Bronco gets a new harness and more.

SeaBiscuit68 · Aug 31, 2018

Hi all,
I've been enlisted to install a new harness in a friends Bronco. It's something I like to do and was happy to oblige. I was going to just do it, but thought you might like to go along with me for the ride, thus this thread. Also I like advice from others so feel free to give me any input you might have.

So, to begin, Dave came over and dropped it off and I have to say I enjoy working on a clean machine. I will be surprised if I get more than slightly dirty doing this job. Since everyone likes pics, here are some to show what I'm working with.

SeaBiscuit68 · Aug 31, 2018

After looking at it I realized it needed more than just a new harness. There's quite a bit of work that has been done to this Bronco over the years. Each time something was added the clutter would increase. There's just quite a bit of accumulated messiness for lack of a better description. Look at the pics I attached to see what I mean. The upgrades are all nice and individually there'd be not much to complain about I guess. The end result however, just doesn't cut it.

My initial thoughts are that I absolutely have to turn all of this into a much cleaner arrangement. I can do that and it'll be a big improvement. I also had the thought of installing a nice power distribution block above the right front inner fender. There is some real estate there to do it and I can get all of the relays and fuses into a better location like a modern vehicle. Presently there are relays and fuses scattered around various places. Having them all in one place would help me achieve that cleaner install, plus it just makes a lot of sense. Dave is at a place where nothing else is going to be added to his Bronco so now is the time to do it right.

I've installed several harnesses in the past, Painless, Centech, Ron Francis, and they're all good in their own way, but I've always felt that their fuse panels are a bit lacking. Add extra off-road goodies into the mix and the need for something better really shows itself. So, I've been looking at what's out there and so far I haven't found the right one. I might be getting ahead of myself a little as what I really need to do is figure out how many relays and fuses I'm going to need and also what sizes. Once I have that I can narrow down the choices. The goal here is to achieve a first class system in looks and function.

That's all for now, I'll be back with updates as I go.

willtel · Aug 31, 2018

How many accessories are you looking to run and what amperage?

You may want to look into a power distribution module.

http://pdm60.com/

It is a PDM designed for motorcycles and UTVs to minimize wiring when adding accessories like lights and stereos. Same principle as the PDMs from Motec and Racepak just smaller and more affordable.

The outputs are configurable through software and you can adjust the amp loads and trigger settings too.

[/QUOTE]

Here is another one that can be custom ordered depending on loads required.

https://electronspeed.com/pages/smart-relay

Just a thought.

SeaBiscuit68 · Aug 31, 2018

Thanks, I want thoughts. I'll look into this after work.

pennyduke · Aug 31, 2018

I really like the look of that Roll bar. Is it custom?

Powerbyford · Aug 31, 2018

That rollbar looks just like my WH San Felipe bar with front cage add on.

SeaBiscuit68 · Sep 3, 2018

I'll have to ask him which roll bar it is.

Here's a pic of what I do to make it easier to insert myself when I have to get under the dash. Remove seats, lay down a couple of 4x4s and some heavy cardboard.

NC-Fordguy · Sep 3, 2018

Glad to see you posting up again!!!

Pa PITT · Sep 3, 2018

SeaBisquit68 are you the Same seabisquit from 10+ years ago. I'll swear you were here I joined .. Where'd your post count go. I thought you'd have 20K..
... BUT ANY WAY I want to follow along on this post.
I have a 68 that I either need to sell or fix. but this wiring harness cost both half .. Harness cost & Install cost both have me pushing back.

SeaBiscuit68 · Sep 9, 2018

Hi NC.

Hey Pa, yeah it's me. If we lived closer I'd do it for ya.

I only get to work on this mornings and evenings before and after work, so slow but steady. Anyway Here are some pics of where I got to today. I'd love to able to pull off the custom plate that covers the dash, but nope. The roll cage is in the way plus I'd also have to remove the steering column. I'm not doing that. So, it's the hard way for this one. Note to me and others: if you split the custom dash plate into two pieces where the column opening is, it can be removed easily with everything in place. Just saying.

SeaBiscuit68 · Sep 12, 2018

I have the main harness out and laying on my work table so I can examine the modifications it had had and to make a game plan. Lots of cheap butt and spade connectors. Lots of cut wires going nowhere. It has stuff added in like a winch, front and rear air lockers, a flaming river steering column, original instrument panel is gone, lot's of new gauges, an efi 302, things like that.
The fuse block had been replaced at some point and I just had to share some pics of it. Notice the turn signal wire with only a few strands left intact, also the fat watchamacallit wire about to let lose. Can you say disaster averted?

mattyq17 · Sep 12, 2018

SeaBiscuit68 said:
Note to me and others: if you split the custom dash plate into two pieces where the column opening is, it can be removed easily with everything in place. Just saying.

SeaBiscuit68,

I did that on mine for this very reason. I will be putting a removable patch panel to fill the hole below the column. I can roll the top of the dash down and then pull it out. I know I will be replacing my wiring harness at some point and this just made sense.

Keep up the good work!

Crawdad · Sep 12, 2018

Subscribed

rjrobin2002 · Sep 12, 2018

You are like a unicorn, someone that actually likes wire harness install and doesn't hook up all the wires wrong and post up a thread complaining about the harness sucks cause the blinkers are backwards, the horn honks when they press the brake, LOL.

SeaBiscuit68 · Sep 18, 2018

I thought I'd post an update. I had to do a lot of examination on the old harness to figure out what the previous persons were thinking. Part csi, part archaeology. I've added a pic here to show it opened up. In it you'll see evidence that I bag and tag everything, take lots of notes and use a crappy harbor freight multi-meter.

Anyway, I've got it all figured out now except for a couple of screwball things in the instructions - if you want to call them that. Speaking of which, I should fill you in on one of the challenges I'm facing. Dave gave me a Centech harness he had bought quite awhile back and had never installed. This was probably on some well meaning advice, but it is best suited for a stock Bronco which his is not. So I get to make it work and to add to the mix, He intends to someday reconfigure the dash back to a more stock like arrangement. He wants me to retain the original instrument cluster stuff etc. instead of cutting that out and removing which I originally intended to do. So, I'll be keeping modifications to it to an absolute minimum while at the same time making it fit his arrangement. After scratching my head over that for a bit, I decided I needed to bring his dash arrangement to my work table. I did this by making a template out of cardboard. I laid some paper over his dash, scored it with my thumbnail, cut out the holes and then traced it out with a sharpie. This will help me make some daisy chain wires for the gauges and switches and generally be a help making sure stuff will reach. My goal is to install it only once.

All of the old is out except for the last of the rear portion at the tail lights. I'm dodging rain, but for now I'm shopping for connectors, heat shrink etc. Soon it's on to more fun bits.

SeaBiscuit68 · Sep 19, 2018

Here's some pics of what I learned via my template. Basically there are two issues that need to be addressed. 1, the headlight switch needs to be moved to the right where the new location is. 2, since the glove box has been moved to the left, the fuse panel wires are too long. The first issue shouldn't be too bad. I am going to open the new harness and extend whatever wires presently go to the left. I can then have that business exit in a good location. The second issue is less than easy. I'm not sure at this point, but it looks like just getting that 8" or so of wiring to bend into an oxbow shape might work. The problem is that that portion is fat and stiff and whatever I do I can't put stress on the fuse panel. Maybe I'll find another solution, but we'll see how that goes. I said you'd be along for the ride. So, good bad or ugly, it is what it is. We'll call this a real world scenario. Definitely not plug and play.

Dlish · Sep 19, 2018

To keep things clean, I really liked the Painless harness wrap/wire loom. WAYYY better than the hard plastic slit tubing you started with in the engine compartment.
Not the cheapest, but it comes in a few sizes and is really cleans things up.

SeaBiscuit68 · Sep 20, 2018

Dlish said:
To keep things clean, I really liked the Painless harness wrap/wire loom. WAYYY better than the hard plastic slit tubing you started with in the engine compartment.
Not the cheapest, but it comes in a few sizes and is really cleans things up.

Yes, I really like that idea. I'm going to try and talk him into it for sure. I hate the hard plastic stuff, it traps moisture and half the time the slit is hanging open. A pic or two above shows exactly that. I peeked inside the Centech slit and the wires are not wrapped in there. Out of sight, out of mind, sheesh. I would have preferred to start with a Painless anyway but oh well. I see that Wild Horses sells the goods by the foot: Here

KeithKinPhx · Sep 23, 2018

Wow. Live the layout and prep. Great idea. Guess it is time to get my new harness out of the box. Thanks for posting. Really helpful.

SeaBiscuit68 · Sep 27, 2018

Here's a look at the passenger side portion of the harness and what I've done to it. The Xs mark stuff that isn't needed. I ended up removing the yellow horn wire also.
I got in some samples of the painless sheathing and I really like it. The ends are really frayed but it responds well to some scissors and a Bic lighter, kinda like you do to nylon rope. It should work well.

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