E-Z Wiring

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jraj

jraj

Joined
Apr 10, 2011
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Location
Wildomar, CA
I was chatting with a buddy yesterday at my church (of all places.....lol) and we got on the conversation about Painless Wiring. He suggessted going with E-Z Wiring (same setup @ 1/2 the cost). Any advice? I am looking at replacing my current wiring with a fresh set.
 
I just redid my whole FJ40 with the EZ wiring kit and there are somethings that neither brand will supply (how to rewire the hazards and all the light, indicator switches etc on the steering column) but from what I've read and my own experience with the EZ kit, is that you ultimately pay more for the Painless kit.

All and I mean ALL the instructions you can find on the net are interchangeable with EZ/Painless. You can even download the install manuals from painless to use with the EZ kit, even the color of the wires are the same. If you are stuck and doing a search interchange EZ with painless and youll have all your questions answered.

If I was doing it again I'd use the EZ kit as its just cheaper for the same thing.
 
oh and a word of advise... it takes a LOT longer than you think, it just does!!!
 
:doh: it's neither painless nor easy
 
My son and I did a rewire with E-Z. No regrets. Good price and no special problems. The p o wired with all blue, stranded house wire and wire nuts, fun. It does take time, one wire at a time, follow the directions. The results will be a new safe wiring system.
Don't know if it makes much difference but our project 40 had a carburated 350 and a chevy steering column. Later troubleshooting or electrical add ons are easy, color coded wires that are permantly labled.
 
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Just did mine last spring w/ the Ez harness.
Price!!!! Painless is PROUD of their stuff. Ez is a lot more humble for the same thing.
I also thought they had good quality wire and in more than generous lengths.
I'll add that the price of the harness is CHEAP in comparison to the connectors, shrink wrap, etc. that you'll need.
I opted to use heat shrink connectors.... They're spendy, but NICE for piece of mind and additional weather sealing. I got my split loom from summit and you end up using waaaaaay more than you anticipate of that stuff.
The whole thing is very tedious and time consuming, but worth the time.
 
I used EZ. Wasnt difficult at all and so far no issues. You are right about the hazards and stock switches. With either harness you will be adding your own wires into it. It becomes a hybrid of the two wiring diagrams (original and EZ). If wired correctly all your switches will just need power and/or ground and then routing out to the lights. Hazards and turns connect up very interestingly, but it makes sense.

All I'm saying is that with either harness it isn't difficult if you take your time and go one circuit at a time. AND it will be easy to get everything to work AS LONG AS you understand the original wiring diagram.
 
So, switches, indicators aren't included- how about gauge wiring? External lighting? just picked up and am working on mechanicals of a '68 40, stock f and 3 speed, gauges shot, senders likely cut when the engine was rebuilt year's ago. Parking/front signals out too. Not sure if it's worth redoing all electric vs remediating current system. If the require kit will require that much added in...
 
You can always replace the old wore out, cut up, and burnt OEM harness with a new improved harness that will plug into your existing switches, lights and gauges perfectly AND can be easily worked on because it uses the OEM schematic with matching wire colors...
 
From my research and experience, if you have a SBC and a GM column, the new harness is a no brainer. If you have a stock engine and column, then sticking with the stock wiring may be the more painless route... I also used the EZ Wire and have no regrets. Just remember is it basically a generic setup, you've got to cut and terminate everything to stock plugs etc and anything beyond bringing power to the accessory is on you (switching, etc).
 
So- Coolerman says go new, TLC76 says fix the old. Any other thoughts? Like the idea of fresh wiring, not sure that having to add a lot of switches, lights and etc will be 5 steps back on a running 40.
 
To do it over again I would buy a harness from Coolerman. Check to see if he has your year. Original wire colors and mating connectors. Plug and play.

I used EZ and it wasn't bad at all.
 
jwh2m said:
So- Coolerman says go new, TLC76 says fix the old. Any other thoughts? Like the idea of fresh wiring, not sure that having to add a lot of switches, lights and etc will be 5 steps back on a running 40.
Click to expand...

you can make the EZ kit work with your existing switches, senders and gauges - all we said is you will need to recreate some wires that Toyota used in connecting the brake-blinker-hazard circuit while the EZ harness does not have them

since the EZ kit is based upon GM wiring philosophy, there shouldn't be a problem with wiring it to the 350 and associated sensors

Coolerman wasn't making harnesses when I was rewiring, and I put so many additional circuits and an additional fuse block in, I would have had to hack into his harness anyway

there is no single best solution in my opinion
 
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If I had a choice I'd buy coolermans product before anyone elses. Your going to save a ton of time and get exactly what you want that exceeds what the vehicle originally had in it and last for another 40-50 years.

Do it once and never worry about it again. Pretty sure he can customize it for other addition circuits as well.
 
Just remember that ez and painless are basically the same thing the main difference is the cost.


Not sure what coolerman charges but anything that mates up to stock still save a loot of thinking time. It probably took me more time thinking through how to wire up switches etc to match the wiring diagram then the actual install.

The one thing that I like is knowing I did it all and if something goes wrong ill know where to start looking.

If it was pure painless vs EZ save the cash. If it's EZ vs something close to stock and you don't have the time but you've got the cash talk to coolerman
 
Cooler man

Cooler man only does 71 and earlier wiring harnesses right?

If you have a donor harness or 2 can he do a later harness?

Thanks,

Cal-
 
Order the EZ and be done with it. Pros and cons for every option. Enough of us have used it to help you through it. Claudia explained it best. For instance you might buy an OEM turn signal switch - the switch has its own wires. Your brakes switch has a wire that connects to your turn signal - and the new harness will have wires that go the front and rear turn signal bulbs. It's all new wiring but some will be added in by you to make the OEM switches work. So you have to understand the new harness but you also have to study the original wiring diagram for your truck if you want to use your original switches.
 
caladin said:
Cooler man only does 71 and earlier wiring harnesses right?
Click to expand...

as far as I know, yes - which would also work in a pre-9/'72

caladin said:
If you have a donor harness or 2 can he do a later harness?
Click to expand...

anyone with some insight into wiring diagrams could - not sure he wants to

I have no dog in this :meh:
 
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