Connecting wires to a harness?

"N/A POWAAAHH" (subarulove) 01/20/2014 at 22:28 • Filed to: DIY Advice

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I'm trying to rewire some of my lights, and I'll need to plug wires into a harness. I've got suggestions of using vampire clips, but have also read that they don't work very well.

Could I just put the wire into the harness and secure it, or would I need a replacement pin?

Zoom > N/A POWAAAHH 01/20/2014 at 22:37

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Oh my god, never a vampire clip, unless you just need to get home. Use butt connectors and a proper crimp tool.

Especially if subject to the weather or any kind of moisture. If you are trying to tap a circuit, I would rather interrupt the wire you are trying to tap, and butt connect three wires together.

If these connectors are outside, they sell shrink tubing butt connectors. You crimp and then heat them up slightly with a lighter to seal them.

If you are at a fuse block, some use simple female spades terminals. So you release them from the back, crimp a female spade onto your wire and slide it back into place until it clicks securely, or your fuse will push it back out.

N/A POWAAAHH > Zoom 01/20/2014 at 22:43

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I assuming I can't just pull wires out of the harness, and instead have to cut them, then do a butt connector to whatever wire I need? And it's mostly rewiring fogs to run on a factory stalk, so it's all in dash wiring and no moisture.

Thanks, very helpful info

Zoom > N/A POWAAAHH 01/20/2014 at 22:51

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Sure. Ummm, fog lights or just accents?

Because no existing circuit in your harness will handle more than a couple more amps than what they are designed for. So adding fogs lights to an existing circuit that has light on it already will pop fuses. The manufacturer is pretty stingy with wire size, so if you pop a fuse and simply install a larger one, you will melt wiring. No joke.

If these are truly fogs or something righteous, It's better to wire a totally seperate fused switch under your dash, or if it has a install kit use the existing relay. It bears the load so your switch circuit doesnt have to.

You can pull wires out of a plug in the harness, it's better to cut (interrupt) them a ways away from any plug to leave yourself some meat to strip and repair, especially if you want to put it back to stock later.

Zoom > N/A POWAAAHH 01/20/2014 at 22:54

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You can also wire a relay with your fog lights. Then just use the hot wire from you light switch to trigger it. It's easy, just like wiring two seperate circuits, with a relay connecting them.

ddavidn > N/A POWAAAHH 01/20/2014 at 23:25

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No vampire clips. Solder if you can, I know it's a pain I've done it several times. Butt connectors work well, as Zoom suggested. Might help to have a little more info on what you're doing.

- advice from a guy who is too lazy to solder a pushbutton, hotwires his car every morning...

N/A POWAAAHH > Zoom 01/21/2014 at 09:13

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It has stock fogs, but they only work on low beam. I'm modifying them so I can put them on while using parking lights and/or high beams. It's simply adding a break in between of sorts, so they can separately.

N/A POWAAAHH > ddavidn 01/21/2014 at 09:17

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I've got a complete install guide, plus this handy diagram

As you'll see, it says vampire clips, but I don't want to do that.

Zoom > N/A POWAAAHH 01/21/2014 at 15:54

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All you need to do is find the fog light relay and trigger it with the parking light 12v . It should only take one wire.

N/A POWAAAHH > Zoom 01/21/2014 at 16:01

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I have this, which I have heard works.