Conversion to power doors - Wiring question

[grumpin]

That's a really good lesson to learn, and to communicate. Thanks for passing it on. And I'm glad you got it sorted.

Good find Chad! Got me thinking about my power door lock on the drivers side.

Edit: Years ago my brother told me, always check the ground. It stuck with me and has definitely proven to be true.

[kramttocs]

Good find Chad! Got me thinking about my power door lock on the drivers side.

Edit: Years ago my brother told me, always check the ground. It stuck with me and has definitely proven to be true.

You and me both Dane - was just looking at the evtm again. I wish they would have put the ground connection inside the cab vs at the door.

[Gary Lewis]

You and me both Dane - was just looking at the evtm again. I wish they would have put the ground connection inside the cab vs at the door.

If I put power windows and locks in Dad's truck as I plan, I will probably bring a ground strap into the door with the harness.

[kramttocs]

If I put power windows and locks in Dad's truck as I plan, I will probably bring a ground strap into the door with the harness.

That's the way to do it. Eliminate that 'question mark' when troubleshooting problems without having to pull the panel just to check.

[Gary Lewis]

That's the way to do it. Eliminate that 'question mark' when troubleshooting problems without having to pull the panel just to check.

Ford's engineers were a bit slow on the uptake. Prior to about '84 the tail lights and turn signals in the rear grounded to the bed which was supposedly grounded to the frame - through the rusty bolts holding it on. In ~84 they brought that ground into the cab, but left the cab only grounded through the strap from the engine to the firewall. In the years after our trucks were made they then grounded the cab via straps to the frame.

[old55pete]

So after I hooked up the wiring as suggested (thanks all), the windows still didn't work. I knew two things with certainty: the motors were new and the wiring was hooked up correctly. I really wracked my brain to explain what was going on. Most of the problems (electrical or otherwise) that I have had with my 928 are because of issues with grounds. I figured I'd start with that and checked the contact with the ground connection in the driver door. That contact was clean, but then it occurred to me that the only way that the ground in the door can work is if the contact between door and the chassis was not insulated. Ultimately, that was the problem. New paint on the door jams and door hinges was acting as an insulator, so I had to run a separate ground wire to the door.

Lesson learned: Paint is a very effective insulator. Always check continuity to ground first!

Keep a couple things in mind when working with the electric windows, doors/tailgate. The two fuses ( have self resetting brakers in mine) 12 and 14, one is switched power and the other is un switched power. 12 is the un switched power for the key switch in the tailgate and runs through the switch in the HVAC panel. If that switch is un plugged/broken, the tailgate window wont work.

14 is the switched power to the door windows and tailgate. The door windows and the tailgate window switch in the HVAC panel will only work when the ignition switch is on or in acc. I am hoping I am not confuseing whats going on here.

P.S. Don't buy the replacement tailgate switch that goes into the HVAC panel from Jeff's Bronco Graveyard, they wont fit the plug and you have to play with them to get them to work once you do bend the spades on the back to fit the plug. I am currently two for two on these switches being bad and they get 50 bucks a copy for them. and have spent hours on the phone and e-mails with pictures and videos to return them.