C-160 Wiring Harness

[Dresden Guy 24]

After looking under my C-160 hood, I find the wiring is in disarray and overall poor condition. The PO said it ran, but after he took the starter apart, it wouldn't.

I am wondering, after reading the many RS posts about wiring headaches (C & B series specifically), has anyone "made from scratch" a totally new wiring harness? How difficult is it? I know how to use a multimeter, and understand basic wiring principles. It seems that since the electrical integrity is so key to the engine starting and running, that an all new harness might be, in the long run, a good time and $ investment. I would replace such components as the key switch, the fuses, etc.

I would like to know the wire guages if someone has that information....I can pretty well guess.

I need advice, as I am starting this weekend. Any thoughts, helps, advic, pictures, caveats, etc?????

[rickv1957 74]

A real nice harness can be made using original color coded wire,solder on ends and some heat shrink tube,Rick

[sorekiwi 761]

No, I havent done it but I dont think a C-160 would be hard. There is probably more wires to the safety switches than there are to make it run!

It seems to me that wiring gets to the point of no return - once it starts giving problems it continues to do so until you bite the bullet and start over.

I'd start with a wiring diagram and build the loom 1 wire at a time. There might be enough of the original loom there to give you a guide on how big the wires need to be. If in doubt go one size bigger.

Getting rid of all the old loose, corroded terminals, and all the butchered splices in the old loom will benefit you in terms of reliability in the future.

[Kelly 1,033]

I built one for a C-145 but I left out all the safety switches, it was pretty simple

[Sarge 3,465]

As long as you understand the wiring diagram, the harnesses in these tractors are pretty simple. Just stick with the correct guage wires and colors, some of the original connectors can be re-used or rebuilt by soldering in new wires too. Most of the plastic connectors have tabs that will release the contact end, just pull them out and install new wire-good to go !

Re-wiring a nightmare '55 Chevy 210 right now myself....

Sarge

[refracman 167]

Wiring harnesses are fairly easy to do. NAPA has the closest color correct wires and your local dealers will have the key and regulator plugs and the correct ends to affix to the wires for the plugs.

Join here http://www.mywheelhorse.com/ to get the wireing diagram and colors for you 160.

Now all ya need is a little time. Takes me about 2/3 hours to do a complete including the safetys.

I find its easier to remove the gas tank and tunnel cover first to gain access. Might want to think about checking the points wire while your at it as with most by now it'll need replaced due to heat and age.

Good luck!

[Dresden Guy 24]

Every comment is helpful, and I think I will build an entirely new harness by removing the old "loom" and measuring the respective wires and trying to get new plugs/connectors from my WH dealer. Does anyone know the guage wire (i.e. - what's the amperage being carried in the various wire runs, or does wire color also indicate a different amperage (or wire guage)? I know it's a basic 12V system. It seems that it makes a lot of sense of removing the gas tank and trying for the original routing.

I also like the suggestion of deleting the interlock switches...the warranty ended years ago, and I am aware of the safety caveats.

Thanks for the advice.....still wanting to hear more from any other successes and experiences.

[fireman 1,022]

I have made many wirng harnesses especially for the company I used to work for. Get a piece of plywood (doesn't have to be in great condition). Remove the old harness and lay it out on the plywood. Spread it out so all the different branches are by themselves. Using large finish nails, place them on each side of each branch at intervals of a few inches. using a magic marker, draw cut lines for the new wires at each of the termination points. Write down right on the plywood what each connector is for, the colors, and where it is going to. A better idea would be to make whats called a "wire run list" which is a table of wire colors, gauges and the termination points first before you even start. Once you have it all layed out on the plywood, remove the old harness and start laying down your new wires. If you placed nails at all the intersections and branches correctly, the new harness will be an exact copy and fit back in perfectly. Before you remove the new harness from the board, use tie wraps and place them at all the intersections so the harness will hold its correct shape. Also place them every few inches along the branches. If you need any more help, PM me and I will be glad to walk you through it.

[WheelHorse_of_course 99]

If you cannot or will not solder the connectors then be sure to get your self a proper crimp tool.

By this I mean one that has a ratchet. These will give a "factory quality" crimp. Years ago I soldered all of my connectors. I would still do that on the boat, but probably not on a tractor.

I have a cushman 3 wheeled vehicle that has most of the connectors are crimped and then slid into the plastic insulator. I found the exact connectors on ebay, which was nice as trying to re-use them just plain doesn't work.

While you are doing this project I hope you will keep as all up to date . It would be great to document the different types of connectors and how they are installed.

Best of luck.

B)

[Dresden Guy 24]

I will do all the "before-during-& after pics. And good advice about the crimper tool. I am going to be sure I have all the plugs and connectors rounded up ahead of time so as to hopefully do a one-day, start-to-finish. Hopefully pictures for a "ready-for-primetime" documentary. I wonder if I should get a sterile operating room gown and latex gloves???

All my RS/WH wiring harness gurus get ready for a bazillion(?) questions. Thanks for all the great advice so far. :party:

[fireman 1,022]

I forgot to mention and want to echo what WheelHorse_of_course said. It is impeartive to either have the correct crimpers for the pins on some of the connectors. Often they are very expensive. If they are or you have no access to borrow them, then this is what I suggest. Use small needle nose pliers and carefully bend over the little flaps that would normally be crimped. On the ones that look like they have to sets of flaps, the ones closest to end where the wire attaches are for making sure the wire doesn't get pulled out of the pin. They are ment to be crimped on the jacket of the wire. The ones further up towards the connection end of the pin make the electrical connection. only strip the wire enough so the ends is even with the furtherst end of the flap. after you have bent them over, solder them. Don't use gobs of solder or it may hamper the pin fitting into the connector. Flow just enough to "tin" the flap and wire. Go to Radio Shack and buy the 8oz spool of .032 60/40 solder Catalog #: 64-009. It is rosin core and flows nicely.

Soldering assures that vibration wont give you a headache down the road and seals the wire from corrosion .

[dodge78 94]

When I did mine, I took one of the terminals to work and ordered new ones. I found out one terminal is smaller than the rest, can you guess which one? So I went back to work and ordered more new ones. There are a couple of different wiring diagrams depending on year. I took a little from both and made one that took the least amount of wire to do.

I have some harnesses with some newer wire (car harnesses only a couple of years old) and matched up the colors as close as I could. I made my own wiring diagram and everything is good. I crimped, soldered, shrink tubed and used dielectric grease. I started at the switch and replaced one wire at a time. I made them longer so could put the wire right where I wanted it to give me more room behind the dash and around the tank. Then I taped it where it branched off to the switches, pulled it out and wrapped it with the stuff I took off of the car harness and used plastic tubing in possible wear spots.

[Save Old Iron 1,571]

Steve,

a link to check out

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/14-AWG-Mari...essoriesQ5fGear

this seller allows you to order MANY different colored wires by the foot. So you don't end up buying 50 feet of pink wire to redo your hour-meter and voltmeter circuits on some tractors.

I have purchased from this seller and the wire is top notch stuff. Marine wire has all the individual strands of copper coated with solder so very little corrosion is ever allowed to start from oxygen permeating thru the insulation or near the crimp connectors.

!4 AWG is a little sturdier than the 16 AWG on your tractor and can be used on just about any circuit handling 15 amps or less.

BUY QUALITY CRIMP CONNECTORS - I use 3M stuff. I will always solder the wire to the terminal (prevents corrosion at the exposed wire to terminal voids left behind by crimping only). I also like to remove the plastic sleeves from these terminals and finish off the wire to terminal junction with heat shrink tubing.

This will give the connection a much more professional , detail conscious look. It also provides additional weatherproofing not available on crimp only connections.

I will post a picture later - but you can also print out "labels" on your printer to designate a wires function "COIL +" for example. this label can be cut off the printer paper - wrapped around the wire and then clear heat shrink placed over the label and the terminal. When you shrink the shrink tubing, you have a weathertite connection plus the function of the wire is known and clearly visible.

Very professional and usually last for decades !

Carry on Sir - this will be a great post.

[Save Old Iron 1,571]

I also like the suggestion of deleting the interlock switches...

[chris11 184]

I also like the suggestion of deleting the interlock switches...

Yes I was welding up the gas tank had a bad leak. The only way to get it to stop was tilt the truck on its side :clap:

[Save Old Iron 1,571]

Yes I was welding up the gas tank had a bad leak. The only way to get it to stop was tilt the truck on its side

I'm not paying you to fix the leaking gas tank - all I asked was for you to cut off the safety belt that was hanging out the passenger door, dragging on the ground and sparking.

Chris, your a riot !! :hbd:

[Save Old Iron 1,571]

Steve ,

here is some food for thought as you prepare to wire your tractor.

This is an example of a typical connection I use on my tractors if I rewire them

The wires are soldered in the connector.

I will shrink wrap around the soldered connection first. Then I print labels representing the wire's function - laser printer will last longer than an ink jet printer - I cut out the labels and fix then near the connection - and apply a second clear shrink tubing over the first shrink tubing and the function label .

If you use these function labels, the color of the wire becomes unimportant and you can rewire the entire tractor using a single spool of wire. That can save a few $$.

Lastly , give the wire a little "pig tail" to allow for stresses and vibration to be absorbed in the curl instead of being applied directly to the connector.

Keep us updated on your progress. I'm about to place another wire order from the source I mentioned above. I think their products are top shelf stuff.

[Dresden Guy 24]

Chuck,

Great tip ....and the one color wire makes perfect sense....just label them with the clear shrink-tube.

I am interested in the FeeBay wire supplier. I did look at it and sounds like the way to go. Any thoughts on different guages needed? I have seen some generic "Connector Kits", or does the wire supplier have the lugs and/or connectors needed. I want to replace anything and everything that carries current.

Question - is the red collar (red in your example) a way to indicate the original wire color or is that just the boot collar on the connector?

I also like the stress relief "pigtail". If you get ready to order wire, let me know. I think I am ready to get started thanks to your awesome advice and tips, and of course others who contributed. I'm glad all you "Gurus" aren't on commission, I'd be broke!!

If we need to do a phone call, send a PM and we'll exchange phone numbers.

Parenthetically, I believe I will replace the SAFETY SWITCHES, and not BYPASS them!

[Save Old Iron 1,571]

Steve,

actually, excellent idea about the color coding when using a single color wire.

This example was an early version of my thoughts on rewiring - the wire is actually cut off a tractor that was rewired about 10 years ago.

The red you see is when I was still leaving the nylon crimp housing on my connections, I do not leave them on any longer as I solder the wires directly to the terminal and do not crimp them at all. Yes, you could buy a small amount of different colored heat shrink which matches the original wire color - band the connector with a 1/4 inch or so of the colored heat shrink tubing - label it and cover the whole connection in clear heat-shrink - good idea

I'm not sure sure if heat shrink is available in some of the colors used in the newer models - I have never seen pink colored heat shrink - but i have never checked either.

I'm actually rewiring a C175 right now - the wire colors are more limited and all available thru the marine supplier listed above.

I will be happy to answer any questions via email thru this site.

As far as the safety stuff - I have worked for several multinational suppliers of healtcare equipment in my career. In my days as a service rep - if we even THOUGHT ABOUT bypassing safety switches, we would have been fired before you made it home that night from your site visit. I guess that consciousness has always stayed with me.