Centech wire harness vs. painless (2024)

Hey guys. So I wreck my wiring the other day on my '68. It had been spliced by previous owner and was longer than needed and got caught in my steering knuckle and tore most wires. So... Now I think my winter or hopefully early fall project will be replacing my wiring. I have looked at both centech and painless. I know most people on here seem to use painless but it is $400 more than the centech. What are yalls opinions on both good and bad. Below are the links of the two kits. Thanks

https://www.tomsbroncoparts.com/product/painless-performance-66-77-bronco-wiring-harness-10114

https://www.tomsbroncoparts.com/product/OE-Ignition-Switch-centech-wiring-harness-66-77-bronco

Hey Booboo. Sorry to hear you got kind of "volunteered" to do a re-wire on your truck. But glad it's going to happen too, since a hacked wire job in an EB is just trouble waiting to happen still. As you basically found out!

I wouldn't say most of use are using Painless, but a good portion for sure. There are good reasons it's more expensive, but that's not to take anything away from the Centech by any means. It's been a staple of the EB world for a long time.

Lots of discussions about it too of course, with Ron Francis Wiring and American AutoWire thrown into most for good measure.

What's your skill level?
What's your preference for original?

I use the term "original" loosely, as nobody makes an accurate reproduction of a '70 or earlier Bronco harness. Only close approximations of the '71 and newer models.
You'll have to do a little more work on your '68 because of that, but it's not a big stumbling block.

Paul

The size, or even the type of engine within reason, won't change how the wiring is set up from harness to harness.
Since you're not critical about being original, then the Painless' factory colors won't be as much of a selling point. But that's part of why it's more expensive, along with a more weather resistant fuse box with a ton of extra circuits available for add-on options and includes a new glove box liner already cut for the new panel. Also for the slightly more expensive TXL wire type.

But if none of that seems critical, then the Centech is the better deal, price-wise at least.
As we've been discussing elsewhere too, the Ron Francis "Express" kit for the Bronco is priced similar to the Centech, but is not pre-wrapped so you have the ability to more easily route the wires where YOU want them, rather than where the company dictates by their bundling.
Something to consider at least, if you haven't seen the threads already.

The fuse panel is larger than the others, and is left for you to determine the best location for. Where the others mount in the original (for later models) glovebox location, or within a few inches of that. The RF can go just about anywhere you want.

Good luck with the choosing! Not quite as hard as paint color or lift kit sizing, but close.;D

Paul

I've used both and frankly I can't see why Painless is so painfully expensive? I'd run a Centech harness any day. For extra circuit's like stereo's or winches I'd rather add a small fuse box/relay set run seperate from the rig's wiring. It's not hard to do.

Both wiring harnesses are labeled every 6" or so on the wire's so that's not really a selling point. Painless offers a harness cover for over $100 extra! You can buy harness wrap on ebay for a few dollars a roll and do the whole truck with 2-3 rolls.

What he said. To a point at least. I think adding a small aux fuse panel to a Centech makes it a doubly nice setup. But there are legitimate reasons the Painless costs more.
So here I go, putting on my politician's hat to make them all sound good!%)

But no matter what, here are a few things off the top of my head that I think make the Painless justifiably more expensive.

1. Ford colored wires (lower volume costs more)
2. TXL wire (smaller and lighter costs more) (more on this below)
3. Bigger/Better fuse box (weather resistant and more circuits costs more)
4. Glove box included
5. More complete parts supply than in most cases (more parts cost more)
6. Very complete instruction book (Eric's labor costs more;D)
7. More circuit options within the stock purview (such as the different alternator options included)
8. More additional add-on circuits (way more in some cases)
9. Even includes a block-off plate to cover the firewall holes left by the old '70 and earlier harness plugs (a nice bonus you don't have to come up with on your own)
10. Manufacturer with wider "traditional" distribution. (Bingo!)

That last alone is practically a reason for higher pricing all on it's own. The other companies sell in 1-step (direct to consumer) or 2-step distribution (retailer/jobber - consumer) while Painless sells in traditional 3-step manner (warehouse/distributor - retailer/jobber - consumer) with price controls that dictate that direct customers do not give it away at fire sale pricing (thereby underselling their own potential customers) and bypassing the network. More people might get a smaller cut, but it still adds up.

It just costs more to do business that way, but if you've got a good product that people like and want, those people will still buy at the higher price. I would.
Painless knows that too, which is probably why they include more premium upselling items already in the box than most of the others.
But the price and options are also why we sell four different brands with multiple choices each! They're all good, and any given one might have features/options/capabilities/looks that just appeal more to a given person. Whether the end-user or, if different, an installer.

The advantage to the smaller TXL wiring is the size helping keep the bundles smaller. But that advantage kind of goes down the tube when it comes to the printing on it being so small you need a magnifying glass to read it! However, to some that smaller size bundle is an installation benefit and selling point all it's own. Trade-off then, but can go either way.

I happen to love the Centech fuse panel myself, but it's definitely got the fewest circuits, the least weather resistance and can be the most finicky to install.
It just looks so cool in an EB glovebox!

Paul

Paul, that has got to be the best explanation of cost break down I've seen.

Booboo7353 You obviously need a harness, and based on what you've said, anything offered by any company will be better than what you currently have. I'd be glad to answer any specific questions you might have about the Painless harness. My opinion on which is better is a little biased and unfair anyhow as I've never installed a Centech and it's been over 8 years since I've even seen one in person.

I installed Centech because I wanted it to be similar to stock, fuse panel in glove box, etc. Was easy to install and haven't had any problems. But only going on one year of use, 8500 miles.

A few things worth mentioning...

1. I bought my Centech harness back in 2008, but did not get around to installing it until 2015. Build took way longer than thought it would. So a current model harness might be different from what I installed.

2. Centech wiper switch that came in my kit seems cheap and the knob is not stock looking. And a stock knob does not fit the switch. I'm going to replace the switch sometime with a more period correct one.

3. I reused my OEM ignition switch (bought the adapter for that). Centech ignition switch was different and key did not look period correct.

4. Reused my heater switch. The harness kit did not come with this switch.

5. The turn signal flasher was bad out of the box. Had to go buy a new one. Kind of through me for a few minutes when I was getting the lights sorted out. I wondered if it went bad due to sitting so long waiting on me to finish the body. But probably just a bad production part.

Same for the one I'm just finishing up. Halfway through the project the guy eliminated the glovebox and put in a Mojave heater!
Plan-B was in the old radio cutout above the new center pod covering up the ZF/Gearbanger combo. Yikes!
But, it is handy...

Paul

Eric, if you do rolling changes to the instructions, can I suggest putting in the instructions on how to wire the explorer alternator in. It's such a common swap for Broncos these days it might be really helpful for a lot of people who wouldn't otherwise be able to figure out how to make it work.

Heck, the only reason I got mine wired up as easily as I did is because Viper was here helping me.

BroncoChicken said:

Eric, if you do rolling changes to the instructions, can I suggest putting in the instructions on how to wire the explorer alternator in. It's such a common swap for Broncos these days it might be really helpful for a lot of people who wouldn't otherwise be able to figure out how to make it work.

Heck, the only reason I got mine wired up as easily as I did is because Viper was here helping me.

Click to expand...

it's a 3g isn't it? pin A= battery power, pin S =loops to single pin on alternator, pin I= switched 12v power. If so it's in the manual already.

Yep, the same basic connections. It's actually a 4G, but looks and mostly functions the same. I've installed several, wired them just like 3G's and working perfectly.
Page 64 of the Painless manual.

One thing I would add (for now) would be on page 63 I would break it up into three distinct categories instead of just the two.
1. stock to 65 amps use the Black w/yellow #915.
2. 70 to 105 amps use the Red #960 (instead of just the "65 amps or more" quote)
This leads up to the details on the next page of:
3. 110 and up use the 6ga with Maxi-Fuse (or equivalent).

Paul

Booboo7353 said:

... How long has it taken y'all to do these
Kits?

Click to expand...

Years!%);D
Well, almost...

Paul

Booboo7353 said:

Thanks guys! I am probably going to order the centech kit since there wasn't much negativity about it. I'm sure painless is better but $400 in my pocket is probably better for me. How long has it taken y'all to do these
Kits?

Click to expand...

I just put a centech in. I'm very electrically challenged. I spent about 4-5 hours laying it out, routing it and wiring my dash. I still have to plug in the headlights and tail lights when I get the parts in and wire the engine bay. I would say if I had all the parts to connect, it's a weekend job for most. It's extremely daunting when you open the box, but it's really not bad once you get into it.