I've used various wiring kits (EZ Wire, Rebel wire), and they all split the harness for right side taillights, signals, headlights. Since I loom my installs completely, this makes it harder to install. Also, the joint is seldom close to where I need it (too long or too short). I would rather they be made without the splice, and just add a few feet of loose wire (that matches) so I can loom and splice how I like. Wouldn't that cost less to manufacture? Anybody else run into this on installs?
Same as above,but why do they always have 2 miles of extra wire left over after you do the job....Damn shorten up on the wire and cut the damn cost of the kits
Not every car is a Model A. They give you that much wire so that it will work on any car/truck which is why they are called 'Universal'. Better too much wire than too little.
Yeppers!! I'd rather say "wow look at all the extra wire I got left over" rather than "Are you fucking kidding me,, its 6" too short".
Yep, better to have it & not need it, than need it & not have it. Besides, what you don't use, can be coiled up & retained. Spare lenghts of wire can be your friend in oddball installations.
The only professional wiring kit I've ever installed was Ron Francis about 20 years ago. And they didn't have a weird splice or separation of the two sides wiring. I think they ran separate wires for each side all the way from the board. As for the guy who says there is too much wire in kits and the cost is too high....the wire is the cheapest part of the kit. I know you're gonna say copper is expensive, but not that much. They could double the length of the wire and only need to charge you 10 percent more for the kit. The high cost comes from the specialty boards, terminals, switches, and labor.
More wire the better. It is nice to be able to use the same coded wire for optional accessories. For example I added turn signal light mirrors. I just used some of the original cut off wire and it is still marked correctly. Wire is cheap. More optional circuits would be better. Windows, door locks and remote entry really need separate circuits so you can relay them properly.
I'd be pissed if I had to splice extra wire onto the kit. I've used rebel,ez-wire and american autowire--all a good price and all easy to use and I re-use the extra wire
Ive used both EZ wire and Rebel with very good results....yea the Ron Francis and the painless wireing kit don't have the wires attached to the fuse block making it ( to some ) easier but is it worth the extra $200.....
I just combine the rear harness into one and shrink wrap it all the way to the back and then run it across the trunk to the other side. Since I do '32s I usually keep them separate in front and run to each side inside of the firewall and down to the frame rail, then inside the rail and out to the radiator shell and to each headlight/turn signal. That way I don't have to run wires across the crossmember and under the radiator and then everything is hidden. Those harnesses work fine plus you get a bunch of left over wire to pack in your "on the road" emergency tool kit!
I'm not saying the kits are too long. I'm complaining about the useless splice where the wire Y's off to feed the right side of the car. Makes it hard to loom through shrink wrap, and the splice is seldom where I want it. There's 5 or more circuits that Y off... right tail, right reverse, right low beam, right high beam, right park.
I would like it better if the 'DIY' kits really let us do it how we want as '50Burban says. All kits i have used (i've used several) have harnesses with ample wire and are intended to be installed in a particular way. Well, if it is DIY then give us the individual pieces to make our own harnesses, esp the front where the right headlight and turn come from the left and have to cross the radiator per the kits' harness. Maybe we don't want to cross at the radiator. I have tried to buy spools of labeled wire with the proper colors, thye wouldn't sell it that way. How about a bag full of the parts to make packard connectors and other pieces that add to the professionalism and reliability of a finished product, ever try to buy that little boot that goes on the altenator? I don't need a bundle of tye wraps and a bag of butt connnectors, those i can get anywhere. American Autowire gets very close with thier kits, i give them credit, they'll give you the individual pieces right down to the pins in a lamp socket.
Try Affordable Street Rods wiring kits. I've used several and all the wire comes in a box and never had to splice to it. Easy to use and made in Kansas
I just used a REBEL kit on my 48 Suburban and other than the tail lights having that same problem I was very impressed with the kit. I cut the wire back and re-spliced it. Put a heat shrink over the but splice and your good to go. I spliced the rest of the rear lights under the back since not many trucks have to run wiring back up through the body like an old burban. I highly recpmmend the REBEL kits.
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