Painless vs Centech harness install difficulty

[rjrobin2002]

Who has installed both and what's the difficulty of one compared to the other? Centech is $650 and Painless is $950.

I read a thread where multiple people said they were able to install the Painless in about 10 hours.

 

[904Bronco]

Who has installed both and what's the difficulty of one compared to the other? Centech is $650 and Painless is $950.

I read a thread where multiple people said they were able to install the Painless in about 10 hours.

There is more to do with the Painless, it is less finished. That is the part you do.
But if you are comfortable with wiring and able to predict what upgrades you are going to need and make provisions while you are in installing, the kit will allow you more flexibility.

The Centech is finished and pretty much a bolt in. However, even it can have some modifications done if you are AR. I have trimmed the rear section back because it was too long. I have extended it in other places, because I think the tail is too short. I have added wires in the windshield channel for future upgrades. You are limited to what is supplied.

Both products are well built. Is Painless worth the extra $$$ ? IMHO I do not think so, but only because most of my builds are relatively stock in their configuration. I do not need the extras.

I was close to the 10 hr mark... But I had everything I needed... Solder, shrink wrap, connectors/weather-pack, and an uninterrupted day. And an Owner who had done the research and knew exactly what they wanted. NO added surprises during wiring.

 

[ransil]

10 hours your a stud or I'm slow as hell.

I have done 1 painless and quite a few centech.

centech I usually undo the harness and make them fit better, Broncos are never stock.

always add additional time for rebuilding light buckets, adding additional grounds.

throw the lawnmower ignition switches away, use the stock switches.

for a modified bronco I line Ron Francis

 

[rjrobin2002]

So the Painless is less finished but cost $300 more?

 

[JaxLax]

10 hours your a stud or I'm slow as hell.

for a modified bronco I line Ron Francis

These two things. I've done Centech and a Ron Francis.
I probably had 25-30 hours into each getting it in and trouble shooting.

I have no idea what I'll choose in the future.

 

[t120r]

I made my own in 2 days during slow periods at work. Not sure I would ever do that again though.

 

[rydog1130]

Im putting the centech in, I like that its all loomed ready to go, wish the book was in color, but it comes with all the switches for your dash ready to install. Also, buy the ignition switch adapter so you can install your factory ignition. Depending on year you will need to enlarge your firewall holes to a 1 3/8" and possibly cut an extra hole on the passenger side...good luck

 

[rguest3]

If you are modifying a Bronco such as electric gauges, one wire alternator with internal regulator and not using the Ammeter gauge then I would not use the Painless. Painless is good for a stock build and all the wire colors match original. It also has a lot of extra switched and B+ circuits for added accessories, maybe too many?

I actually do not like the wire harness already loomed because I'll change the firewall exit location on many wires.

It's been awhile since I have used the Centech so not much info on it.

American Autowire is great, is made to handle many modifications easily, but the wire color does not match the original. This harness is very well laid out easy to modify and terminate as you like. I usually use weatherpack connectors anyway and wire length Modification is easy. It is not recommended for a stock replacement rebuild.

10 hour install is pretty damn quick for any of them!

 

[jim3326]

I used the Painless on my first re-wire. If you have a later model (76-77) it is a good choice. I ended up stripping about 30% out of it for my '66 as it doesn't have all the other lights and used almost nothing forward of the firewall since I put an EFI in. I went with AAW on my second '66 and it was a lot easier.

 

[Brent13]

I did Painless on my 74, best mod ever. It is a PILE of work, no doubt. It is very straight forward for the most part, instruction book, all 85 pages, is great. I don't ever want to do it again, but a great add to our old trucks! All I know is the Painless harness, but I'd buy it again if I needed to do another truck, very happy with it.

 

[sykanr0ng]

So the Painless is less finished but cost $300 more?

Painless uses higher quality more expensive wire with the Ford color code.
Which means that color wire goes where that color wire is supposed to go on a Bronco.

All the others use cheaper wire with the GM color code.

 

[DirtDonk]

So the Painless is less finished but cost $300 more?

Yep. Plenty of reasons, but on the surface it does seem like the Centech gets the nod for bang-for-the-buck due to the nice taping job.
But some of the reasons that come to mind right off top for the Painless cost are:
1. TXL wire is more expensive.
2. Ford factory colors are more expensive.
3. More wires (a LOT more) is more expensive.
4. Bigger, fancier, weather-resistant fuse box is more expensive.
5. Comes with a new glove box liner already cut for their fuse box.
6. Comes with the small panel for covering up the firewall holes in '66-'70 models.
7. An 83 page manual is likely more expensive that that "brochure" that passes for instructions from Centech.
8. More factory style connectors come with it. Including multiple choices for the steering column.
9. The very large Painless organization and multi-step distribution policies are usually more expensive for the end-user than is a small company selling direct and through small distributors.

Probably more reasons too, but that's just off the cuff. It's still a matter of whether that stuff is worth it to the individual buyer or not. The Painless is an overkill setup in some cases, but not in others. And the options are practically endless.
My personal favorite feature is the factory colored wires. I'd pay more for that, but yes, I still hate that it's overall so much more expensive than the others are.

The centech being already taped up (very nicely done as well in fact) is great, but I end up cutting the tape in several places to re-route the wires to where I think they should be anyway. So even though I've done more of them than the other brands, I kind of prefer the un-loomed harnesses so I can make my own bundles/branches to go where I want them to go and around any new features that were not on an original Bronco.

To your actual question, I'd have to say that even with having to modify the taped sections sometimes (you may not have to) the Centech would probably be considered "easier" by most.
Just for truth in advertising, I sell all four mentioned (Centech, Ron Francis, American Autowire and Painless) and each has their advantages in one way or another.
Quality has never been an issue with any of them. All use good wire, all have the functions of the wire printed on them, and ALL are better than the stock stuff they're replacing!!!!!

Good luck with the decision.
Oh, and the 10-hour install time as well.;D

Paul

 

[904Bronco]

10 hours your a stud or I'm slow as hell.

I have done 1 painless and quite a few centech.

Well the Owner brought the Bronco with no drive train, old harness already removed, and a bunch of new parts... So I had an advantage ;D

Wiring is one of those tasks that should not be rushed...

My 1st use of the Ron Francis WH's EFI harness, Not to bad, well thought out and I gave Paul some feedback on it...

 

[ransil]

1. TXL wire is more expensive.
GXl & SXL is not a bad choice they are all auto wire

2. Ford factory colors are more expensive.

shouldnt be much more for a big company

9. The very large Painless organization

so prices should be better for volumn buying

.
My personal favorite feature is the factory colored wires. I'd pay more for that, but yes,

The centech being already taped up (very nicely done as well in fact) is great, but I end up cutting the tape in several places to re-route the wires to where I think they should be anyway.

I prefer un tapped so I can run the wire the way i want, 98% of the time I unwrap the harness.

 

[DirtDonk]

1. TXL wire is more expensive.
GXl & SXL is not a bad choice they are all auto wire

In fact they might even be better choices. But TXL is smaller, so the bundles are smaller. Which isn't a bad thing either. But I like GXL just fine too.

2. Ford factory colors are more expensive.

shouldnt be much more for a big company

It's still about volume, and just about any company, no matter how big, is going to pay more for fewer feet. They probably purchase 10x as much GM color wire as Ford. That's obviously just a wild-assed guess on my part, but it's probably not completely out of line.

9. The very large Painless organization

so prices should be better for volumn buying

Not necessarily the way I was thinking about it. Sure they may pay less for a component than does a small Centech-sized company, but they build more profit into the selling price anyway, to cover all that other stuff that a smaller company doesn't. Other than the modern automotive aftermarket industry, small companies often had better pricing on similar products. Nowadays, even in other industries with the internet-of-stuff out there competing, someone somewhere (big or small) is probably selling the same things someone else is, for less than the other company can even pay for it!

My personal favorite feature is the factory colored wires. I'd pay more for that, but yes,

The centech being already taped up (very nicely done as well in fact) is great, but I end up cutting the tape in several places to re-route the wires to where I think they should be anyway.

I prefer un tapped so I can run the wire the way i want, 98% of the time I unwrap the harness.

Yeah, agree with the untaped part. Too many little things you run into where a pre-made bundle is just not exactly where you want it to be. I know whatever I get for mine will be unbundled.
I'm still jonsing for this one myself: http://www.wildhorses4x4.com/produc...e-Duty-Universal-Harness-Kit/americanautowire
but still like much of what the other harnesses have to offer as well.

Paul