Getting wires into the doors in an AD

[BlueJeep]

For those of you who are so inclined, how are you getting wires into the doors of your AD trucks? I'm not doing power windows but I do want keyless entry power locks, so I'm looking at how best to run the wires into the doors for that.

[mr48chev]

Some of the vendors sell flexi tube kind of things to run the wires through but I haven't looked at them for so long that I totally forget who has them.

There are some ideas here. http://www.4wheelparts.com/Doors-Doo...03&t_pt=101260 I see that Summit has some with the stainless braided conduit for about 40.00

Amazon.com: braided stainless door wire looms

[55dude]

hit the wrecking yard and look how the new trucks and see how they are done for some ideas.

[Speedbumpauto]

Mine are TF but should work the same. Came with my window kit but I think they're available separately. Its a coil spring, kind of like a screen door spring but larger. It has two plastic/nylon/abs type bushings that fit, one in the door and one in the jam where it holds the spring, and the spring slides in and out of the door bushing, bending slightly, when the door opens and closes. Wires are inside. It doesn't make noise and it works slick.

[MARTINSR]

Originally Posted by 55dude

hit the wrecking yard and look how the new trucks and see how they are done for some ideas.

There isn't room for what a late model car uses, the door pivots going inside the fender and the wire boot where it goes from door to cowl can't work as there is no room.


Brian

[hyatt]

Specialty power windows makes the spring based kit mentioned above I have used it on several Works great

[hyatt]

here is pic of kit

[hyatt]

try again

[STOCKISH]

What about the plastic plates used on the rear barn doors of some of the SUV's. They screw to the body and to the door and the metal contact plates touch when the door is closed, nothing in the door will work if door is open though, won't matter if it's just for power locks, I'll find a pic for you.

[STOCKISH]

Something like this. This way, door jambs are clean, no wires to break, etc...

[mr48chev]

Originally Posted by Speedbumpauto

Mine are TF but should work the same. Came with my window kit but I think they're available separately. Its a coil spring, kind of like a screen door spring but larger. It has two plastic/nylon/abs type bushings that fit, one in the door and one in the jam where it holds the spring, and the spring slides in and out of the door bushing, bending slightly, when the door opens and closes. Wires are inside. It doesn't make noise and it works slick.

That is the one I was thinking of. Clean, simple and not too expensive from what i remember.

[_Ogre]

the springs work marginally on a task force, not sure how they'd work on a ad truck
problem i ran into was size, they only hold 4 small wires. i needed room for door solenoids, speakers and power windows all big wires
i made these:







i drew it up in autocad to get the pivots right. all material came from home depot



more pics in my build

[Speedbumpauto]

I don't know, Ogre, better brush up on your packing skills. I would have liked the spring to be a little bigger but I got all those wires in there.

[55dude]

Originally Posted by STOCKISH

Something like this. This way, door jambs are clean, no wires to break, etc...

looks like some stock parts off late model truck might work!

[hotrod1]

painless has a door jam tac kit. I am sure if you need more wires, look at newer car.

[STOCKISH]

Originally Posted by 55dude

looks like some stock parts off late model truck might work!

That one is from a sliding door for a minivan, there are several different variations but offer the cleanest solution I believe.

[CharlieSheen]

Originally Posted by STOCKISH

Something like this. This way, door jambs are clean, no wires to break, etc...

Some very fine ideas on this thread,but this one shows some supreme ingenuity.Has anyone put this to use?Are there variants out there that would allow more than 2 contacts?( i guess power could be brought into the door this way and split within the door itself).And I'm trying to anticipate what disadvantages there would be to not be able to use something while the doors are open?

[MARTINSR]

Originally Posted by CharlieSheen

Some very fine ideas on this thread,but this one shows some supreme ingenuity.Has anyone put this to use?Are there variants out there that would allow more than 2 contacts?( i guess power could be brought into the door this way and split within the door itself).And I'm trying to anticipate what disadvantages there would be to not be able to use something while the doors are open?

I personally don't like these, but they work well on millions of mini vans! So I guess they work.


When I had power windows in my AD I simply ran them tied to the hinge. It was a shrink wrapped pair of wires, very thin, tied to the hinge with nylon ties. On the cowl side there was a big loop so as to be sure there was enough room and it worked like a charm for years (until I sold that cab).

That's how I did it as I remember, it was a piece of cake.

Brian

[solidaxel]

[ When I had power windows in my AD I simply ran them tied to the hinge. It was a shrink wrapped pair of wires, very thin, tied to the hinge with nylon ties. On the cowl side there was a big loop so as to be sure there was enough room and it worked like a charm for years (until I sold that cab).

That's how I did it as I remember, it was a piece of cake.

Brian[/QUOTE]

THAT is what I do with my AD's, they have been on there for 15 years like that 0n my 55

[chev3600]

There's prettier ways to do it, but very functional. Astro van or Aerostar, I can't remember. Only issue, I had to shorten the spring loaded contacts because of th angle the door opens.