The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay How many Flat Braided Ground Straps where on a 1954 Chevrolet 3100

Hello,

How many Flat Braided Ground Straps where on a 1954 Chevrolet 3100 truck, when it was driven off the assembly line?
What was the width, length, location ?
Any parts numbers?

Thanks,

I would bet there was one 13" engine ground strap.
An additional strap might have come with the accessory radio. I think a additional strap from head to firewall is described/recommended in the 1954 radio installation instructions or in the antistatic kit instructions.

I bought this GM NOS ground strap for my 1954 3/4 ton.

11 & 1/2 " center to center of the bolt holes.

see: @ photobucket

http://i669.photobucket.com/albums/...eGroundStrapGM1883109NOS_zpsac33193b.jpg

http://i669.photobucket.com/albums/vv57/glp0329/Strap1883109_zpse66bc409.png

'54 3600's part number is listed in the 1929-1957 Master Parts Catalog. Is the exterior length about 13"?

The 13" exterior length 6v ground cable is listed in the 1929-1954 Master Parts Catalog.

In answer to "where is it located" on a 1954 truck.

On 1954 trucks that have manual transmissions, the strap in bolted onto the top of the frame rail straight across to the hex-head screw/bolt on clutch housing (three photos from Jim Carter). (JCs reproduction cable is 12" long and might/might-not be 2 gauge?).

I'll have to check to see where the strap attaches to a Hydra-Matic transmission.

Jim Carter sells a repo clip for over the strap at the clutch housing.

Here are the ones that I found in the FAM and in the Accessories Installation Manual ...

ENGINE AND BATTERY

Two braided flat ground straps for 3100 with foot operated starter in FAM. Engine ground strap to bolt on starter pedal assembly and to frame. Guide clip #3656673 that Tim describes is shown in diagram.
> FAM Sect 12, Sheet 8.00

Two braided flat ground straps for 3100 with Hydramatic in FAM. (Why is the bolt holding the battery ground to the frame a different number for Hydramatic vs manual shift??)
> FAM Sect 7, Sheet 3.04

#3691120 ENGINE GROUND STRAP shown in the FAM is not listed in the 1929-1954 MPC. The strap in the MPC is #5286947 (13" O.L. - 13/32 dia. holes)
> MPC STRAP, Engine Ground 2.348 - 5286947

#5286799 GROUND CABLE shown in the FAM is not listed in the 1929-1954 MPC. The strap in the MPC is #5298404 (14-1/4 ctr. to ctr. term. holes)
> MPC CABLE-STRAP, Battery Ground, with Terminal 2.341 - 5298404

RADIO

An eight inch braided flat ground strap was packed with the 1954 truck radio. It connected to the screw on the right rear corner of the valve cover and to the bolt on the fender brace at the dash. You can see the ground strap that came with the radio in Greg Hill's photos.
> 1954 Truck Radio "N-I-B" (Greg Hill)
> 1954 Truck Radio Installation Parts (Greg Hill)
> 1954 Truck Radio Packing Slip (Greg Hill)
> 1954 Truck Radio Ground Strap Instructions AIM, p92

- Lonnie

Lonnie,

I did not think to check the Factory Assembly Manual.
While looking at it, I noticed the prior page, sect. 12 sheet 7.01.
It shows a Ground strap on the driver side of engine also.
Driver side of Engine Ground Strap

The hydra-matic 3100 truck passenger side ground strap, was repositioned to the back side of the bell housing.
Gnd Strap HM
Compared to Manual tranny truck.
Gnd Strap Manual Trans

So that means there is:
1 Flat Ground strap for battery.
1 Flat Ground strap for passenger side of engine.
1 Flat Ground strap for drivers side of engine.
1 Flat Ground strap for Radio, valve cover to fender support arm/brace at fire wall.
A total of 4 Flat Ground straps.

There must be a reason to have 1 Flat Ground strap on
each side of the engine as opposed to putting both on
one side of the engine and stacking them together.

Thanks, For the info

Jim

Jim,

Obviously, it doesn't hurt to have more ground straps, but the original question refers to "when it was driven off the assembly line."

Based on the FAM and AIM, I believe that the number of flat braded ground straps is two without a radio, and three with a radio, not four.

1 Flat Ground strap for battery.
1 Flat Ground strap for passenger side of engine.
1 Flat Ground strap for Radio, valve cover to fender support arm/brace at fire wall.
A total of 3 Flat Ground straps.

The grounding strap in the diagram in Section 12, Sheet 7.01 is for a Righthand Drive truck. The caption below the diagram states "3000-4000-6000 RD."
> Sect 12, Sheet 7.01

The notation by the arrow pointing to the engine ground strap on Section 0, Sheet 1.00 "ELECTRICAL & INSTUMENT INSTRUCTION INDEX" shows the location of Lefthand Drive diagrams and Righthand Drive diagrams ...
> ENGINE GROUND STRAP INSTRUCTION
LD SECTION 12 SHEET 8.00
RD SECTION 12 SHEET 7.01

If you are asking about stacking two engine ground straps on the passenger side of Hydramatic trucks - one as shown for manual transmission and one as shown for Hydramatic transmissions ...

The engine ground strap for manual trannys attaches under a bolt that holds the bracket for the "stomp" starter pedal assembly. There is no starter pedal assembly on HD trucks. So there is still only one engine ground strap as shown in the Hydramatic diagram.

- Lonnie

Well dog gone it.
Those Righthand Drive trucks, get me ever time.
You got me on that one.
Next time I'll read the entire text, including RH

I stand corrected....
1 Flat Ground strap for battery.
1 Flat Ground strap for passenger side of engine.
1 Flat Ground strap for Radio, valve cover to fender support arm/brace at fire wall.
A total of 3 Flat Braided Ground straps.

Thanks,

Jim

I would think the important thing not to lose in this conversation is, you need a 13 inch TWO gauge strap, and a TWO gauge negative ground battery cable before you start talking about accessories. Jim seems to have it. TWO gauge tho. The problem with most of our vendors is, they sell 4 gauge. This is very bad for 6 volt systems. Summit racing sells the 2 gauge straps. I am sure there are others.

So, 4 gauge is fine for 12 volt systems, but you really need to go with 2 gauge if you have a 6 volt system. Otherwise you will have to hear how the 8 volt battery solves your entire problem! LOL! (kidding fellas.. please don't start! For the love of GOD!)

None of the three 1954 trucks I have bought have had more than the one strap from the frame to the passenger side of the clutch housing. However, after restoration, all my 1954 trucks have the three ground straps described by Lonnie (and by the FAM +radio installation instructions).