The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay Ground wire

i want to run a ground from the cab to the frame.
a ground from each head lite and turn signal to the frame.
a ground from the tail lites to the frame.

this is a 53 3600 with a powdercoated frame. new paint on the fenders, cab and skirts.

what size wire should i use for the grounds?
oh it's a 12 volt system with alternator.
thanks
rolf

for starters, you don't need individual grounds to each item, a good connection from the battery to the frame, from the same point to the cab, and one to the engine, and one from a rearward frame bolt to the rear cross sill, and you shouldn't have any problems .... the next major point is you'll need to grind off that powder coat where you attach any ground, ground wires need good contact to clean bare metal

Bill

14-16 Ga. for your second and third type but 4 Ga or braid (usually 4 ga also) for what Bill said and your first type. You can run the grounds if the normal one's Bill states don't work. Main thing, as said, is clean metal and star washer.

thank you gentlemen
i know all those grounds are overkill but what the heck.
can't hurt.

rolf

I agree, cant overdo the grounds. Most importantly is that any sheet metal that acts as a ground path needs to be grounded back to the battery. IMHO, Chevy did a terrible job with this. On new painted metal, you are asking for the ground path to be through bolted connections. The fender skirts are the worst offenders. Considering this, the front running lights are supposed to be grounded through the housing, through the grille, through the bolted connections to the fenders, through the fenders to the fender skirts, through the fender skirts to the cab, through the cab to the frame and eventually to the battery. I added a dedicated ground wire from the running lights to the ground point on the fender skirts. I grounded the fender skirts to the frame. For the under dash wiring and accessories, I added a ground buss terminal block and ran a dedicated ground (heavy gauge wire) from the buss to the engine/frame ground strap.

On my 53 3600 I replaced the two factory grounds: battery to rusty frame then second was rusty frame to nasty bellhousing. Got a new long ground strap from Batt over to side of trans. Don't think there are others on my truck and all electrics are good. Now I'm in the middle of installing a new harness, figure she needs one every 60 years or so.

thanks everyone

rolf