Wiring through "A" Pillar

  • Installing an Eaton E-Locker is in my near future, but I am trying to get a handle on the wiring issues first. I plan to install the switch on a Rugged Ridge A Pillar switch mount. My question is: Where do you run the wire through the firewall on a JKU?


    I looked down by the clutch and didn't see any likely candidates.


    I also pulled off the side panel on the dash under the A pillar. Directly forward there is a hole with what looks like some insulation on the other side. Is this where to do it? Here's a picture:



    The yellowish insulation (?) is to the left between the two bolts. There is also an interesting little plug or something on the right. Those wires lead to a bundle that can be made out inside the dash (which presumably leads through the firewall somewhere.


    Anyway, any suggestions would be appreciated.

  • Don't know about JK's specifically but most vehicles have some sort of cable that passes through the firewall via a rubber grommet or if it's an auto, there may be a plug where the clutch cable would go.

  • I run all of my wires through a factory hole on the drivers side of the firewall. You can see it best from the engine side, use a coat hangar and push the wires through and use a flashlight to find them on the inside. I'll try to get a photo for you...

    Jerry / Whatevah

    2020 Gladiator Mojave - 33" Falken mud tires, LoD side steps, Zroadz bed rack, Quadratec QRC winch bumper, Superwinch EPi 9.0, Kleinn on-board air, Kleinn air horns, lots of lights, Yaesu ham radio with GPS tracker.

    Gone- 2012 JK Rubicon with stuff. Long gone- Long-arm 2001 Cherokee with stuff.



  • As you can see, it's a few inches above the carpet all the way over by the fender. You might need to push the coat hangar in from the outside, tape the cables on and pull them back through. I believe you might have to cut a small notch into the plug first.

    Jerry / Whatevah

    2020 Gladiator Mojave - 33" Falken mud tires, LoD side steps, Zroadz bed rack, Quadratec QRC winch bumper, Superwinch EPi 9.0, Kleinn on-board air, Kleinn air horns, lots of lights, Yaesu ham radio with GPS tracker.

    Gone- 2012 JK Rubicon with stuff. Long gone- Long-arm 2001 Cherokee with stuff.

  • i agree with Jerry. My 2012 has a grommet that i was able to pass my Spod connector through....about the size of my thumb with no problems. drivers side

  • Thanks Jerry, will check that out tomorrow. I'm wondering if that hole might be in a different spot on manual transmissions because of the clutch. But I may have just missed it earlier today. Pics are very helpful.


    Mellow Yellow, I discovered the SPOD today while looking on Youtube for wiring instructions. That looks pretty cool. Feel like you're driving a 747, I'll bet. Lots of possibilities with all those buttons...Nitro, oil slick, ejector seat, machine guns...

  • The bodies should be all the same, but I guess that hole could be occupied. Let us know how it goes tomorrow.

    Jerry / Whatevah

    2020 Gladiator Mojave - 33" Falken mud tires, LoD side steps, Zroadz bed rack, Quadratec QRC winch bumper, Superwinch EPi 9.0, Kleinn on-board air, Kleinn air horns, lots of lights, Yaesu ham radio with GPS tracker.

    Gone- 2012 JK Rubicon with stuff. Long gone- Long-arm 2001 Cherokee with stuff.

  • As I feared, that hole you are using is occupied by my clutch:



    I did find some Spod instructions online, here. These seem to specifically say don't use the hole that I identified in the first post. They mention going to the right of the brake booster, but I must say that I am still confused. I hesitate to cut through that accordion rubber structure surrounding the brake lever.


    Added Later: Looking at those instructions again, they seem to be saying pull that plug that you can see at the top of your engine photo, and run the wire through there (not talking about the brake lever as I thought. They are saying to the right of the brake booster as you are looking from the front under the hood.). Would you agree with that?

  • OK - got a little time this afternoon and pulled that plug referenced in the Spod instructions. Here it is on Jerry's picture:



    So, if you have a manual JK and need to run a wire from the cabin, you pull that rubber plug out (I'm guessing that is the wiper fluid line that goes to the rear window). You can gently snake a wire hanger down into the cabin. It will come out near the bottom of the side panel on the driver-side dash. Tape the wire to the hanger and pull it through. You can then jam that plug back in.


    Thanks to everyone for the suggestions.

  • You want the wire to go *thru* the plug, not be pinched between it and the sheet metal, which is how you make it sound like you are doing it.


    Push the hangar thru the center hole that the tube or whatever goes thru and pull the wire back thru.


    You may have to take a skinny knife and enlarge the opening. Just keep the cutting edge facing out away from the hose.

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