grounding the cab

[ggdad1951]

sooooo, my thought is to ground the cab thru the drivers front cab mount....does that sound logical?

[Dave72dt]

With a rubber cushion involved, it wouldn't be my first choice. The front legs by the mounts would be my choice and the chassis and mount bracket is real close right there. A drilled and tapped hole with one of those small braided ground wires and star washers. For symetry(sp), could do both sides.

[ggdad1951]

With a rubber cushion involved, it wouldn't be my first choice. The front legs by the mounts would be my choice and the chassis and mount bracket is real close right there. A drilled and tapped hole with one of those small braided ground wires and star washers. For symetry(sp), could do both sides.

true, somwhat. The drivers front doesn't have the rubber cushion under the cab mount on the frame. So I could clean the paint off the bottom of that and the inside floor of the cab where the big washer goes and I'd be grounding thru the mounting bolt.

[Rusty O'Toole]

Older MoPars had a small woven metal ground strap between the firewall and the back of the engine. This was called the body ground. Then there was a bigger ground from the engine block to the battery.

[ggdad1951]

Older MoPars had a small woven metal ground strap between the firewall and the back of the engine. This was called the body ground. Then there was a bigger ground from the engine block to the battery.

I did get a ground strap from RIWire when I ordered all my wiring as an adder, but there wasn't one on the truck when I tore it down....just trying to keep it as close to original as possible. Sounds like a ground strap would be the less invasive to the painted protection I have on the metal parts

[Dodgeb4ya]

Older MoPars had a small woven metal ground strap between the firewall and the back of the engine. This was called the body ground. Then there was a bigger ground from the engine block to the battery.

Are you sure the B-Series Dodge trucks had this woven body ground strap from the firewall to the engine block?

It's absolutely necessary on most all newer cars and trucks. Certainly anything with computers and lotsa electrical automotive gadgets with a lot of current flowing. Old trucks not much reason too.

If you were to show a 1948-53 truck and have that strap at the back I think you could lose some precious show points at the premier Dodge truck Pebble Beach show-but does anyone care?.

Edited December 17, 2011 by Dodgeb4ya

[Young Ed]

I don't believe either my 46 pickup or 48 coupe had from the factory a woven ground strap from body to engine. And I will also state neither have them now and they still manage to run.

[Merle Coggins]

I don't have one either and don't have any electrical problems.

Merle

[ggdad1951]

I don't have one either and don't have any electrical problems.

Merle

where did you make sure you had continuity? With everything disassmebled and painted, there is less of a chance of a good ground as compared to the original build when everything was assembled and painted after the bolt/washers were giving you that.

[Dan Babb]

There were no ground straps on my truck when I tore it down either, but I adding two.

I put one from the bellhousing bolt to the frame using a ground strap.

Then another from one of the bolts that hold the floorboards in place (on the lower passenger side) to the frame.

You can't see either of them, so you don't have to worry about originality.

[Merle Coggins]

where did you make sure you had continuity? With everything disassmebled and painted, there is less of a chance of a good ground as compared to the original build when everything was assembled and painted after the bolt/washers were giving you that.

I'll have to look, but I don't recall adding a ground wire. I guess it just grounds through the oil pressure line, coolant temp line, and parking brake cable, or anywhere else it can. On my tail lamps I ran a ground wire back to the frame, but the battery ground goes to the transmission which is rubber mounted through the engine mounts. I guess the frame grounds through the suspension and drive train, or through the brake lines to the master cylinder. Interesting to think about it now. I'm going to have to take a look this weekend.

Merle

[Todd B]

the guy who wired my trucks always grounds the cab to the frame and the engine to the frame. He wired fire trucks his entire life and thats what they do. I believe with electrical you can never have to much ground.

[John-T-53]

the guy who wired my trucks always grounds the cab to the frame and the engine to the frame. He wired fire trucks his entire life and thats what they do. I believe with electrical you can never have to much ground.

I think this is a good idea, and what I eventually plan to do.

Right now, my battery cable goes to the transmission case and everything works fine. The only other things I plan to do is install a cab ground strap and dedicated ground leads from the tail lights, head lights, and all other body-mounted accessories. I ran a ground from the windshield wiper motor last year and it improved its performance greatly.

[48Dodger]

The woven ground strap is an easy thing to lose or forget to put back on if a guy was to pull the engine and work on it, etc.....not to mention the strap can deteriate due to its design and exposure to the elements. There's always a path for the ground, not always optimal. Water through the engine, to the radiator to the frame and (if you have a heater core) the cab.....I always put a ground strap from the engine to the frame, engine to the cab, and cab to bed.

48D

[Jerry Roberts]

I once put a new engine in a 1955 chevy , started it up and the little copper oil pressure line started to smoke from an oily film on the outside of it . The line got so hot because the engine was grounding through the line as I forgot the engine ground strap .

[TheMoose]

Having some strange electrical problems myself right now (Tail,Turn & Brake) & will ground the cab to see if that solves my problem.

[carl b51]

I had tail light problems also grounded the box to the frame and No more problem . Carl

[TheMoose]

I had tail light problems also grounded the box to the frame and No more problem . Carl

Good to hear, fingers crossed!

I HATE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS!!!

[TodFitch]

I HATE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS!!!

I find electrical stuff, at least common automotive and household electrical, pretty easy.

Its plumbing I hate. The pipes seem always to be in cramped areas, the connections frozen, and the contained liquid always spills somewhere. And it always seems to leak someplace at least the first time when you think you have it fixed.

[Merle Coggins]

Well, it turns out that I do have my cab grounded. I have a wire running from one of the voltage regulator mount bolts down to a bolt in the block skirt just under the starter. I remember now that I wanted to ensure that the regulator had a good ground and ended up providing ground for the entire cab. How 'bout that.

I once put a new engine in a 1955 chevy , started it up and the little copper oil pressure line started to smoke from an oily film on the outside of it . The line got so hot because the engine was grounding through the line as I forgot the engine ground strap .

Had s similar thing happen to a buddy's Olds Cutlass. After we reinstalled the built engine the coolant temp line got cherry red when he was cranking it. Rechecked the ground and corrected it. No more red hot temp line.

Merle

[Rusty O'Toole]

Are you sure the B-Series Dodge trucks had this woven body ground strap from the firewall to the engine block?

It's absolutely necessary on most all newer cars and trucks. Certainly anything with computers and lotsa electrical automotive gadgets with a lot of current flowing. Old trucks not much reason too.

If you were to show a 1948-53 truck and have that strap at the back I think you could lose some precious show points at the premier Dodge truck Pebble Beach show-but does anyone care?.

Can't say about B series trucks but my 1970 Fargo had one and so did several other MoPar products of the fifties, sixties and seventies. On the other hand some cars and trucks do not, I believe they have been removed during engine work etc.

Most times the engine/body will make a ground somehow but as the engine and body are both mounted on rubber, it is by no means guaranteed.

I put a 59 Olds V8 in an old Willys once. While driving along, the choke cable got red hot, melted and fell on the floor in pieces. I believe, because it was the only thing grounding the engine. Yet I drove the car for several months before this happened, it must have been grounding somehow, then that night the engine shifted around and no longer had a ground except thru the choke cable.

Newer cars have a jumper wire off the battery clamp that grounds to the inner fender. In other words, the battery ground clamp may have 2 or 3 grounds on it for different things. A big one to the engine, a smaller one to the body, and possibly a third to ground an electrical fuse panel or relay panel.

Edited December 18, 2011 by Rusty O'Toole

[Dodgeb4ya]

Bad or no grounds cause some huge confusing problems on cars and trucks. I see it all the time in restored cars with everything painted so purdy including where no paint should be-and that would be a factory grounding contact area!