be used right there in the corner by the battery, or pulled up through the harness to the firewall, or even inside the cabin to power an array of things. Whether a power stud (whatever the correct name for them is) or a terminal strip, it's got a direct connection to the fuse panel and the battery.

And if running an auto, don't forget to plan ahead for the Purple/Violet START wire. If a manual you just run the single wire as-is to the starter relay. If you have a neutral safety switch or clutch interlock, figure out where you want to run the other Purple wire that is in two halves waiting to be wired into the switch.
One of the few little glitches in the Centech that are easier planned for before the install.

Since Centech expects you to become an expert at Weatherpack connector building (it's a great idea by the way) and includes a bunch with their harness, a proper crimper is a must.

Paul
 

JefeAZ

Bronco Guru
Joined
Aug 23, 2011
Messages
3,038
Loc.
Tucson
Where do you find the coupon for this. I was going to rebuild my harness but for 600 bucks it would hardly be worth it. Thanks, Ken
eBay doesn't give any notice, I just get notifications on my phone from the app. They have had 3 15% sales in the last last 45 days. Any day now there should be another. Just go to ebay.com and at the top middle it will say 15% off sale
 

bronkenn

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Apr 27, 2017
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Southeast Ohio
eBay doesn't give any notice, I just get notifications on my phone from the app. They have had 3 15% sales in the last last 45 days. Any day now there should be another. Just go to ebay.com and at the top middle it will say 15% off sale

Thank You, I'll keep an eye on it.
 

Tonyduc

Jr. Member
Joined
Aug 3, 2018
Messages
81
Good thread. Has anyone used the Painless 10113 kit with the switches ? Might as well replace 50 year old switches in my '66 while I'm at it. Just wondering if they fit in the dash and attach well to the stock knobs ?
 

eric0o1

Sr. Member
Joined
Apr 17, 2008
Messages
592
They are EB stock replacement switches, the will work with factory knobs.
 
OP
OP
Ol'Blue

Ol'Blue

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JaxLax

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Apr 22, 2002
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3,309
Loc.
Jacksonville, FL
I've gone to lengths here and I've done a Centech, a Painless, and a Ron Francis.

For the original poster: Ron Francis. Yes it's more universal, but you have more fuse options (I personally like the bat/ign hot choice for a lot of the extras already there) for the custom stuff.

I'm leaning towards a Painless personally for mine in a few year at the moment, but I've also accepted that I'll have two extra fuse blocks (with relays) for extra components (one ign hot and one bat hot).
 

DirtDonk

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Nov 3, 2003
Messages
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You may still end up with the extra fuse panels/blocks Jax, but get the system first (or study the diagrams heavily at least) because you may find that you have more than sufficient extra switched and unswitched fused circuits in the Painless.
I can't remember the number, but it's a LOT of extra fuse positions and wires.

I want to say off the top of my head that there are 12 circuits used in the basic installation, and another 8 that are ready-to-run, but unused except for extra circuits.
Of those 4 would be constant power and 4 would be switched.

Maybe Eric can correct that information if he's seeing this.

Paul
 

BroncoChicken

Sr. Member
Joined
Mar 29, 2015
Messages
356
On the Painless, there are 4 extra switched and 4 extra constant power, plus one additional switched that also runs in ACC. After my EFI swap, I’ve also got a couple other switched wires that are looking for a new purpose.
 

FORD*DIEHARD

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Sep 20, 2018
Messages
298
I started researching different harnesses and did not realize the prices, I understand to do things right, it is not always cheap but right now the prices are not in the budget because not having any experience replacing this myself I will need to have it installed and I have asked around and installation was just about the price of a harness so for now I have to just try and make what I have work. Thank you everyone for your help. It is hard to find someone to trust with your rig, are there any "FORD" shops near the Los Angeles CA area? I have been taken for a couple of times already, I also have a '97 F350 that have been taken for. I thought taking them to an offroad shop and paying more for their expertise/knowledge things would be done right...nope, replaced parts that they recommended and still having the same issues after taking it back 3 times. Thank you in advance for any and all help.
 

DirtDonk

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Nov 3, 2003
Messages
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Hey Diehard. Welcome to classicbroncos!

But I hate to tell you this, but anyone that has an install price for a full harness that's less than $1000 is probably taking you again!
Either that, or they're so experienced at it that they can do it with their eyes closed and two hands behind their back!
Well, I guess that is pretty much the price of a full-price Painless kit, but that's still a pretty fair labor price these days.
For CA anyway. Take it to a small 4wd shop in Nevada that has time to work on stuff and not as high a shop rate might get you something. But it will also be a pain and logistically cost you more.

The good news is there are several Bronco-specific businesses in CA, but the bad news is they have to pay CA real estate prices and their shop rate reflects that.

Sorry you've had those other experiences already. I was lucky (I guess that's one way to look at it) and learned how to do all of that stuff while very young and never had to use a shop until recently. Now it's tough to take it to anyone that's not me!
Instead of learning how to work on my own cars, what I really should have been doing all that time is learning how to make more money so I could pay someone to do it when the time came!

Oh well, the directions our lives take sometimes work out in one way but not the other.
But it sure was fun!

Maybe someone will have a good recommendation for you. Lots of members here in your region.
And speaking of which, what corner of the world (the Los Angeles world that is) are you in?

Good luck.

Paul
 
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