How to run wires through door jamb????????

[John McIntire]

I was thinking, since I have a non powered car and I upgraded to power windows, or even if I wanted to shave my door handles, what would be the best way to run some power out to the doors? How would you protect the wiring from opening and closing, and from the elements?
John

[CoryM]

Well, have a look at how the factory does it next time you open a door with electrical in it ;) . You will find most just have large wrap to keep the wires from moving, and holes large enough in the door that it can go in w/o hitting.
There are also aftermarket contacts you can buy. There is a ball on one side, and a contact on the other and when you close the door they meet and conduct electricity. You need on ball for each + wire and at least one for ground. Never tried them but they look slick and I would use them next time I had to do that. Id assume you would have to clean the contacts sometime to keep them working well but thats a 20 second job.
If I find a name Ill post a link.
Cheers.

[CoryM]

http://www.painlesswiring.com/webcatalog/cat-connector.htm
Near bottom of the page. Jamb tac connectors.
Cheers

[Martin71RS]

that only works when the door is closed...

best to get the rubbers from a similar car, cut holes in body/door and put wires through... (speakers/elec windows will allways work then)

Martin

[XTRMEASURES]

yea i seen them on a old truck looked real clean.
but like said before if the door is open it will stop working

i still like the idea of no wires hehe

[CoryM]

Maybe a dumb Q..... but why would you need your door open when you are rolling up you windows? :hmm: I guess if you wanted to reach in and roll them up w/o getting in the car but since thats so rare it doesnt matter to me at all. The only thing I could see being an issue is if you had a door speaker. You may get spikes that could be hard on your stereo/speakers but Id bet most setups would handle them fine.
Cheers.

[rockdogz]

I bought some of the jamb-tacs but am having second thoughts about using them (got the big ones) because of the size of hole I'd have to make to put them in...

[BonzoHansen]

Those contact style ones look cool. I see them in OE apps now, like minivan sliding doors. I've never monkeyed with them though.

[andrewb70]

On my GTO I used reproduction rubber boots. They are available from any resto parts house.

Andrew

[baz67]

You could use rubber boots like Andrew suggested. When I used to install power windows many moons ago we used to drill the holes staggard. One higher than the other by around 3" and run the wires through a rubber boot. That way the door can open and close without chafing(sp?) the wires.

[Rocko71]

they make braided stainless wire looms for this purpose, too, if you like that look better. a company named Autoloc makes some, i know for sure. they look alot cleaner than rubber boots, but its all in the look youre after. heres a link to a picture of them, its all i could find. you can also see their products in Truckin' magazine most of the time. http://cgi.ebay.ca/AUTOLOC-STAINLESS-STEEL-BRAIDED-BILLET-DOOR-WIRE-LOOM_W0QQitemZ5827844865QQcategoryZ94829QQcmdZView Item

[Martin71RS]

The braiding will damage the paint!(maybe even the wires) and isn't as flexible as a standard rubber boot/conduit. Besides that I personally do not like the looks (but that's my 0.02)

[CoryM]

Looks to me like the braid is fixed on one end and will slide in/out of the other grommet rather than fold in the door jamb so it shouldn't touch the paint. Havent seen those before but I like them assuming they work right. Tidy/small/simple works for me any day.

[teamplex65]

I used something like this. Work awesome, just have to drill 2 holes.

http://www.thehoffmangroup.com:16080/KeepItClean/detail.lasso?itemid=DLOOMBL

[KWIKND]

Here is what I got. Remember you need two parallel panels with the door closed for the contact style! And also the locks and windows won't work with the door open. Not a big deal but something to think about.
Dan

[HzEmall]

I like to use the ones meant for the particular car............safer and less possible issues of binding up when closing the door.

If you have no "boots" get some from the same type of car that had them and put them in the same spot.......................if you are running alot of wires you don't want to pinch the wires from being "moved" the wrong way every time you open and close your doors.

[John McIntire]

yeah, that would be the right thing to do, but my car didnt have power windows originally, and the holes on the door and door jamb arent there. I dont know where they go, or how big they are.
John

[HzEmall]

yeah, that would be the right thing to do, but my car didnt have power windows originally, and the holes on the door and door jamb arent there. I dont know where they go, or how big they are.
John

There should be a "intend" for the factory to drill them in the cars that had the options

[ProTouring442]

yeah, that would be the right thing to do, but my car didnt have power windows originally, and the holes on the door and door jamb arent there. I dont know where they go, or how big they are.
John

There are dimples on the jams to show where the boots go. As I didn't trust the reproduction ones, I used boots from the rear doors of a 95 Pontiac Bonneville. Since my doors weren't drilled either, they worked perfectly. Also, as they are factory rubber, I expect them to last longer.

[Gordz32]

I've also seen magnetic ones to, but can't remember where!

[rockdogz]

Does anyone have pics of what they've used on a 1st gen? I was going to use the braided steel loom, but after getting them and looking inside the car where the tube feeds in, there doesn't seem to be enough room inside... To go the rubber boot route, is there a repro piece for this? I searched the Classic Industries site and didn't find anything.

Thanks!

[Jagarang]

I'm looking as well

[jy211]

I sell these: http://www.thehoffmangroup.com:16080/Autoloc/search.lasso?search=DLOOMBL

I have yet to use them though....have them in stock. If you wanna come by and check them out..

[rockdogz]

I sell these: http://www.thehoffmangroup.com:16080/Autoloc/search.lasso?search=DLOOMBL

I have yet to use them though....have them in stock. If you wanna come by and check them out..

Thanks, these are the ones I already have... Just seems like there isn't enough room inside to fit 4" or so of that braided line when the door is open. Not to mention that it will be at a 90 degree angle, and I imagine that the braided steel will take out the aluminum collar quickly.

[jy211]

what length ones did you use?

[69protour]

I have the braided on my 69 Camaro. They work very well. I just have the end that slides, on the door side. I'll try to get a couple of pics. and post them for you. Believe it not, they don't actually slide that much when you open the door.

[rockdogz]

I have the braided on my 69 Camaro. They work very well. I just have the end that slides, on the door side. I'll try to get a couple of pics. and post them for you. Believe it not, they don't actually slide that much when you open the door.

Thanks, much appreciated. So yours slide into the door? Interesting. No problems with glass interference? I'd really like to see where the holes were drilled - that's my main concern right now...

[John McIntire]

I have the braided ones also, I cut down the aluminum Bosses that the braided line slides in to only the depth I needed. I Think the instructions say to have the part go in the door be staitionary, and the end that goes through the door jam to the interior is the receiving end. At the end of the braided line that "slides" is a metal collar that slides in the tubing, therefore reducing the wear of the braided line rubbing on the aluminum.

Just like 69protour said, the line doesn't really move that much as the door is opened and closed.

John

[rockdogz]

I have the braided ones also, I cut down the aluminum Bosses that the braided line slides in to only the depth I needed. I Think the instructions say to have the part go in the door be staitionary, and the end that goes through the door jam to the interior is the receiving end. At the end of the braided line that "slides" is a metal collar that slides in the tubing, therefore reducing the wear of the braided line rubbing on the aluminum.

Just like 69protour said, the line doesn't really move that much as the door is opened and closed.

John

Hmm, that makes sense - I was wondering what that aluminum boss was for on the end of the line. Maybe I will use these then after all. There is a dimple in the door jamb, and I'm just not sure if that's the best place to make the hole. The paint place is suggesting to install the glass temporarily to make sure that there is no interference.

[John McIntire]

On my Chevelle, which had power nothing, there were three dimples on the door, vertically, and three on the door jamb vertically. I just drilled out the middle one of each.

Oh and it helps to use a hole saw, not a bit. I've found that you get a better, cleaner hole using a hole saw. I think you need a 3/4" for these wire looms.

Good Luck,

John

[nekkidhillbilly]

Maybe a dumb Q..... but why would you need your door open when you are rolling up you windows? :hmm: I guess if you wanted to reach in and roll them up w/o getting in the car but since thats so rare it doesnt matter to me at all. The only thing I could see being an issue is if you had a door speaker. You may get spikes that could be hard on your stereo/speakers but Id bet most setups would handle them fine.
Cheers.

well if your locks are electric you cant lock them from the door with them open or if its rraining and you left your windows down going to be hard to roll them up