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To avoid overheating it is essential you use fuses or circuit breakers on all electrical circuits. |
Terminals come in all shapes and sizes. Choosing the correct terminal for your cars wiring system, along with a proper crimp, will ensure a reliable connection and, in most cases, a night free of electrical problems. |
Careful selection of connectors is important. Environment, type of connector and current rating, among other things, should all be considered in order to prevent electrical failure. |
Like terminals and connectors, it is important to select the correct barrel size when you are splicing wire. Select your barrel size based on the wire size you are using. |
Proper crimp tool selection is almost as important as the wiring system itself. Poor crimps may cause unreliable connections and broken wire strands. Crimping tools range from the more expensive powered crimpers to the basic manual crimper most racers should have in their tool box. |
A shroud, whether it is made of nylon or another type of material, is often recommended for added protection of the wiring harness assembly. |
Proper assembly and installation are extremely important when it comes to your cars wiring system. Extra time and effort should be put into routing the assembly. |
You want to avoid sharp edges, areas susceptible to damage, high temperatures and anywhere that flexing may occur. |
From the lowest class of stock car racing all the way up to the NASCAR Winston Cup Series, wiring is an important aspect of getting your race car to Victory Lane. One bad connection or exposed wire can ruin your chances of finishing the race. Circle Track spoke to numerous experts who deal with wiring systems in race cars to come up with some hot tips on how to install and maintain your race cars wiring system.
Many of our experts manufacture and install wiring systems for the upper levels of auto racing, such as the Winston Cup Series. Though their products may be at the higher end of the racing spectrum, their tips on proper wiring cover all classes of racing.
In regards to weatherproofing and fire prevention, Dennis Overholser of Painless Performance supplied us with a great many tips, while Wade Brown of Brown & Miller Racing Solutions gave us some pointers on connectors, terminals and switches. Last, but not least, David Hatfield of Hatfield Ignition let us in on some of his tips for batteries, battery cables and ignition wires.