Full rewire - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

Jmac05 · 08-27-2002, 01:58 PM

Has anyone rewired the whole truck with a new complete wiring kit? I want to ask if it is hard, but that is subjective. With the instructions provided, can I hand it to a chimp, and expect him to get about half way through it before screaming at me and biting me?

tom hand · 08-27-2002, 02:10 PM

Depends on the chimp. If you have the truck all apart for a frame-up it is a piece of cake. If you are wanting to rewire your daily driver over the weekend so you can drive it to work Monday, you better do your homework. If your learn where all the wires go before you start you could rewire it by yourself in a day.

'72 Cheyenne Super · 08-27-2002, 02:12 PM

Earlier this year I put a Painless Wiring kit in a Blazer. I wouldn't exactly say it is "painless", and I'm pretty good at wiring. This kit, however, had added wiring for power windows, power locks, AC, and some other fluff in the event that one would want to add those items in the future. I hated to tell the guy that he wasted nearly $400 for the kit (and $250 for my time), as his wiring was in very good shape considering how bad the rest of the truck looked. The only bad wiring on the truck was where someone had butchered the taillight wiring trying to install a trailer pigtail. Me personally, if the wiring's not bad to begin with, I'd sooner replace individual wires that are bad rather than doing a complete kit.

One thing I will say, Painless does a very good job of labeling wires for identification, and the instructions are fairly thorough (if not a bit confusing for the average person).

Smooth68 · 08-27-2002, 02:18 PM

I've got an E Z Wiring kit on mine and it is a very well designed harness. You can get it either labeled or color coded.

chevy2racr · 08-27-2002, 02:30 PM

can you get a painless kit with all the factory connections on it? or can u get any like that?

Jmac05 · 08-27-2002, 02:32 PM

I can get whatever...

palallin · 08-27-2002, 03:20 PM

Just looking at the LMC catalog suggests that the job could be done in steps, as many of the circuits are separate harnesses. The firewall box would be the bottleneck; once past that, almost every "section" of the truck has its own bundle.

Low68 · 08-27-2002, 05:08 PM

I installed a painless wiring kit on my truck. We didn't research and understand enough before we started so it took longer, but It works. It wasn't exactly what I would call painless either. I have since taken the wiring out and put it back in. If you are going to do anything where the wiring needs to be taken out, do not get the painless wiring. If I ever did another wiring job, I would try a Ron Francis wiring kit or something like that. On those kits, you can disconnect all the individual wires. Just what i would do. If you are not planning to take the wiring out, then the painless wiring would probably work alright plus they do sell kits ment for the truck that have some of the factory connectors.

08-27-2002, 01:58 PM	#1
Jmac05 L.E.D. Tail lights, Baby! Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Corona, Ca Posts: 290	Full rewire Has anyone rewired the whole truck with a new complete wiring kit? I want to ask if it is hard, but that is subjective. With the instructions provided, can I hand it to a chimp, and expect him to get about half way through it before screaming at me and biting me? __________________ *Prov 3:5-8* "Hook 'em" L.E.D. Taillights for sale NOW!!! If interested, visit: www.earlyclassic.com or our website: www.jmcled.com All 67-72 GM Taillights are on sale untill 5 p.m. on Dec 15th, with Guaranteed Christmas delivery! joel.mcwaters@jmcled.com

08-27-2002, 02:10 PM	#2
tom hand CCRider Join Date: Feb 2000 Location: Olive Branch,MS,USA Posts: 2,232	Depends on the chimp. If you have the truck all apart for a frame-up it is a piece of cake. If you are wanting to rewire your daily driver over the weekend so you can drive it to work Monday, you better do your homework. If your learn where all the wires go before you start you could rewire it by yourself in a day. __________________ 72 GMC Sierra SWB almost finished---- 84 Softail Olive Branch MS

08-27-2002, 02:12 PM	#3
'72 Cheyenne Super Registered User Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Puyallup, WA USA!! Posts: 85	Earlier this year I put a Painless Wiring kit in a Blazer. I wouldn't exactly say it is "painless", and I'm pretty good at wiring. This kit, however, had added wiring for power windows, power locks, AC, and some other fluff in the event that one would want to add those items in the future. I hated to tell the guy that he wasted nearly $400 for the kit (and $250 for my time), as his wiring was in very good shape considering how bad the rest of the truck looked. The only bad wiring on the truck was where someone had butchered the taillight wiring trying to install a trailer pigtail. Me personally, if the wiring's not bad to begin with, I'd sooner replace individual wires that are bad rather than doing a complete kit. One thing I will say, Painless does a very good job of labeling wires for identification, and the instructions are fairly thorough (if not a bit confusing for the average person). __________________ '72 Cheyenne Super 4x4, 468ci, 700R4, Import Stomper. A couple pics at http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?p=6&uid=529895&

08-27-2002, 02:18 PM	#4
Smooth68 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: West Fork, Arkansas - Razorback Country Posts: 1,826	I've got an E Z Wiring kit on mine and it is a very well designed harness. You can get it either labeled or color coded. __________________ Smooth68's Web Site WTB 64-66 project or frame/cab, SWB or LWB...I have the fever! Whatcha got?? '68 Short Step - Shaved Body, Soon Bagged - *SOLD* Driver-2004 GMC Z-71 Ext-cab

08-27-2002, 02:30 PM	#5
chevy2racr So Many Ideas, So Little Money Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Marshalltown, IA Posts: 1,610	can you get a painless kit with all the factory connections on it? or can u get any like that? __________________ 72 Blazer 3/4 ton running gear 4.10s NP205/TH350 350 4in lift half doors 71 C10 with 454 99 S-10 5.1L SBC 700R4 09 Malibu Marshalltown, Iowa

08-27-2002, 02:32 PM	#6
Jmac05 L.E.D. Tail lights, Baby! Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Corona, Ca Posts: 290	I can get whatever... __________________ *Prov 3:5-8* "Hook 'em" L.E.D. Taillights for sale NOW!!! If interested, visit: www.earlyclassic.com or our website: www.jmcled.com All 67-72 GM Taillights are on sale untill 5 p.m. on Dec 15th, with Guaranteed Christmas delivery! joel.mcwaters@jmcled.com

08-27-2002, 03:20 PM	#7
palallin Registered User Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: St. James, MO Posts: 1,238	Just looking at the LMC catalog suggests that the job could be done in steps, as many of the circuits are separate harnesses. The firewall box would be the bottleneck; once past that, almost every "section" of the truck has its own bundle. __________________ '69 Longstep K-10: 327/SM465/T-221/Closed Knuckle Dana44/12-bolt.

08-27-2002, 05:08 PM	#8
Low68 Registered User Join Date: May 2001 Location: Arizona Posts: 758	I installed a painless wiring kit on my truck. We didn't research and understand enough before we started so it took longer, but It works. It wasn't exactly what I would call painless either. I have since taken the wiring out and put it back in. If you are going to do anything where the wiring needs to be taken out, do not get the painless wiring. If I ever did another wiring job, I would try a Ron Francis wiring kit or something like that. On those kits, you can disconnect all the individual wires. Just what i would do. If you are not planning to take the wiring out, then the painless wiring would probably work alright plus they do sell kits ment for the truck that have some of the factory connectors. __________________ Build Thread



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