Wiring from scratch

[thrudrew]

I am thinking about wiring my 75 bronco from scratch. I don't want to spend the money or the limitations of a harness, I also have some access to different types of wire and by trade is close to what I do for work. Does anyone have any advise or ideas for what to look for before I start? Also, I am starting with a blank dash from BC broncos and plan on using all new gauges.
Thanks

[tortuga]

Re: Wiring from scratch

That is what I have been doing so far, the only stock piece of the harness is the one that goes to the rear lights. That is going to go, just haven't got to it.

A few thing first, though: I had already gone to custom dash/ gauges, relays for headlights, one wire alt, hi torque starter, dual batteries, pertronix ignition, etc.. Already so far off the map the stock harness didn't make sense anymore with one exception - Turn Signals! Haven't got that figured yet but don't anticipate a problem.

I took a piece of aluminum and set it up on top of the driver's side wheelwell, then used that like a backboard to screw in fuse blocks, ground blocks, relays, etc.. without swiss cheesing the wheelwell.

There are a lot of good threads on hear about connectors - you might want to search a bit on that. Like this: http://www.norcalbroncos.com/forum/s...ad.php?p=37046

Wiring from scratch appeals to me for many reasons, one main one being that I know what every wire is for and how to troubleshoot on the trail. I design and build integrated systems for access control, CCTV, telecom and the like so relays and such are home ground.

[Efibroncoman]

Re: Wiring from scratch

I got a 21 circuit EZ Wiring harness for only $165, and I would definitely recommend going that way. It is set up like a really basic GM harness and I really don't think you can get that much wire for that cheap! Plus with so much extra wire you can add any accessories that you want!

[CityHick]

Re: Wiring from scratch

Like efibroncoman said, the 21 circuit EZ Wiring Harness is a good deal simply because of the amount of wire it comes with. I didn't find it to limit my wiring needs at all and was able to route everything the way I wanted to. As I was pulling wire I made a cross reference sheet, so for example the wire labeled power windows might power my audio amplifier, the AC clutch lead locks the clutch on my Sanden OBA compressor, etc.

Fungus and I also have used fuse blocks from late 90s vintage Ford Taurus cars. These blocks hold 10 of the large style blade fuses. Find a loaded Taurus or Sable in a junk yard and it'll be fully populated and makes a great primary load center to power your accessories that draw higher amps (not that there are many of those on an EB).

Wiring from scratch wouldn't be too difficult either, but I'd start with some form of manufactured fuse block (I believe you can get a blank fuse block from Painless with no harness if you're dead set on building your own).

Good luck.

[Spaceburger]

Re: Wiring from scratch

Here is a thread I wanna watch.....Keep track of the hours you put into it. Tony - how many hours did you put into yours? Design vs. troubleshooting

[71BRONCO71]

Re: Wiring from scratch

How I would like to do this.
Only piece of solid advice is make a BUNCH of accessory power connections. I only made 4 extra connections and I want/need more.

Also put the headlights on a relay.

[CityHick]

Re: Wiring from scratch

Here is a thread I wanna watch.....Keep track of the hours you put into it. Tony - how many hours did you put into yours? Design vs. troubleshooting

Way too many hours! But then again, I am a software guy who'd never wired a car before. I was learning on the fly.

I'd say I spent 10-12 hours on the initial design work, and at least half of that was spent carefully reverse-engineering the hacked up stock Ford harness that came in my Bronco. That gave me a decent understanding of how everything worked. When I got the new harness, I pulled it out of the box in my living room, where I identified all the wires (they are all labeled every 6 inches or so) and grouped them into logical segments, bundling them up with zip ties. Probably a few more hours there.

I then moved the whole harness out to my Bronco and roughly laid it out, then slowly started deciding on the final layout and design. That project got interrupted a bunch of times and wasn't really "final" for probably 6 months, but had I been able to focus on it and not get side tracked, I probably could have done most of it in a week's worth of after work garage sessions. I was learning as I went, and spent a lot of time on the phone with an EE friend of mine and also with my dad, an electrical/electronics guru. I also spent a lot of time connector-izing the harness, making it a modular system with extensive use of weatherpack connectors.

I've probably hijacked this thread enough... Long story short, everything works. Not bad for an amateur hack!

[thrudrew]

Re: Wiring from scratch

I'm still in the early planning stage, trying to figure out how complicated I want to make this. Does anyone know where I can get a good complete wiring diagram? Also does anyone have recommendations on the gauge wire I should use for the project?

[Efibroncoman]

Re: Wiring from scratch

I wouldn't use anything smaller than 16 gauge. Use bigger wire for higher amp stuff(ie: offroad lights, alternator, Ignition switch...). The reason I like the EZ harness is that it is designed to plug into many GM switches, which we all know are much more readily available that Ford Bronco parts when you happen to be in a small town somewhere and need a part NOW!