Auto Electrical Specialists OTHER than Murray Auto Electric? (Pittsburgh: sales, buying)

[Sealtite]

I've been replacing brake light fuses in a 2005 Chevy c5500 dump truck for about two months now. At first it was every week or so, but recently it's gotten to the point where it's been blowing multiple times each day. I bought the cab and chassis used, and had a new dump body put on about two years ago. I first looked under the dash for loose ground wires, replaced the brake light switch, stoplights on the bed, checked all the wiring that I thought I could get to, all to no avail.

So today, I allot the entire day to getting this problem taken care of. Called a few shops I use for service, and much to my dismay, their response: "Take it to Murray Auto Electric". Well, I can't stand that company, but around here they are the one and only "go-to" for all things electric. The only problem is that I've always had issues there, and I can't think of anyone I know who hasn't. They once re-wired a lowboy equipment trailer for me, charging me $500 and change in the process, only to have to re-wire it the next day after I get stopped by the DOT because the running lights didn't work AND the turn signals were literally BACKWARDS. Amazingly I didn't get a fine, however the nice people at Murray acted almost offended when I returned for them to fix the problem, and subsequently took several days to fix their mistake. I also purchased a hazard light (yellow square light that mounts on the roof of construction vehicles) there a while back, and wound up buying the last one they had in stock. This seemed to anger the guy behind the desk, and prompted him to try and get extra money out of me because he'd have to order more in, and I guess that was an inconvenience to him, ordering supplies for a business.

Aside from their poor work, exorbitant prices, and bait & switch sales tactics, the place is also infamous for having the most robotic, monotone, crankiest employees with absolutely zero people skills. Having thought I'd exhausted every other option, I reluctantly stopped at two Murray locations today. Of course, I accomplished nothing. I was told to come back in two weeks at the first location, and was grunted at and told to take my truck to a Chevrolet dealership at the second location. Typical.

So I give up and go back to my garage. I had a little bit of gravel & dirt in the bed, so I dump that and park the truck with the bed up as to keep the rain out of it. I do a quick once-over on the frame rails just checking the wiring, and I spot something I hadn't seen before between the frame rail and the toolbox: A second trailer wiring harness zip-tied to the frame rail. The wiring behind the plug looked like a 2-year old put it together (it was probably the experts at Murray Auto Electric), and it appeared that it had been there for a 5th wheel trailer in the truck's previous life. That's the only thing I can think of. I undid the zip ties, disconnected the wiring harness, and threw it in the dumpster. I replaced the fuse, drove the truck for about ten miles, and the fuse didn't blow. Lucky me.

These things will happen from time to time again in the future, and I've either gotta find an alternative to Murray, or continue to waste time doing them myself. I'm by no means a wizard with automotive electronics (or any electronics for that matter). If anyone can recommend ANYONE better, even if it's on the other side of Pittsburgh, I'd be more than willing to try them out.