Wiring Harness for Fj40

[custyota]

Where is a good place to pick up a wiring harness for my 78 FJ40? I have found multiple sources and price ranges. Just looking for some advice of what and where to get one.

Thanks

 

[NCFJ]

I'd check into Painless wiring. I don't know if they have one for the 40 but I've rewired a couple Jeeps with their pre terminated complete harnesses and also used their Hot Rod wiring kit. Top shelf stuff.

 

[krzyabncanuck]

I used an EZ Wiring harness on my 45 and it was pretty easy. There is another company out there that i can not think of right now that people on here have had good luck with also besides Painless / EZ.

 

[Cirbo]

I used American Autowire with good success. I liked their documentation and phone support.

jC

 

[krzyabncanuck]

EZ has a really nice support also.

 

[southerncruiser62]

I second EZ Wiring's support...purchased a harness a few years back and never got around to using it, after a year and a half in original packaging they returned the harness for full refund.

 

[custyota]

thanks

Thanks for the help. Does anyone know of any mechs who specialize in wiring?

 

[krzyabncanuck]

I know around here it is very expensive to find someone that wants to mess with wiring. They ca charge by the hour. And it adds up fast trying to track down wiring gremlins. Are you trying to find one to track things down or wire it with a kit or from scratch ?

 

[custyota]

wiring

The wiring has been spliced and diced so much, I thought it might be easier to replace it. As far as I know everything worked before I finished removing harness. THe harness is in one whole piece. I also have a whole harness from a 77. When I picked up cruiser from my dad in cali it was a mess. The jack leg mech he had working on it and jacked a lot of stuff up.

 

[krzyabncanuck]

Depending on how bad it is it might be easier to redo yours properly.

 

[NCFJ]

You may also consider plan B. If you are any good at wiring at all you know that the wiring in the 40 is basic at best, bare minimum. You can buy something like a basic hot rod wiring harness that hass all the required circuits and adapt it to the FJ.

You'll have to add terminals etc but it may be a good way to solve your problem. This is the direction I am planning on going with my truggy.

 

[custyota]

no good...

I'm no good at wiring. Wha I think I will do is try to have the oem harness cleaned up and re-install. Then go from there. Thanks for the help.

 

[NCFJ]

Keep in mind also that your wiring harness (from a 78) is 32 years old. The insulation on wire becomes brittle over time and can crack leaving it to start grounding out etc. If you already have the harness out of the vehicle you are on the right path thinking about replacing it.

We all spend a lot of time and money on our rigs. In the true sense it is an investment. I am a huge believer that when you have things torn down to go through every part you put back on the rig. It is simply a time and money management plan. To go through an old brittle harness and just replace parts of circuits that have either been hacked by previous owners or become worn and brittle over time is setting yourself up for doing it again somewhere down the line.

Obviously this is OPINION on my part and not all will agree with me. Think about how many stories you have heard and read about guys that do not spend the time and money up front only to have things fail on the trail or out on the road. These failures never happen in the shop.

Stan

 

[krzyabncanuck]

Just a thought here and what i have done in the past.

You can still rebuild yours and get the same thing. Just do it one wire at a time and it will work fine. I have done this before. Very time consuming but when the customer wants it they pay for it.

Just a thought also. Not to get into a match here about what is best or works better. Just putting ideas out there.

This is mostly for a purist though with some time / money.

 

[NCFJ]

Just a thought here and what i have done in the past.

You can still rebuild yours and get the same thing. Just do it one wire at a time and it will work fine. I have done this before. Very time consuming but when the customer wants it they pay for it.

Just a thought also. Not to get into a match here about what is best or works better. Just putting ideas out there.

This is mostly for a purist though with some time / money.

I agree. I have wired trucks, bikes and boats from scratch. It is a lot of work, but well worth it in the end. I look at wiring just like any other system in a rig, if you already have it torn down that far go ahead and rebuild it while it's easy.

Just like a T case, trans or motor, if it's out of the rig and on the bench or a stand, to me it is foolish not to rebuild it prior to putting it back in the rig. That and Murphy's Law will always bite me on the butt if I don't.

 

[krzyabncanuck]

Thats what is going to take me some time on my 60. I am atleast cracking everything open right now and looking into it before i put this thing together.

And Murphy will get you.

 

[custyota]

I hate murphy...

Murphy sucks! My goal is to get the engine in during January. I've asked fro $$$ for Christmas so I can then tackle the wiring.