Factory Truck Fuse Box

[wgeyer88]

Hi guys,

With the restoration project moving along quickly now that the weather is warming up, I'm starting to think more about my LS swap engine wiring harness. My donor came with the complete engine wiring harness, and parts of other harnesses too. It seems that the common thing to do is to cut off the factory truck fuse box and wire up a smaller stand alone box.

Is there any specific reason that more people aren't using the factory fuse boxes? It seems like it would be really easy to strip out the unwanted wires and leave the rest in place. My guess is that it's simply the large size that turns people away.

Is there something else I'm missing?

[BR3W CITY]

There is more stuff removed than is left in on most of these swaps. Huge plastic box full of unused slots and wiring stubbs just isn't worth it.

[wgeyer88]

Yeah that's true. I'll start looking around for a good replacement soon.

[99RegalGS]

I did use the 2003 truck fuse box in my swap. To make the fuse box more worthwhile I rewired my horn, radio, cigar lighter, blower motor high and headlamp high/low beams trough it. No more melted dimmer switches for me!

I placed the fuse box just to the left of the brake booster. It doesn't look bad there at all. My original goal was to remove the interior fuse box with glass fuses and replace it completely with the truck fuse box. Unfortunately there are no provisions for turn signals and accessory switched power.

[wgeyer88]

Do you happen to have any pictures of it? I haven't seen any pictures of trucks with the original box. I was thinking that it might be useful to keep if you use enough of the existing slots.

If you keep your headlight relays, fuel pumps (dual pumps), and all the other necessary relays, I can't imaging that there would be too many unused relays. I'm sure many of the fuses will go unused.

[99RegalGS]

There are only 3 unused relays with the fusebox, and yes many fuses are unused...

[wgeyer88]

Thanks for the pictures! It really doesn't look all that big. It doesn't take up any useful space under the hood if mounted where you have yours. It actually fits there pretty good.

Did you put electric fans in there? I know on the donor trucks they usually have a separate little fuse box next to the main box so they will need to be moved to one of the empty slots.

I'm definitely going to consider doing this.

[99RegalGS]

Glad to help with the picture. That spot works quite well, you do have to keep it close to the brake booster though, due to the hood spring.

I do have an electric fan. It's out of a 90's FWD Volvo (2 speed single fan). I also am using the fan relay from the same car. I mounted the relay for the fan right next to the battery.