Playing the fuse box blues!

[briwayjones]

Has anybody ever changed the fuse box in a 2nd gen? I messed up my fuse box and it's intermittently effecting the radio. Do the wire harnesses just plug into the back of the fuse box like they plug into everything else or do the wires have to be individually spliced?

 

[410Fortune]

which box? I assume the dash mounted unit because you are talking radio.

Have you taken it out to look and see if you can spot the issue?
How did you mess it up?

You can replace it, I am not sure where in the harness it plugs in. It is likely MANY small plugs, but the best bet is to unscrew it and pull it out as much as you can.
Prepare to get upside down, put the drivers seat back, get some light, and get on your back. Working on/under the dash = PITA.

 

[briwayjones]

The main fuse box that's mounted in the side of the dash on the drivers side behind the access panel. I needed to run some power taps off of the radio power and I originally tried modifying fuse taps to use in there. But those type of fuses are too small to use fuse taps and I bent the springs that fuses plug into. So now the fuses don't fit very tight and I have it jury rigged to try and make them fit tighter. But it's still causing problems.

 

[410Fortune]

I vote for fix what you have, undo what you did and start over

Or junk yard and get a new box
hahaha

I never tap into fuses, I tap into wires with a razor blade, solder gun and electrical tape.

 

[briwayjones]

After tapping into the fuses didn't work I just tapped into the wires anyway. The thing is there's no way to undo what I did. The spring connectors that pinch the fuse when you slip it in is permantly bent so that they don't pinch the fuse hardly at all anymore. I guess I'll just have to get a new one from a junkyard. Sounds like it won't be too terrible to replace.

 

[410Fortune]

the metal clips likely clip into the plastic housing (the whole bax usually comes completely apart) meaning you can bend them back into shape and re-install.
Much easier.

I have never dealt with the later model fuse box, but I have messed with alot of Ford fuse boxes, the panel itself should seperate from the metal clips.

 

[briwayjones]

Oh cool that's good to know I'll try that. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[FreeWheelin4x4]

Small pair of needle nose pliers will bend them suckers back into place enough to work again .

 

[gijoecam]

I just had mine out two weeks ago, and I honestly didn't notice. The fuse box is only held in with three screws, and there's plenty of wire there to let you pull it out and wrangle with it.

-Joe

 

[briwayjones]

I just had mine out two weeks ago, and I honestly didn't notice. The fuse box is only held in with three screws, and there's plenty of wire there to let you pull it out and wrangle with it.

-Joe

That's good. I wasn't looking forward to having to take the dash apart to get to it.

 

[410Fortune]

yeah you only have to climb under the dash if you plan to replace the box = unplug all those wires

 

[gijoecam]

Nope. The fuse box on the 2nd gens is in the door jamb on the left side of the dash, not underneath it like it was in the 1st gens/Rangers/BIIs.

-Joe