1. Registration trouble? Please use the "Contact Us" link at the bottom right corner of the page and your issue will be resolved.
    Dismiss Notice

Wiring Harness

Discussion in 'Early CJ5 and CJ6 Tech' started by coonassjohn, Jun 17, 2019.

  1. Jun 17, 2019
    coonassjohn

    coonassjohn New Member

    Ga.
    Joined:
    Sep 28, 2018
    Messages:
    9
    I'm restoring a '68 CJ5 and planning to replace the old wiring harness. Anyone have any info on the Painless harness? Any problems or recommendations on another product? I also noticed that there is no fuse panel on the Jeep, just a few inline fuses, is this normal?

    Thanks in advance.
    John
     
  2. Jun 17, 2019
    Chilly

    Chilly Active Member

    Joined:
    Mar 12, 2007
    Messages:
    1,486
    Painless used to own the market. There are other sources for comparable harnesses. I went with an EZ Wiring kit because it was considerably cheaper amd still made in USA and have good reviews. It would be interesting to have them each side by side to compare.
     
    Tom_Hartz likes this.
  3. Jun 17, 2019
    Chilly

    Chilly Active Member

    Joined:
    Mar 12, 2007
    Messages:
    1,486
    Also consider using relays and heavy wire of shortest length possible to improve power to headlights and minimize current through your dash switch.
     
  4. Jun 17, 2019
    Howard Eisenhauer

    Howard Eisenhauer Administrator Staff Member

    Tantallon, Nova...
    Joined:
    Nov 22, 2003
    Messages:
    8,102
    If you're doing an actual restoration I'd recommend a wiring harness from Walck's, they cost more but you get a lot more with them & they're literally a plug in harness.

    Yes theres just a few fuses in the stock harness, most stuff is fed from the the 30A breaker on the back of the light switch.
     
    dozerjim likes this.
  5. Jun 17, 2019
    Renegade ll

    Renegade ll Member

    Thayne Wyoming
    Joined:
    Feb 17, 2013
    Messages:
    772
    Walck's hands down. They have a form you fill out so they can put the same connectors in the harness to match your jeep. In addition I used MAD Electronics and purchased a terminal block, high and low beam relay's for the lights. The HEI wiring kit and the 12SI Altenator wiring kit which includes fusable links and diodes.
    Replaced the stock amp guage for an volt meter, which is much safer from fire hazards.
     
    Ol Fogie and dozerjim like this.
  6. Jun 17, 2019
    Chilly

    Chilly Active Member

    Joined:
    Mar 12, 2007
    Messages:
    1,486
    Howard made a valid point on "restoration" vs fixing something up. A proper restoration is a whole nuther level of stuff. And that also means completely unimproved from the 1968 original. By today's standards Jeep harnesses remained primitive until 1975. A new harness would be a functional upgrade, albeit not correct.
     
    dozerjim likes this.
  7. Jun 17, 2019
    coonassjohn

    coonassjohn New Member

    Ga.
    Joined:
    Sep 28, 2018
    Messages:
    9
    Is the Walck's harness labeled like the Painless?
     
  8. Jun 17, 2019
    coonassjohn

    coonassjohn New Member

    Ga.
    Joined:
    Sep 28, 2018
    Messages:
    9
    I guess I should have said I'm upgrading the harness.
     
  9. Jun 17, 2019
    Mcruff

    Mcruff Earlycj5 Machinist

    Albertville, AL
    Joined:
    Sep 22, 2002
    Messages:
    5,349
    EZ wire all the way. It is every bit as good as painless or any other replacement harness at less than half the cost. A 12 circuit is all you need on most all jeeps. Labeled every 6” all the way thru. Great product. I have had mine in since 2006. I actually bought my harness in like 2001-2002 when the wires were labeled but all black. The connectors are all GM style but that is no big deal. These are universal harnesses and the wires are all long by about 2-3’. Easy to do and everything about them is great quality.
     
    sgogpn and jjdebarros like this.
  10. Jun 18, 2019
    Brislin06

    Brislin06 Member

    Pennsylvania
    Joined:
    Oct 23, 2017
    Messages:
    139
    I used walcks harness it was very simple I added an auxiliary fuse panel on a relay for a radio cigarette lighter and the daylighters.
     
  11. Jun 18, 2019
    jzeber

    jzeber Well-Known Member 2022 Sponsor

    Morgan Hill, Ca
    Joined:
    Nov 15, 2003
    Messages:
    3,322
    I used an EZ Wire harness. Very well laid out and super easy to install. Cost was way less.
     
  12. Jun 18, 2019
    liquids

    liquids Old Member

    Detroit-ish
    Joined:
    Apr 15, 2008
    Messages:
    63
    Another vote for EZ. Simple, thorough, and 1/2 the price.
     
  13. Jun 20, 2019
    txtoller

    txtoller Member 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Weatherford, TX
    Joined:
    May 28, 2014
    Messages:
    971
    I used EZ...I had an issue, but that was me not the harness. :banghead:
     
  14. Jun 20, 2019
    timgr

    timgr We stand on the shoulders of giants. 2022 Sponsor

    Medford Mass USA
    Joined:
    Aug 10, 2003
    Messages:
    23,596
    If you want a "hot rod" harness, there are many to choose from. The advantage of the Walck's harness: it will be like what is shown in the FSM, and the wiring diagram will match what was originally sold with the Jeep. It will also match the lengths and work with the existing terminations (ie the instruments, lights, etc.) Wiring in these Jeeps is very simple, and IMO you don't need all of the circuits that the hot rod harnesses offer.

    If you prefer, you can remove the original harness as one unit and repair it, wire by wire, out of the Jeep. The main expense there will be purchasing wire in all the colors you will need. Quality automotive wire ("primary wire") is not cheap, and the main thing you get with the hot rod harness is lots of wire. Mostly you get a fuse panel with lots of multicolored wire connected to it. It will be up to you to route, protect and terminate the wires.

    Make sure your harness will work with the Jeep turn signal switch.
     
  15. Jun 20, 2019
    sgogpn

    sgogpn From the top of Lions Back... 2022 Sponsor

    Glendale, AZ.
    Joined:
    Nov 20, 2002
    Messages:
    349
    Put me down for another EZ Wire user. I used one on my 47. Much cheaper than Painless but every bit as good. I wired my YJ with a Painless to the tune of $800. The EZ was around $170 as I recall.
    I’m currently finishing up wiring my 46 with one of the cheap Chinese EBay 12 circuit universal harnesses; a 12 circuit with fuse panel and relay was $50. I’ve seen the same one as cheap as $32. It came with a single sheet diagram and all the wires are labeled. I would say that the cheap ones are not for the 1st timer though. There are no step by step directions but if you’ve wired up vehicles before you won’t have any problems.
    The cheap harness should work fine for my 46 with an Lhead. If I were doing a restoration WALCKS would be my choice, but my 46 is nothing more than several piles of parts disguised as a single pile of parts.
    I just really wanted a fuse panel rather than wiring everything to one breaker.
    Good luck with your project; keep us posted.

    FWIW,
    Mike
     
  16. Jun 20, 2019
    timgr

    timgr We stand on the shoulders of giants. 2022 Sponsor

    Medford Mass USA
    Joined:
    Aug 10, 2003
    Messages:
    23,596
  17. Jun 20, 2019
    Steve's 70-5

    Steve's 70-5 Active Member

    Louisville, Ky
    Joined:
    Nov 12, 2009
    Messages:
    1,381
    I used Walck’s wiring harness. Everything plugged in. I did ohm out a lot of wires to see what went where
     
  18. Jun 20, 2019
    Jeff Kline

    Jeff Kline Member

    North Central PA
    Joined:
    Apr 18, 2019
    Messages:
    54
  19. Jun 20, 2019
    sgogpn

    sgogpn From the top of Lions Back... 2022 Sponsor

    Glendale, AZ.
    Joined:
    Nov 20, 2002
    Messages:
    349
  20. Jun 20, 2019
    sgogpn

    sgogpn From the top of Lions Back... 2022 Sponsor

    Glendale, AZ.
    Joined:
    Nov 20, 2002
    Messages:
    349
    Yes it’s certainly not the hi temp Teflon coated wire used by some of the other manufacturers but you’re not paying the premium for that either. It’s not an issue for me since I loom, tape, or heat shrink any exposed wire anyway. I remember when I was a young man an old country boy mechanic once telling me “ You leave a wire bare and you cut its life in half.”
    The length of the wires is plenty long enough for the flattie I’m working on, and they used 10ga on the high current circuits.
    Time will tell how well it works out, but for the heap I’m working on it’ll probably outlast the Jeep. :)
    Mike
     
New Posts