Opinions on grounds needed

[germando]

Evening everyone, just wanted to get some opinions on where I should add some grounds. I have been having some ground related rear brake/signal light issues so when I go through and inspect the grounds in the rear, I want to add some. I have 10 3/4in brass grounding straps to add for this issue. Question where would you guys put em? Gotta get this solved before I install the Dakota digital I ordered

Thanks
G

 

[Ricko1966]

Grounds are simple,anything that has a hot needs a ground. Your engine,body,and chassis should all have a good ground to the battery it can be daisy chained,ground the bed to the frame now almost every piece of metal on that truck is a potential ground location. It won't matter where you ground the lights,the radio,the electric ball scratcher or anything else if it has a ground running to a metal part of the truck it's grounded. And the body,the frame,and the engine block can carry more current than any wires you could ever home run to the battery.

 

[Dleslie212]

I ended up going the daisy chain method. People here told me it was overkill, but I don't care

I drilled holes in various locations and used 5/26" threaded rods with nuts and washers to attach. Then a battery cable tying each of those lugs together. Anything nearby that needs a ground is terminated with a ring connector and bolted to the grounding lug, whichever lug is closest.

I have one at both driver and passenger side frame rails up front, one at the firewall next to fuse block, one at inside of drivers fender, and another at the frame near the fuel tanks. Grounding straps from the bed to rear lug, and alternator to a front lug

Overkill? Maybe. But I don't care. I used my digital meter to test from grounding lugs to just about anywhere unpainted on the truck and have perfect grounding everywhere now

 

[Camar068]

Evening everyone, just wanted to get some opinions on where I should add some grounds. I have been having some ground related rear brake/signal light issues so when I go through and inspect the grounds in the rear, I want to add some. I have 10 3/4in brass grounding straps to add for this issue. Question where would you guys put em? Gotta get this solved before I install the Dakota digital I ordered

Thanks
G

Read up on the "big 3 Upgrade"

Big 3 Upgrade

 

[Bextreme04]

I ended up going the daisy chain method. People here told me it was overkill, but I don't care

I drilled holes in various locations and used 5/26" threaded rods with nuts and washers to attach. Then a battery cable tying each of those lugs together. Anything nearby that needs a ground is terminated with a ring connector and bolted to the grounding lug, whichever lug is closest.

I have one at both driver and passenger side frame rails up front, one at the firewall next to fuse block, one at inside of drivers fender, and another at the frame near the fuel tanks. Grounding straps from the bed to rear lug, and alternator to a front lug

Overkill? Maybe. But I don't care. I used my digital meter to test from grounding lugs to just about anywhere unpainted on the truck and have perfect grounding everywhere now

Most light harness related ground issues are caused by the socket internally having an issue to the ground cable in my experience. Adding ground connections from body panels to the frame can be helpful, but it is usually due to the socket itself not having a decent ground.

 

[Dleslie212]

Most light harness related ground issues are caused by the socket internally having an issue to the ground cable in my experience. Adding ground connections from body panels to the frame can be helpful, but it is usually due to the socket itself not having a decent ground.

My socket grounds, both up front and in back, tie together and connect to the nearest grounding lug with a ring terminal

 

[Randy and Easton]

@RustyPile will be along shortly with some great advice but here is a great list.

Randy and E

 

[SquareRoot]

@RustyPile will be along shortly with some great advice but here is a great list.

Randy and E

I'm sure he will. lol

 

[SquareRoot]

Star washers and Weather Pack connectors will make ground issues a thing of the past.

 

[Bextreme04]

My socket grounds, both up front and in back, tie together and connect to the nearest grounding lug with a ring terminal

Yes, and because the amperage is pretty low, they don't need much connection to the bed or core support to be totally fine. All turn signal and headlight issues I've had on two different squares were able to be tracked down to the way the ground wire itself was connected into the socket. The connection looked just fine visually, but it was internally loose, corroded, or broken and they aren't really repairable. I ended up having to replace the suspect socket and have never had an issue since. There is only one ground in the rear for the entire taillight harness. I have an additional 10 gauge ground back there for the trailer brake harness that ties together and goes directly to the frame with a star washer. The front harness has been modified to use the headlight relay add on harness and there are additional 10 gauge grounds from the core support to the batteries. I have 00 AWG from both batteries to the engine and the engine to the frame.

 

[DoubleDingo]

All great recommendations

 

[brooksman9]

Had a rear light issue on one of mine and ran a wire from the bed ground to the frame at the DS taillight. Fixed that right up.

 

[germando]

I suspect it is where the rear lights ground to the bed or where the bed is grounded to the frame. The sockets are all new as I installed an aaw full harness.

G

 

[germando]

I will follow the big3 and do those as well, but for the back I am thinking adding a ground strap on each side from where the lights ground to the body and chain it to the frame hopefully it will fix this issue

G

 

[MikeB]

Good idea in your last post, but I wouldn't worry about using anything but small ground straps or even 12-14 gauge wire for a handful of light bulbs. I mean we're not talking about engine to frame to body grounding. Also, I recommend these external tooth washers for ring terminal connections to body and frame.

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