Installed leveling kit, now 3 connectors won't click back on

[modot66]

i installed a rough country 2" level kit this weekend which was fairly easy and all went well with the exception of the 3 steering assist connectors that the directions indicated to unclip. i freaking knew better and was thinking to myself, "why do these need to be unclipped?" but since i have never worked with electric steering assist i wasn't sure if there was some sort of a sensor or something. so i figured i should follow the directions.

 

to remove the connectors i slid the tab up then popped them off. they were on there pretty good but i didn't feel like anything broke when i took them off. now i can put them on and they are on pretty firm, but i can pull them off without lifting the tab and they don't seem to click in and stay anymore. to put them on i make sure the tab is in the up position, i slide them on, then put the tab down.

 

from research it seems like a few other people on the forum were in the same boat, but they never updated the thread so i'm not sure what the fix was. i have 2 dealers near me but wanted to arm myself with info first to see what the fixes were.

 

does anyone have any experience with this? how was it resolved? 

['17 Sierra]

That's exactly what happened to me too. Later I found out that we didn't need to disconnect the power steering anyway. The locking tab on the clip has broken. I checked everywhere and nobody has replacement connectors either. I just took some silicone adhesive and put it around the connector. If it ever needs to come off, it will too.

[newdude]

Some insight from the GM service book:

 

Quote

 

The wiring harness and extension harness are NOT repairable. Do NOT attempt to repair the harnesses under any circumstances. If either harness is damaged then that harness MUST be replaced.

• Once the wiring harness and extension harness are removed, the harness retainers CANNOT be reused. Use NEW harness retainers only and place the NEW harness retainers in the same position and orientation as the old harness retainers. A NEW harness will come with NEW harness retainers already in place.

 

 

23231301 and 23206790.  Expensive mistake due to some bad instructions.  Rough Country should re-evaluate. 

[Robopie]

ziptie 'em?  (but reinforce the cables first for rubbing

Edited April 16, 2018 by Robopie

[Dr Awesome]

All connectors are repairable if you take the time to do it right.  If you have a crimper you can snip it off and put a new one on either with pigtails or on the existing wires if there is enough slack (make sure there's enough for movement with the chassis if needed).  If I were repairing something like that I would definitely heat shrink and solder the replacement connector on to guarantee continuity.  If you can't find the right connector to mate it with, you can get a waterproof one of the same (or more) number of conductors and just make a new connector.  You just need to be able to get to the wires and make sue they go to the right spots.  A new harness, that would be a huge pain in the wallet cushion!

 

The belt and suspenders option is to replace the harness, but you can do a good repair if you take your time and have the right tools (soldering iron, crimper, good quality connector, and heat shrink).  I did a handful of them on my 2009 silverado for the backup camera I put in and for the topper's wiring harness.

[tbarn]

X2 on zip tie.

Regarding repairing them, yea ,technically you could repair them (maybe). But repairing a camera wire and repairing a steering wire are two different matters.

There are enough problems with steering on these already.

[modot66]

20 hours ago, '17 Sierra said:

That's exactly what happened to me too. Later I found out that we didn't need to disconnect the power steering anyway. The locking tab on the clip has broken. I checked everywhere and nobody has replacement connectors either. I just took some silicone adhesive and put it around the connector. If it ever needs to come off, it will too.

that's what i think i'm going to do as well. i tried to see if i could zip tie them somehow but didn't seem like i could find a place to do it

[modot66]

20 hours ago, newdude said:

Some insight from the GM service book:

 

 

23231301 and 23206790.  Expensive mistake due to some bad instructions.  Rough Country should re-evaluate. 

no kidding. i freaking knew better too. gonna email rough country that they are having people break things.

[modot66]

13 hours ago, tbarn said:

X2 on zip tie.

Regarding repairing them, yea ,technically you could repair them (maybe). But repairing a camera wire and repairing a steering wire are two different matters.

There are enough problems with steering on these already.

i was looking around but it doesn't seem that you can get a zip tie on them. they clip on to a flange and there is nothing to loop around. ebay parts are $160. think i'm just going to glue them on.

['17 Sierra]

8 minutes ago, modot66 said:

that's what i think i'm going to do as well. i tried to see if i could zip tie them somehow but didn't seem like i could find a place to do it

No place to zip tie those.. I looked too. I just coated the connector all the way around with silicone and it is very secure.

[drentlaw1]

I had this issue with one of my 02 sensor plugs when I did my headers. I pushed the connection back together and used electrical tape from the wires on one end, over the plug to the wires on the other end. 

[modot66]

2 hours ago, '17 Sierra said:

No place to zip tie those.. I looked too. I just coated the connector all the way around with silicone and it is very secure.

did you use silicone adhesive, or silicone caulk? 

['17 Sierra]

16 minutes ago, modot66 said:

did you use silicone adhesive, or silicone caulk? 

Silicone adhesive. A bit of dielectric grease on the connections too.

[Tahoe02]

Maybe reach out to pgamboa that does all the electronic upgrades on these trucks and maybe he would have an idea on how to do a repair. He has many posts on here and would be easy to find.

[Silverdoe2122]

Same thing happen to me. I put a big zip tie around the rack and glued where they would connect. I only had 2 break. I had an f150 before this truck and the connectors came right off so I didn’t think there would be an issue... I was wrong! That’s what I get for listening to directions.