Power Wires to roof

[chevyguy_72]

Is there any way to run a power wire up in the roof to the mirror/ sunvisor area? I figure there has to be considering many have lights mounted up there on the outside. I have converted my visor to have a homelink Garage opener in it and figured it should not be that hard to get power to it. Any info is appreciated
Thanks

[Palf70Step]

You could run the wire in the innside windshield gasket. I'm debating on trying to drill 2 holes in the inner roof, one at the mirror and one over at the post and see it I can fish some wires through for that same purpose and hide them better than the windshield gasket.

[chevyguy_72]

I had thought of the windsheild gasket already. This was going to be my last resort since there will be a lot of wire exposed.
Thanks though

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

You could run the wire in the innside windshield gasket. I'm debating on trying to drill 2 holes in the inner roof, one at the mirror and one over at the post and see it I can fish some wires through for that same purpose and hide them better than the windshield gasket.

[uncle]

Go up through your l/h windshield post. That's where the harness for the roof lights goes.

[GMan69]

I installed a comp/temp mirror in mine. For now, the wiring is tucked behind the windshield gasket. This leaves only about 4" of wire exposed between the gasket and the backside of the mirror.
Putter also installed one in his new cab and fished the wiring through the roof and pillar to exit close to the kick panel. Real clean. Again, it leaves only the short length of wire exposed from the mirror to the roof.

[matthufham]

i don't know if this would work, but you know how the wires get to the dome light/cargo light, you could snake some wires up the rear pillar and between the roof panels to the front, but it'd be a tricky snake job.

[chevyguy_72]

Originally Posted by uncle

Go up through your l/h windshield post. That's where the harness for the roof lights goes.

I poked around in there and could not seem to find a way through.

Originally Posted by matthufham

i don't know if this would work, but you know how the wires get to the dome light/cargo light, you could snake some wires up the rear pillar and between the roof panels to the front, but it'd be a tricky snake job.

I tryed this also but could not get through so i thought maybe the seam in the back of the cab went all the way through solid.

[Longhorn Man]

Matt, that is close to what I was going to say.
Remove your dome light, and then drill your hole up front where you'll be mounting your components, then shove some mechanics wire through it and fish it around untill you see it in the hole left by the dome light. Leaving plenty of wire to tuck into the roof for slack, tap into the orange (hot) wire on your dome light. If you go to the junk yard, you can get some adapters that'll keep you fromn splicing... just find a cargo light truck and dig in there.
Insert the crommet in the hole up front before running the wire and you'll be good. It is all protected by the fuse for the dome light, and the door opener will never pull the amperage needed to pop the fuse.

[Longhorn Man]

Wow... I'm a slower typer than I thought.
I'll look into this tomorow.. I have to move my spare cab from one storage unit to another tomorow.

[mocwon]

Originally Posted by matthufham

i don't know if this would work, but you know how the wires get to the dome light/cargo light, you could snake some wires up the rear pillar and between the roof panels to the front, but it'd be a tricky snake job.

That's very close to how I did it installing a '92 Camaro rear view mirror. Using a thin fish tape you can actually fish the tape from the cargo light hole from the outside and actually feed it all the way around to the front to the large sunvisor hole.

Drill a hole directly above where the rear view mirror is mounted large enough for an 18ga three conductor wire. There's about 3/4" between the top edge of the windshield gasket to where the inner roof panel rolls back on the inside. Take the sunvisor off on the driver's side. Run the fish tape from the hole you drilled to the large hole the sunvisor spring goes into. Attach a three conductor 18 ga wire to the fish tape and pull in back through the hole. Now, feed the fish tape from the outside of the cab through the cargo light hole until you can feel it with your finger in the sunvisor hole (this is a two person job). Pull the fish tape out of the hole, attach the other end of the three conductor wire to the fish tape and pull it back and out of the cargo light hole. This takes some patience. It took about 30 minutes to finally get it to work on my truck. If you have the type of rear view mirror with lights and three conductors one of the hot leads attaches to a constant hot at the dome light and the other hot lead attaches to the switched hot. The black gets grounded. Drill a small hole in the inner roof panel from the cargo light hole and install a srcew. When done, the light mirrors come on when either door is opened and when the doors are shut you turn the lights on with the switches on the mirror. It's a pretty cool upgrade.

[Bob Moore]

If you remove the driver side sunvsor and feel around in there, you will find about a 1" hole at the top of the windshield post that leads to a hole up along side the instrument cluster. I used a speedo cable inside as a wire fish tape. Go from the top down until you find it at the dash level. Attach your wire and remove the cable slowly to pull the wire up the post. To get power to the center drill a small hole under the inside mirror mount and feed the speedo cable back toward the sunvisor area. Reattach your wire and pull away.

Good luck - Bob

[krue]

When ya'll get thru with the ideas this ones going to FAQ.

[chevyguy_72]

That sounds like what i was looking for. I will try it when i get home
Thanks

Originally Posted by Bob Moore

If you remove the driver side sunvsor and feel around in there, you will find about a 1" hole at the top of the windshield post that leads to a hole up along side the instrument cluster. I used a speedo cable inside as a wire fish tape. Go from the top down until you find it at the dash level. Attach your wire and remove the cable slowly to pull the wire up the post. To get power to the center drill a small hole under the inside mirror mount and feed the speedo cable back toward the sunvisor area. Reattach your wire and pull away.

Good luck - Bob

[Putter]

I rolled the gasket back at the mirror and drilled a 1/4" hole, then did the same at the left edge of the glass. Also, as high as I could on the drivers pillar, then again just under the dash. Fished the wire and use some rubber grommets to dress it up. Only 1 inch of wire exposed in the corner, and very few at the mirror itself.

[matthufham]

show off! well, looks like thats the way to go.

[Longhorn Man]

I looked at my cab, and there is no practicle way of doing what I had said, there is a small hole there, but it isn't practicle.

[chevyguy_72]

Originally Posted by Bob Moore

If you remove the driver side sunvsor and feel around in there, you will find about a 1" hole at the top of the windshield post that leads to a hole up along side the instrument cluster. I used a speedo cable inside as a wire fish tape. Go from the top down until you find it at the dash level. Attach your wire and remove the cable slowly to pull the wire up the post. To get power to the center drill a small hole under the inside mirror mount and feed the speedo cable back toward the sunvisor area. Reattach your wire and pull away.

Good luck - Bob

I looked at this and could not find any hole around the sunvisor opening nor one beside the instrument panel. Is it possible some trucks came equipped with this hole (for the lights) and some not? I have 2 cabs and have tried on both
Thanks

PS no cargo light on either cab so all i have is a dome light hole and the holes for the sunvisors.

[chevyguy_72]

I think i get what you did now.
You ran the gutter around the edge of the windshield to the hole located right by the windshield gasket right in front of the istrument cluster

Originally Posted by Putter

I rolled the gasket back at the mirror and drilled a 1/4" hole, then did the same at the left edge of the glass. Also, as high as I could on the drivers pillar, then again just under the dash. Fished the wire and use some rubber grommets to dress it up. Only 1 inch of wire exposed in the corner, and very few at the mirror itself.

[Bob Moore]

The hole in my 67 was in the post as shown in factory assembly manual. I don't recall having to drill an access hole at the dash attaching area but the factory assembly manual shows a hole between the 2 lower dashboard attaching bolts.

The post hole is the same hole used to feed wires to the rear on Burbs. I am sure it exists on all PU's as well.

[mocwon]

Originally Posted by Bob Moore

The hole in my 67 was in the post as shown in factory assembly manual. I don't recall having to drill an access hole at the dash attaching area but the factory assembly manual shows a hole between the 2 lower dashboard attaching bolts.

The post hole is the same hole used to feed wires to the rear on Burbs. I am sure it exists on all PU's as well.

My 72 P/U didn't have the hole in the A-pillar. That's what I was looking for since it seemed like it would easier than running the wire half-way around the cab. Don't like seeing exposed wires so, went the elbow to get to the thumb to the dome light.

[Putter]

Originally Posted by chevyguy_72

I think i get what you did now.
You ran the gutter around the edge of the windshield to the hole located right by the windshield gasket right in front of the istrument cluster

I did not use any hole that was punched from the factory. I drilled 4 holes total.
One- directly over the mirror
One- At the far left side of the windshield (at the top corner)
One- In the pillar at the top of the windshield (Left corner)
One-Under the dash right below the bolts that hold the dash to the cab.

The yellow dots indicate where I put holes. I used a clothes hanger to fish the wire.

[chevyguy_72]

I can see a ring that looks like you may be able to punch it out but there is not hole and there is not one higher either. Must be year specific or have something to do with how the truck was ordered. Still makes me wonder about the trucks with the cab clearance lights. ( are those stock)

Originally Posted by Bob Moore

The hole in my 67 was in the post as shown in factory assembly manual. I don't recall having to drill an access hole at the dash attaching area but the factory assembly manual shows a hole between the 2 lower dashboard attaching bolts.

The post hole is the same hole used to feed wires to the rear on Burbs. I am sure it exists on all PU's as well.

this is similar to what i ended up doing and is probably what i will do on my new cab. For this one i just drilled the top hole ran the wire down the windshield gasket and in through on of the holes for the dashpad. There is only about an inch of wire exposed in between the dashpad and the gasket so it will work for now.
Thanks for all the help guys.

Originally Posted by Putter

I did not use any hole that was punched from the factory. I drilled 4 holes total.
One- directly over the mirror
One- At the far left side of the windshield (at the top corner)
One- In the pillar at the top of the windshield (Left corner)
One-Under the dash right below the bolts that hold the dash to the cab.

The yellow dots indicate where I put holes. I used a clothes hanger to fish the wire.

[Andy4639]

I just want to know about the mirror itself? What do you need for it to work besides the mirror, and what vehicle do you get it out of?

[mocwon]

Originally Posted by Andy4639

I just want to know about the mirror itself? What do you need for it to work besides the mirror, and what vehicle do you get it out of?

Mine was out of a '92 Camaro but any mirror with lights will work out of any vehicle as long as it doesn't interfere with the sunvisors. If you get one of the late model units with compass, clock, TV, dishwasher, microwave, etc you'll need all the sensors too. Just run the power wires whichever way suits your taste and you're done.

[Putter]

Mine is out of roughy an '04 Suburban, truck, etc...
I got the mirror with harness that plugs in the back and also the temp sensor that is behind the grill. Looks like a black 'hey the turkey is done' pop-up thingy. All the directional stuff is built into the mirror mount.