Electrical: Universal wiring kit

[kmac530]

I have a '52 2R10 truck that I am building. I am NOT trying to go original. I am making it a daily driver, round town shop truck. It has a later V8 in it and will have a custom flat/stakebed, so nothing stock really. Originality is not important to me.

I have found a few Universal wiring kits with all of the wires and fuse blocks and connectors for very reasonable prices. The wires are all labeled full length what they are for, i.e. left turnsignal printed all of the way along the wire.

Has anyone used one of these kits?
What issues can I expect?
How many circuits do I need to order, they come in 14-22 circuits, for an average truck?

I am not going to run any FI or anything fancy, maybe a decent stereo {hidden of course} and possibly A/C later but other than that nothing over stock not even turnsignals probably, well maybe but it didnt come with them so I may not.

[DEEPNHOCK]

Buy a copy of Street rodder magazine and look at what the eleventeen wiring guys have to offer...
Painless Wiring comes to mind (and I have used their products with success)

One suggestion...
If they offer a 15 circuit unit, and you only plan for ten....buy the 20 circuit unit.
It is a PITA to add circuits later, but a joy to plug them into unused slots in an overbuilt setup.
It is easy to coil up the unused circuit wire loom into a neat wire tied loop and hide it until it is needed.
It is hard to add one later on...
BTDT
Jeff

[woodysrods]

There are lots out there and they are all similar but not all the same!
"Ron Francis" makes the most user friendly kit if you have never put one in....but most expensive.
I personaly like "American Auto Wire"
"Painless" is cheap and one of my least favorite.
10 to 12 circuits is enough for mos siple street rods or trucks.
Good Luck
Good Roads
Brian

[woodysrods]

Jeff and I disagree on this one! Those 15 = circuit kits have things like power seats, power door locks, power windows, power antena's, etc. etc.
KISS is my motto here.
Brian

[DEEPNHOCK]

Quit reading the labels and hook it up to what you want.
I found out that Ron Francis hides generic relays in his own labelled boxes.
I've used both and have had no problems with either...
Jeff

Jeff and I disagree on this one! Those 15 = circuit kits have things like power seats, power door locks, power windows, power antena's, etc. etc.
KISS is my motto here.
Brian

[woodysrods]

Jeff Please read your PM's
Brian

[DEEPNHOCK]

OK... But my comments stand on their own merit..
Jeff

Jeff Please read your PM's
Brian

[woodysrods]

Bottom line here is that aftermarket Universal kits all work and most can be installed by anyone! They have also all come down in price so much that you can't really lose with whoever you decide to go with.
Good Roads
Brian

[Bud]

I've used a couple of the generic kits I found on EBAY in the R series trucks with good luck. They have more circuits in them than you will ever need unless you are planning on installing a bunch of extra electrical equipment, the kits with a bunch of circuits in them aren't necessary. Bud

[aftontrix]

I need to do this someday but I am hesitant to try as I am terrible at putting connectors on wires. Is it necessary to change connectors to fit the Studebaker? Thanks

[Pat Dilling]

I need to do this someday but I am hesitant to try as I am terrible at putting connectors on wires. Is it necessary to change connectors to fit the Studebaker? Thanks

Unless you buy a manufacturer/model specific wiring kit from someone like Studebakers West you will need to terminate the ends. A universal kit is exactly that, they build them with enough length and variety of connectors for many applications. If you are going to tackle this, it is not difficult, just time consuming and can be tedious. I suggest you invest in a QUALITY set of crimpers and wire stripper and then practice using them. These are items you will always be able to use in the future. You can search YouTube or elsewhere on the web for videos that show you how to properly crimp terminals onto wires. One of the keys is to make sure you are using the proper size terminal for the wire you are using. Most good kits will have an ample supply, especially if you over buy as Jeff suggests. Whatever you do, do not try to re-use terminals, they only cost pennies a piece, well maybe quarters, and re-using one is not worth the grief it may cause at the most inconvenient time later. (Refer to Murphy's Law).

Pat

[DEEPNHOCK]

Yes, Most of these kits have the wires labeled/printed every six inches, and have several feet of looped wire.
You mount your circuit panel where you want to, and then route the wires to their destination.
Then you cut it to the needed length, add your terminus connector, and move on to the next circuit.
My suggestion about getting a bigger circuit is just that. A suggestion.
I have built into my current system the provision to add an electric fuel pump, and a couple other items that are currently not on the vehicle.
But....someday.... I they get added, it is a simple matter of pulling out the short loop of wire in the back, and hooking it up.
Easy to do now... Hard to retrofit in later...
Just thinkin' down the road....
Jeff

I need to do this someday but I am hesitant to try as I am terrible at putting connectors on wires. Is it necessary to change connectors to fit the Studebaker? Thanks

[DEEPNHOCK]

And if a kit isn't your bag, you can still do it yourself.....
(But the kits make it a lot easier)

Sometimes your project was started/added/modified before it came your way...


With enough time, wire, and patience, you can build your own..

[Gunslinger]

Whatever kit one decides to use, regardless of how the wiring is marked...I would maintain an accurate wiring chart of what color wire is for what circuit...for your own reference down the road and for the benefit and convenience of future owners.

[gordr]

For simple wiring jobs, you don't even need a kit. Just buy a few rolls of wire, or, if you are a real CASO, salvage a few long harness runs from vehicles at the local Pick and Pull. Get a box of quality automotive wire terminals. Depending upon the vehicle, you will need ring and fork terminals in several sizes, male and female spades, and male and female bullets, and some specialty terminals. Get a supply of good quality heat shrink tubing in sizes to do single terminals and also wire bundles of various sizes. Get some barrier terminal strips: these are black plastic blocks with a row of threaded metal links, each with two screw, and the links are separated by raised plastic dams. You can put 2 or more wire ends under each screw, if you need to, and you will.

Get a roll of lead/tin rosin-core solder if you can find it. The lead-free solder is miserable to work with, and you aren't planning on eating it, are you? Get a good soldering gun, and a good set of crimpers and wire strippers. None of these are expensive.

I like to pull the colored plastic sleeve off the terminals, and discard it in favor of a short length of heat-shrink. Skin the end of the wire, slip a length of heat shrink over it, insert it in the denuded crimp terminal and crimp. I like to use the portion of the crimp tool that pushes a little dimple into the crimp sleeve, rather than the portion that simply squashes the sleeve flat. With the terminal crimped, use the soldering gun and solder to solder the terminal to the wire. When you have enough heat, the solder will wick right up the wire and into the crimped area of the sleeve. Once the soldered joint cools, position the heat shrink over it, and apply heat from a Bic lighter or heat gun. Result: a professional-looking terminal that is at least as good as OEM terminals, both mechanically secure, and electrically efficient.

It's easy to acquire the skills to do this, and the end result is a wiring job that looks like it could be part of some piece of military equipment.

Essentially, those barrier terminal strips are used in places that that manufacturer would have used one of those multi-pin harness plugs that go through the fire wall, or which are used to join a sub-harness (say headlamps) to the main harness.