Anyone have any experience with this wiring harness from 4wd hardware?
A "built-in ground" is a good thing. With a glass (non-conducting) body you no longer can just ground components to the nearest steel panel. All the current paths from your lights, stereo, heater fan, ignition, etc etc have to end up at the battery negative post or they simply will not function. Without a proper harness, you will have to string a bunch of additional ground wires from all over the vehicle back to the battery. Does that sound like fun?
You could use the frame as a ground path, but that isn't the greatest idea for a number of reas "This harness is perfect for fiberglass bodies because it features a built-in ground system which eliminates grounding hassles. "
Believe it.
John Davies
Adding a ground wire to your existing harness isn't that big of a deal. In my opinion the 430 dollars would be better spent on something else. I kept the steel grille, windshield, dash and grille braces. I ran a wire between each of the metal mounting plates in the rear tailights, and then up through the harness to the metal dash. The fuel sending unit could be grounded to the frame or back to the taillight bracket. I don't remember if the wiper motor required a ground or it already was grounded in the factory harness. I then attached a ground wire from the metal dash to the brace bolts inside the tub. All of the front end lights were grounded to the metal grille shell. To complete the circuit, you need a wire from either the grille shell or the convenient grille brace bolts to where the battery ground bolts to the block. Don't forget to ground the frame if the sending unit is grounded to the frame. Obviously, if you go with all fiberglass then a ground for the front end lights needs to be worked out (one wire) and a fiberglass dash will create a bunch more extra work for all the electical stuff hooked up to it. If you have the enough confidence in your abilities to tackle a replacement fiberglass body and brew your own beer, for that matter, then the very minor task of having to run a couple of additional wires is nothing to even worry about!
You haven't seen under my hood. $430 will be a bargin to clean up that mess. I'm just trying to decide between the "painless" harness that is a proven quality product or the 4wd hardware version that is glass tub ready. I wanted to find someone that has bought the 4wd hardware version and get the scoop on that product.
I understand that I can use any wiring harness as long as I modify it to ground everything.
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