Re-wiring crossroads: OEM or Watson's

[Gumby_Mac]

That'd be a great idea. Then others like me would have a great go-to resource. Even though I've made my wirin harness choice, I'll probably come back to this thread with updates. I still need to order my connectors. I go two awesome catalogs this week, one from waytek and the other from Dell City. I was going to get some of those F-type (or flag?) connectors and some heat-shrink tubing but Dell has some crimp connectors with heat shrink on them instead of that cheap nylon jacket.

One the that has crossed my mind after looking at the Rebel Wire instructions briefly, it looks like it assumes use of the factory headlight and hazard flashers (which I wasn't planning on using). I'll have to read up on these carling switches I got and see if its worth the headache for someone with no electrical experience. Maybe I'll just install OEM switches where the fresh air knobs used to be near the ash tray?

[Gumby_Mac]

So I'm about midway through my Watson's install. The wiring is very well done, love that it's labeled every 6 inches, but there's no labels on the fuse block to let you know which fuse covers what circuit.

The Irwin wire strippers I bought are awesome. I should've bought a pair of these a long time ago! I'm still not feeling the love for the Paladin ratcheting crimpers though. The ratcheting part is nice and you can really put some pressure on a crimp if you've got the right die, but unfortunately I've spent over $140 for the frame and 4 sets of dies and I still haven't found the right die set that will work on the heat-shrink tubing quick connect terminals I bought from Waytek Wire. I should have stuck with the non-insulated, open barrel kind I had planned to buy from Eastern Beaver, but I guess I was easily swayed by the words "Ultra Performance" in the Waytek catalog. I've tried the 2035 and 2040 dies for this terminals but they don't seem to give what I feel is a Hulk-smashed, air-tight crimp. Maybe it's because these dies are double-crimp and the larger cross-section of the heat-shrink tubing is preventing a good crimp?

One thing I really hate about the Paladin frame is the location of the quick-release. Once you start squeezing the handles, you either have to commit to going all the way until the end of the crimp or try to reach up in between where the levers are closing and try to press the little nub to release the handles. Bad design there because I've seen the release on the outside of other tools.

I've ordered some open-barrel terminals and I'm going to see how well I can crimp them before finishing the install.

I do have a few quick questions (they relate to the harness, but if I need to post them on a new thread, please let me know):

First: someone on here posted a pic of a 60 AMP inline fuse block right after their battery. I'd like to get something like that but I can't seem to find one at my FLAPS. Would 60 amps be sufficient for my block and harness?

Second: I am going to use an oil-pressure and a CHT gauge. The Deluxe wiring harness includes a temperature wire and a oil pressure wire. I assume the oil pressure wire is for the idiot light. If I have a dual oil pressure sender for the case, I still need to run an additional wire for the gauge right (can't share the signal)?

Last: CHT temp uses a sender wire that has a modular plug that connects to a length of red and black wire that connects to the back of the gauge. Can I just use the Rebel harness temperature wire and then ground the black wire in the engine bay? The directions explicitly say not to cut the sender wire, but I'm assuming the braided thermocouple that connects the ring to the modular plug.

[Chris V]

The release sounds the same as the Summit (<$40) crimpers I use...I had a hell of a time with them after I injured my wrists in a motorcycle accident. But soon enough had the strength left to manage...Have you got a tension adjustment too?


Is this the fuse in question?

I haven't had a problem with either the 40A circuit breaker in my Baja or the 60A fuse in Dad's car...well, every once in awhile something goes sliding around and does hit the 'open' on the circuit breaker But it doesn't provide ign coil power, so it's not too bad.

I added the VDO CHT wiring to Dad's stock style harness...there was plenty of wire to do so if you're inclined.

Simple Klein strippers (and similar) are also great to have around...They come in many sizes and have cutters too, I've never seen a journeyman with anything else.

[Gumby_Mac]

Yeah, that's the fuse I was thinking of. When I go to the parts store, all I see are small inline fuses. The biggest I've found was at NAPA and it was 6 gauge. I need to double check my Rebel harness, but that might be too small. Do they make a wire gauge "gauge?"

Same on the crimper. Looks just like mine. That release couldn't be in a worse place! I also have the adjustable pressure, but I don't see the reason. At a point before you reach the release point for the ratchet mechanism, the dies are as close as they're ever going to get.

Still not sure about the CHT wiring. It came with 10-15 ft or red/black wire that connects to the thermocouple. Does all of that have to run to the gauge, or can I cut 9 feet off the black, ground it in the engine bay, and use empty "temp" wire in the Rebel harness?

[Steve Arndt]

http://www.adafruit.com/blog/2013/01/31 ... -terminal/

[Chris V]

http://bluesea.com/category/81/21/produ ... erview/127

I guess I feel spoiled by having a convenient release at all - at work my hand-me-down 600MCM Klein ratchet cutters ($220) are held together by tape I just weigh the pros/cons for the release feature - I don't use it often and I'm cheap I guess.

[Marc]

...Still not sure about the CHT wiring. It came with 10-15 ft or red/black wire that connects to the thermocouple. Does all of that have to run to the gauge, or can I cut 9 feet off the black, ground it in the engine bay, and use empty "temp" wire in the Rebel harness?

Don't do that. The temperature gauge circuit comprises a "balanced bridge"; the simple 2-wire arrangement used by VDO is already the least accurate, messing with the resistance of the leads can only make things worse.



The gauge reads the voltage developed at Vb in response to the resistance of the sensor RT and its leads. VDO has taken the length of the wires into account; any changes will impact the accuracy of the reading.

[Chris V]

I ran across this website today while shopping for H4 lamp sockets (of which they have a beautiful assortment) for a friend...they offer quite a few options in crimping:

http://www.cycleterminal.com/crimp-tools.html