Crackedback's headlight relay kit

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petty437

petty437

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I just installed @crackedback 's headlight relay wiring kit. Talk about easy!!!!! I am definitly not the best when it comes to automotive wiring, but this was a piece of cake! I started @ 11AM & was done by 3PM. AND I took a lunch break plus wrapped areas of the wiring with electrical tape to look more factory. The only things I will say is the instructions are for the later A bodies but were still easy to navigate. The other thing was the 90deg headlight pigtails used were a bit of a tight fit on my 63 Dart. Overall, Excellent quality and workmanship!!!! Thanks @crackedback !!!!!
 
If only more people and business practiced Rob's (@crackedback's) business practices, the whole dang world would be a better place.
 
This sounds like a great modification. I never heard of them before now but I'm glad someone is selling a great kit like this.

These old mopars have a lousy fuse panel. When I was looking at adding AC and a stereo I realized I needed to rewire things. IMHO the fuse panel is powered by WAY too small of a gauge wire. I ended up purchasing a couple marine fuse panels. One I used for "hot always" circuits and the other I use for "ign hot" circuits. There are a few fuses that power multiple loads and I was able to split them and give each their own fuse. For ignition hot circuits, relays are a great way to keep the current through the ignition switch down to a minimum (relay coil side power) and allow you to power these loads from a new larger gauge wire from the battery. Another good idea if your really into the restoration and just want to improve the old wiring is to run your grounds to a ground bus instead of to the body. Dedicated grounds will eliminate almost all electrical gremlins especially the lights.
 
I installed a similar system on '65, to stop dimmed headlights at idle. It works great and was easy to install. However, several strange things occored. The high beam indicator is out when on high beam and when I installed LED tail light bulbs, the tail lights are on with the ignition.
 
wheelsport said:
I installed a similar system on '65, to stop dimmed headlights at idle. It works great and was easy to install. However, several strange things occored. The high beam indicator is out when on high beam and when I installed LED tail light bulbs, the tail lights are on with the ignition.
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These may be obvious questions but are there different kits for different years and are you sure you have the right one?
Has anyone monkeyed with the wiring before?

Please keep us posted on this. Personally, I find wiring to be the most dreadful thing to work on.
 
wheelsport said:
I installed a similar system on '65, to stop dimmed headlights at idle. It works great and was easy to install. However, several strange things occored. The high beam indicator is out when on high beam and when I installed LED tail light bulbs, the tail lights are on with the ignition.
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Similar in what way?
 
@wheelsport

You have other issues, like ground hunting is my guess.

My kit would have zero effect on the taillights and high beam indicator light.

If the brightness intensifier kit was one of the low dollar chinese kits, the only similarities to my kits is it has relays. My kit takes into account the deficiencies in the mopar system that those kits do not.
If you haven't done anything to the charging system path and the instructions say to hook up the single power wire at the battery for full battery power.. that is a BAD approach on most OEM wired muscle era mopar. Biggest hint, if you pull the headlights on with engine running and the ammeter shows a HIGHER + charge rate = BAD.

The other test with engine off. Pull switch to first stop, running lights on, note ammeter position, should be slightly negative. Pull headlights on, if the ammeter doesn't move further negative by a good margin, that's bad.

I got no dog in this with you, just don't want to see your car end up in a bad situation.

Good luck with it. You may want to start a separate thread as to not get this one off track.
 
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ACME SS said:
This sounds like a great modification. I never heard of them before now but I'm glad someone is selling a great kit like this.

These old mopars have a lousy fuse panel. When I was looking at adding AC and a stereo I realized I needed to rewire things. IMHO the fuse panel is powered by WAY too small of a gauge wire. I ended up purchasing a couple marine fuse panels. One I used for "hot always" circuits and the other I use for "ign hot" circuits. There are a few fuses that power multiple loads and I was able to split them and give each their own fuse. For ignition hot circuits, relays are a great way to keep the current through the ignition switch down to a minimum (relay coil side power) and allow you to power these loads from a new larger gauge wire from the battery. Another good idea if your really into the restoration and just want to improve the old wiring is to run your grounds to a ground bus instead of to the body. Dedicated grounds will eliminate almost all electrical gremlins especially the lights.
Click to expand...
I agree with you. The wiring in these old girls are marginal at best. That's why I made a fuse panel for my Dart and 2 of my buddies Mopars. While we were at it we move everything Ignition boxes, starter relay, voltage regulator and on the last 2 we even removed the bulkhead connector. We then welded up all of the screw holes for these items before painting. This makes for a cleaner engine compartment. Here's a pic of the latest. We made this one with a relay box for the headlights and the ability to have the factory ignition box as a backup Incase of a MSD failure. All you need to do is unplug a connector and push a button on the dash to toggle the relay and power up the factory ignition box. All wiring is at least 12 gauge for higher draws, 14 for lower draw circuits and 8 gauge for alternator feed.

IMG_20221219_184156.jpg


IMG_20221219_184149.jpg
 
superchargeddrt said:
I agree with you. The wiring in these old girls are marginal at best. That's why I made a fuse panel for my Dart and 2 of my buddies Mopars. While we were at it we move everything Ignition boxes, starter relay, voltage regulator and on the last 2 we even removed the bulkhead connector. We then welded up all of the screw holes for these items before painting. This makes for a cleaner engine compartment. Here's a pic of the latest. We made this one with a relay box for the headlights and the ability to have the factory ignition box as a backup Incase of a MSD failure. All you need to do is unplug a connector and push a button on the dash to toggle the relay and power up the factory ignition box. All wiring is at least 12 gauge for higher draws, 14 for lower draw circuits and 8 gauge for alternator feed.

View attachment 1716024163

View attachment 1716024164
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Those are the same fuse panels I used! Excellent for the money. I love the LED indicators to show a bad fuse. Great job. I have purchased several generic harnesses in the past and about the only advantage is how they print the circuit name on the wires...which stinks when you need a piece of wire of a certain color and it says "cigar lighter" or something stupid. Great job!
 
It's been a number of years since I installed the intensifier. It was an easy install with all connections at the radiator support. My car has all the original wiring including the crappy stock fuse box. All accessories still work properly except the wiper motor blows the circuit breaker after a couple minutes. The headlight s/w shows normal draw in your test and no excesss charge. I have no problem with the reverse high beam light operation and having the tail lights on with the key isn't bad. Someday, when I get a little younger, I'll install a new fuse box if I can find the correct one.
 
I installed the cracked back kit on my 65. While the kit is great it opened up a can of wiring worms on my car, that I don’t wanna deal with.
 
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