TheSamba.com :: View topic - Wiring harness

Tue Jul 30, 2013 6:15 pm

Has anyone ever built their own harness? Have any drawings? I've looked at rebel harnesses but so many too choose from and I just wonder if could be done cheaper.

Tue Jul 30, 2013 6:39 pm

Naw, That's crazy talk. Wierd lern ta spel? LOL. Rebel Wire is the TOPS!

Tue Jul 30, 2013 6:46 pm

I made my own, just search wiring diagrams to get some ideas, then map out your own. I don't know if it was any cheaper but I enjoy wiring it was actually "fun".

Tue Jul 30, 2013 7:29 pm

I recently re-wired my 1968 Berry Mini T. I attempted to make my own, but it became too much of a hassle. I decided to purchase a Painless Wiring product. There are many products to choose from depending what you want to wire. In my opinion, it is worth it and look professional when done.

Tue Jul 30, 2013 7:51 pm

Pretty easy.....

Tue Jul 30, 2013 8:58 pm

I roll my own. My buggy rolled for many years with a simple 2 fuse harness roughly based on a 1964 Bug harness. I'll be building another one for my mini-t.

You will notice the red wires connecting the battery, starter, and generator, then going forward to the light switch, then off of the fuse block back to the ignition switch. At the back of the buggy, after the starter, batter and generator connections, I run the red wire to a 2 fuse block under the back seat. From there I run one red wire to the ignition switch and one red wire from the other fuse to the light switch. Everything you see connected to the left most fuse in the '64 schematic is connected to the ignition switch output. If you have any of the things shown connected to the right most fuse these are tapped off of the power input to the light switch. The other 6 fuses are all lighting fuses, and in my case not needed because the power input to the light switch is already fused.

If you use a late model light switch you could add a third fuse, as those headlight switches have one power input for running lights and another for head lights.

Wed Jul 31, 2013 6:54 am

overkill but we are going to use this...

http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Speedway-Universal-20-Circuit-Wiring-Harness,42872.html

Wed Jul 31, 2013 7:08 am

Buy a ready made harness.... $150- $250....

Buy bulk wire and parts and terminals.... $150 - $250.....

After wiring at least 4 buggies a 32 Ford roadster, and a 48 Ford Convertible with EFI.... Premade harness (kit) will win every time....

Kits usually have more than enough wire and part to do the job, so you may have leftovers.... Also kits with wire designations printed on wire are a no brainer.... Naked wire with no designation or the tag you put on came off or 5-6 wires with same color are mystery wires that will take extra time to identify...

Kits also take guess work out of what wire size to use for whatever application and come with diagrams and instructions....

Yeah you can roll your own, I do, but you have to buy 6-8 different color of wire (in bulk rolls) and you will need several different gauge (wire size) for different applications, and buy fuse blocks and relays and switches and lamp sockets and push buttons ...

You will have a very expensive relationship with places like Delcity and Waytek wire if you roll your own.... Local FLAPS will kill you financially trying to buy wire and connectors as they cost about 50% more in the small quantities (over bulk buy) you have to buy off their displays....

Only caveat here with a kit is some kits are not intended for rear engine cars and may have some engine control wiring that is to short to fit application... Be sure kit is designed for your application...

Dale

Wed Jul 31, 2013 7:26 am

I always build my own and have never had a breakdown due to wiring.

My flip down fuse/relay panel:

I wired this buggy without a flip down panel:

More home made harness:

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Wed Jul 31, 2013 7:55 am

lostinbaja......I like that grounding system
:D

I don't think you can do it for much cheaper than a Rebel kit. Plus they offer good technical service. I just finished my Deserter using a 12 circuit kit from Hot Rod wires. They have very good technical service. Unfortunately I needed to use them because my brain is getting squishy.

Wed Jul 31, 2013 8:27 am

Time is the most expensive thing I have. The Rebel harness lets me wire a buggy in a weekend.

The Rebel harness for a Bug is perfect for my buggy builds. Set up for rear engine configuration, all wires labeled (super time saver) and it is plug and go play.

I have bought the cheap wire kits and ended up with more in them than a good harness once everything was done. (relays, additional wire, flasher relay, additional fuses)

I have wired from scratch and it was a PITA keeping everything straight over a few weekends and then trouble shooting before ever leaving the garage.

For my Manx, I will buy the Rebel Delux Beetle kit and have them change a few wires for additional gauges I will be running in it. The little bit of money saved on a buggy project building a wiring harness yourself is very minor once the overall project is totaled up. A pro harness is a asset when selling the buggy later.

Wed Jul 31, 2013 9:53 am

joescoolcustoms wrote:
The little bit of money saved on a buggy project building a wiring harness yourself is very minor once the overall project is totaled up. A pro harness is a asset when selling the buggy later.

This is the key to my thinking as well.

Mike T

Thu Aug 01, 2013 9:16 am

Just curious from you guys that have already used a Rebel wiring harness. They give three beetle related options. A very basic 4 circuit, a 12 circuit and a 16 circuit. Which ones did you guys use? 4 circuits seems very basic but the jump to 12 and 16 seems like huge overkill for a buggy. Also since these kits are made for a beetle do you also need to add your own grownd wiring?

Thu Aug 01, 2013 9:23 am

I am currently using a Hot Rod kit that is 12 circuits. wiring it per their manual I have two circuits left over. A radio wire and a large 30 amp AC wire. So if you are running a stereo or some heavy lights, or maybe an amp, then this 12 circuit would be just fine.

Yes...I am unaware of any kit that will provide you with the ground wire you need for a buggy.

Thu Aug 01, 2013 5:55 pm

I bought the 12 circuit kit. Used all 12. (If I remember, all but two curcuits were pre-wired with 2 as extra auxillary).

No kit I have seen gives a ground circuit. You will need to make a ground buss to complete each circuit with. Not hard at all. Large guage wire to a buss bar. Then smaller wires from buss to each accessory, or one wire to dash and then jumped to each accessory.

My Ground Buss:

Thu Aug 01, 2013 6:21 pm

is there a place online to buy what is needed for a bus bar for ground? I have a local electronics shop but they never seem to be open when i can get there...

Thu Aug 01, 2013 6:33 pm

I bought mine at Lowe's. It is just a terminal block that I trimmed a thin piece of aluminmum to bridge all the terminals making it all one circuit.

Thu Aug 01, 2013 6:59 pm

Almost any online marine parts supply will have a good selection of ground buss bars.

Thu Aug 01, 2013 8:05 pm

Use house AC distribution panel ground bar....

Lowes, Home Despot, Ace or True Value hardware.... Ground is ground....

Little dab of dielectric grease on wire to prevent corrosion, ... Life is good....

Dale

Thu Aug 01, 2013 8:30 pm

I used the Rebel kit and the flip down aluminum panel, just like LostinBaja. I also attached a 12vdc aux power jack on the bottom that ends up under the radio. I think the Rebel kit works well with the color code and wire markings. I also used lots of spiral wrap (Home Depot, price and selection) and lots of tie wraps.