The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay Nothing fancy wiring harness

I see where Classic Parts is having a 10% sale right now. I need to replace my wiring on a stock 53 3100 6v. I have read posts saying they are very happy with the $149 model, in my case #52-025. Let me hear from the satisfied customers as well as those who are not. Thanks, Steve

The only people who could not be satisfied are people who need a lot of additional fused circuits.

I used their wire loom in my 53 Burb, simple, easy install by the numbers.

I just bought a wiring harnesses from EZwiring you might check them out [email protected] I know nothing about wiring and there instruction are great I bought a 12 fuse 12 circuit system cost $170.00

Thanks Tim, That won't be an issue. No gps, radio, cell phone charger. etc. etc...Just gonna remain a semi retired 53 farm truck. Steve

This sounds like my style, "by the numbers". Thanks, Steve from the west side of Wa

had good luck with the Classic parts harness. very simple to understand. Of course I haven't put power to anything yet so cant say if it works but goes together well.

Have been running my Classic harness for 2+ years now, 12-volt conversion with a generator, Recirculating heater w/12-volt motor, Newport electric wipers, Hidden Stereo and turn signals which came pre-wired. Added a small 12-blade type fuse board under the dash and have had no issues at all. Easy to install, with good directions and the price made it hard to beat!

53Movinon,

I have been running a Classic Parts harness for about one and a half years now. It was great that everything was numbered. Made the install pretty easy. Only issues I ran into:

-Classic sends out for their harnesses and the one for my 57 was out of stock, so had to wait a few weeks (first time I ever had that issue with Classic)

-The harness seemed very well made and the alternator version I bought plugged up perfect, but the underdash wires that go to the stock instrument cluster were a little short. In fact, it's not possible to pull the cluster out more than a couple of inches before things start popping off. That had me chasing a few gremlins when I did not notice one or two of my wires had come loose when I serviced a bulb.

-The instrument bulb sockets on my version were made with very cheap metal. They have four very small tabs that are supposed to hold with spring pressure in the instrument cluster. But during install, no matter how I tried, they bent back on themselves and I broke three of them installing. I ended up reusing the old sockets from my original harness where this occurred.

-I had two wires that were over-crimped when the terminals were installed. They broke internally and you couldn't tell they were bad until they broke all the way. One went to my ignition switch. I chased that gremlin through a new ignition switch and other ignition parts before finding the broken connection (it was hanging on my a thread and I bumped it and it fell off).

All that said, I have had no issues with how it looks or works since then. My harness was relatively cheap compared to others I was researching, and you really do get what you pay for.

The instructions that came with the set were scary at first because they looked so sparse. Just a chart with numbers that corresponded to the wires. But as I worked on the install, I found them to be perfectly adequate.

Best of luck,

Jim

I just installed one in my burb this week. It went together pretty easy. The instructions sheet looks kinda scary but once you start it's its pretty much an "ah-ha" moment. My suggestion is to take pictures of your existing connections(if possible) and use them as reference. The only wire I don't know what to do with is the stoplight switch to my turn signal switch. My switch appears to be short a wire! Good Luck!

Thanks Jim for all that detailed information. I have a 53 truck and I wonder if it is made by the same company that made yours. These are the first negative issues that I have heard so far. I wonder if the other guys who responded had the same experience.

I don't know. I did not find any real negative reviews either when I searched (though I think a few mentioned spare instructions, but that did not end up being too bad).

It's always possible that the harness guys got a little hurried when they were doing mine and overcrimped. But I really fought with the light bulb sockets and was surprised that no one had ever mentioned them as an issue.

I don't know that any other harness uses different sockets. Just my experience with this one.

Best Wishes,

Jim

Thanks again Jim for the info. I am not completely sold on this harness until I get more information. I just don't want to go thru what you had to with light sockets. Working upside down in a cramped space is not much fun anyway!

This may be an issue with his later harness (57) this is my third re-wire using AD specific harness kits and I just don't see it as being that difficult. If you want to never mess with it and eliminate most issues prep for it.
Use your original metal instrument light pigtails (they don't pop out).
Heat shrink your connections and terminations.
Add a small modern blade fuse panel for additions and fuses (mine is hidden under the dash).
Tie and support the wires at the factory locations and any others where you suspect an issue may arise.
With a bit of additional thought and effort it can be made into a very robust installation.

He's right...could have just been my harness. As for the rest of these tips; they are spot-on. I did all these as well (even though my use of the old bulb sockets was by default).

Only thing I did different was add the original-style fuse block. Not sure I would have again, but I liked the look of the thing in the firewall, the harness had this change in mind, and I thought it was cool that there was already a cut-out in the firewall pad for it and screw holes were already there. That said, I needed the AGC type fuses (if memory serves), which I learned vary in length with their amperage. Cool again, but not very practical. Probably would have been better off going with the blade style as Brad did.

Happy wiring!

Very important point. I like the old look too, but I suppose when it means working or not working we just have to compromise. Steve

Funny story here is, after all the pain of doing the wiring install on mine (and incorporating the very old aftermarket Autolamp 9000 that mine came with), I wrote myself a "Post-it" note to run the turn signal hot wire to the new fuse block.

That post-it note was still in my bag of miscellaneous connectors, and hand-drawn diagrams for the "custom" connections, when I burned up half of the underdash wires when the Autolamp shorted out after a drive. Live and learn. Now, as much as possible is run through the fuse block.

And I keep the post-it above my bench as a testament to procrastination's cost...

Regards,

Jim