Flareside bed grounding?

[Rembrant]

Hi Folks,

I didn't realize this until I started looking at the wiring for my new tail lights, but the Flareside (and C/C trucks) do not have a dedicated ground wire for the tail lights like the Styleside trucks do. Unless I'm missing something, the tail lights are grounded to the mounting bracket which is grounded to the bed, correct?

My issue with this is that the bed is only touching the frame (metal to metal) at four points. Left and right frame rails on the front sill, and left and right frame rails on the rear sill. Problem is, I've painted the frame with rust paint and had the front sill powder coated and the rear sill painted.

I don't remember there being a ground wire between the bed and the frame. Does anybody know if there was one? Or is it supposed to be grounded through the mounting points?

I guess worst case scenario I just grind some paint off underneath and run a ground strap between the frame and the bed.

My tail lights were working fine before, but I don't remember there being any ground wires, and my bed and frame were so rusty I can't imagine they were grounded well...

Any comments from the pro's?

[Gary Lewis]

In the early part of the Bullnose era there was no ground wire. But by '85 there was a ground wire. So I don't know if the '84 had one - although I can check the EVTM.

So I'd run a ground wire.

[Rembrant]

In the early part of the Bullnose era there was no ground wire. But by '85 there was a ground wire. So I don't know if the '84 had one - although I can check the EVTM.

So I'd run a ground wire.

Ok, I guess I'll run a wire....well, I guess I'll run two ground wires, one for each side. Since I had every single piece completely painted before assembly, if I ground the left bed side, there will be 4 layers of paint to get through to ground the other side panel. Anyway...no big deal. I'm good...just wanted to check.

I did look in the 1984 EVTM, and it showed a ground wire...even if it's only a short wire, for the styleside bed tail lights. The C/C trucks and Flareside showed the lights being grounded directly to the bed via the brackets.

Thanks for the reply Gary.

[Gary Lewis]

In the early part of the Bullnose era there was no ground wire. But by '85 there was a ground wire. So I don't know if the '84 had one - although I can check the EVTM.

So I'd run a ground wire.

Ok, I guess I'll run a wire....well, I guess I'll run two ground wires, one for each side. Since I had every single piece completely painted before assembly, if I ground the left bed side, there will be 4 layers of paint to get through to ground the other side panel. Anyway...no big deal. I'm good...just wanted to check.

I did look in the 1984 EVTM, and it showed a ground wire...even if it's only a short wire, for the styleside bed tail lights. The C/C trucks and Flareside showed the lights being grounded directly to the bed via the brackets.

Thanks for the reply Gary.

Ok, so '84 used the frame and the change was for '85. I say that because they were wired this way in '81:

And this way in '85:

 

[Dyn Blin]

In the early part of the Bullnose era there was no ground wire. But by '85 there was a ground wire. So I don't know if the '84 had one - although I can check the EVTM.

So I'd run a ground wire.

Ok, I guess I'll run a wire....well, I guess I'll run two ground wires, one for each side. Since I had every single piece completely painted before assembly, if I ground the left bed side, there will be 4 layers of paint to get through to ground the other side panel. Anyway...no big deal. I'm good...just wanted to check.

I did look in the 1984 EVTM, and it showed a ground wire...even if it's only a short wire, for the styleside bed tail lights. The C/C trucks and Flareside showed the lights being grounded directly to the bed via the brackets.

Thanks for the reply Gary.

My '82 had a dedicated ground on each side going from one of the studs on the pod against the bracket hole, and down through the grommet to the frame.

When I stripped & repainted my brackets and set up the LED pods, I laid a washer over one of the holes for the pod that matched the outside edge of the nut and did the same for a couple of the holes on the bracket securing the bed. When it was done I used new steel washers to facilitate the ground.

I'm not at home to check my '82 EVTM, but I would imagine it matches the '84.

 

[Gary Lewis]

My '82 had a dedicated ground on each side going from one of the studs on the pod against the bracket hole, and down through the grommet to the frame.

When I stripped & repainted my brackets and set up the LED pods, I laid a washer over one of the holes for the pod that matched the outside edge of the nut and did the same for a couple of the holes on the bracket securing the bed. When it was done I used new steel washers to facilitate the ground.

I'm not at home to check my '82 EVTM, but I would imagine it matches the '84.

The 1980 - 84 trucks should have a ground from the light down to the frame.

The 1985 & 6 trucks should have a ground wire running from the back all the way to the firewall ground in the cab and just in front of the radio. And spliced into that ground wire will be all of the things along the way, including tail lights/stop lights/turn signals/backup lights, trailer lights, and the tank senders/pumps and the switching valve.

[Rembrant]

The 1980 - 84 trucks should have a ground from the light down to the frame.

The 1985 & 6 trucks should have a ground wire running from the back all the way to the firewall ground in the cab and just in front of the radio. And spliced into that ground wire will be all of the things along the way, including tail lights/stop lights/turn signals/backup lights, trailer lights, and the tank senders/pumps and the switching valve.

Hey Gary,

There is a ground wire running all the way to the back of my truck, but it is only for the licence plate illumination lamp. It is interesting that they felt the need to ground that light (by wire), but not the two bulbs in either taillight (by wire).

I've decided I'm going to try and run a wire from the frame to the bedside where it can't be seen. That should work just fine. If for any reason it does not, I'll run one from the frame to one of the studs on the taillight housing. I don't want to do that...it would be a last resort, but it is an option. I just want it to look like it did...and that means grounding through the brackets and to the bed sides.

[Gary Lewis]

Hey Gary,

There is a ground wire running all the way to the back of my truck, but it is only for the licence plate illumination lamp. It is interesting that they felt the need to ground that light (by wire), but not the two bulbs in either taillight (by wire).

I've decided I'm going to try and run a wire from the frame to the bedside where it can't be seen. That should work just fine. If for any reason it does not, I'll run one from the frame to one of the studs on the taillight housing. I don't want to do that...it would be a last resort, but it is an option. I just want it to look like it did...and that means grounding through the brackets and to the bed sides.

That's wired weird.

Seriously though, that is strange. Oh well, you have a plan.

[Steve83]

There is a ground wire running all the way to the back of my truck, but it is only for the licence plate illumination lamp. ...but not the two bulbs in either taillight (by wire).

I've decided I'm going to try and run a wire from the frame...

It would be MUCH better to wire the taillights to the return wire for the license lights.

I just want it to look like it did.

Why? Even Ford didn't like that, which is why they improved it in '85. It'll look better with working taillights than with a wiring layout that ONLY YOU will know isn't exactly factory for that year.

If it's that important to have 1 wire, find a coaxial wire to replace the normal taillight wire, so you can connect the negative (return) to the coax's outer shield. It'll look like a single-conductor wire, but it'll work better with the 2 conductors.

[Rembrant]

Why? Even Ford didn't like that, which is why they improved it in '85. It'll look better with working taillights than with a wiring layout that ONLY YOU will know isn't exactly factory for that year.

Haha...Steve, the answer to your question of why, is personal preference. Sometimes we prefer things a certain way, and that's OK.