Tail light update (good!) and a couple easy ???'s

DarrellG · Post by **DarrellG** » Fri Jun 02, 2006 9:26 am

Hi guys,

So my running lights and brake lights are working!

How'd I fix it? I'm not sure.

So, I had cleaned sockets, new bulbs, trailer junk splices removed - and nothing. I did have the buckets screwed into the bed during testing. I finally gave up. Figured I'd put the lenses on (just so it looked nice), and move on to the tune-up and brakes. I thought I'd get back to wiring later. Well...

Now everything's working.

I do realize stuff doesn't just "fix" itself, but I'll take it for now.

So, how about an easy question? I still want to check all the major grounds - where exactly are they? I've got Russ's basics to go from - " The battery should be grounded to the engine, and you should have a ground wire from the engine to the cab. Then you need a wire from cab to frame, and finally a wire from the frame to the bed."

Is there a standard location for these wires - most importantly the frame to bed wire?

Also, I spent a bit of time under the Dodge -

Was my bed factory mounted to the frame with blocks of wood as spacers? Well mine are. Just curious.

Thanks guys!

Darrell

Jeffc · Post by **Jeffc** » Fri Jun 02, 2006 10:15 am

All the full size beds have wood blocks with the
bolts running thought them. Over time
the bolts rust and bed looses ground. So a bed to
frame wire often helps to keep the taillights working.

I assume you got brake lights now.

No things do not "just" fix themself. Most likely
if was a combo of things, trailer splices, sockets,
new bulbs and maybe grounding of the light buckets.
Cleaner the ground points are the easyer it is for
for the power to find a way back to battery.

Myself, I like to ground the light buckets
to the frame or even run a wire all the way to
the battery neg side.

Battery is grounded to engine (neg bat cable), engine is
grounded to cab at firewall (back of engine to voltage
reg hole on fire wall), cab to frame is often missing
because the cab mount bolts do that job (any place will work), bed to frame (again, mount bolts do that
job- anywere near rear of bed will work).

65Dodge100 · Post by **65Dodge100** » Fri Jun 02, 2006 12:47 pm

Do your taillight lenses mount with screws? Maybe one of them accidentally grounded everything. If you don't know what caused it, you might slam the door or open the glove box one day and lose your tail lights again...

Pretty hard to fix while it's working though!

duracell · Post by **duracell** » Fri Jun 02, 2006 1:24 pm

jeff i guess you haven't seen christeen

Jeffc · Post by **Jeffc** » Fri Jun 02, 2006 4:43 pm

duracell wrote:jeff i guess you haven't seen christeen

got a friend with a "few" Christeens, 57's 58's and 59's Fury's

DarrellG · Post by **DarrellG** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 2:21 am

Yea, I know, fixed is a strong word. Before I gave up, I wiggled and jiggled - brake switch wiring, both TL connectors, pulled and plugged both lights, everything I could reach easily - a bunch of times.

Now it works.

I know somethings still wrong (maybe marginally though now I'm hoping!) I'm moving on, I'll worry about it later if it craps out again. Will do an additional ground for tailight buckets, bed and cab though. Running new wires - easy. Fixing old wiring - painful!

Thanks Sweptliners - I printed my original post and your responses. Reading and rereading Jeff's wiring info... Well I have a somewhat difficult time following, but I'll study it and conquer my fears of spaghetti!

I'm getting to know my Truck, thanks for the help.

Darrell

Website · Post by **wideblock** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 4:22 pm

darrel, my 66 wqas bad about the tails lights not wanting to work. that is untill i tok a wire wheel to the back of the huosing and the socket in the bed. after all the steel was nice and shiney where the buckets ground to, i never had an issue again. and as far as i know, 4 years later, its still got some of the brightest tail lights on a swept.

mopar400 · Post by **mopar400** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 7:56 pm

After mounting my bumper a few weeks ago I turned on the lights to check the license plate lamp. When I pulled out the switch the headlamps, front parking lamps and the dash lights came on. The front and rear side markers, the taillamps and the license didn't come on. I checked fuses and they were good. So, I hit the swept site and went straight to jeffc's wiring diagrams. I found the brown wire out of the headlamp switch was what I needed to trace. I had power out the switch but not to any of the lamps. So, I started checking the wires at the harness plug at the firewall. The brown wire had backed out of the plug at the firewall and wasn't plugged in. I bent the tab back out and it clipped solid into the plug. The lights have been working great since!! I had it fixed in 15 minutes! I think when I put on a master cylinder a few days before I must have bumped the wire loose??? Thanks Jeffc. This site is great!

Mopar400

Jeffc · Post by **Jeffc** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 10:42 pm

Not sure I can take credit for those drawings, if there on my photo page

that is why there in the tech stuff section in my photos......

but if there on this site give it to Scott, it's his site......
and/or whoever scand them

mopar400 · Post by **mopar400** » Sun Jun 04, 2006 9:47 am

Jeffc wrote:Not sure I can take credit for those drawings, if there on my photo page that is why there in the tech stuff section in my photos......

but if there on this site give it to Scott, it's his site......
and/or whoever scand them

Sorry, I wasn't clear. They were in your tech section.

Mopar400