Taillight harness retainers/routing

[jomatt20]

In the process of getting ready to install my tail light harness drone firewall to rear. Just curious if any of you guys have pics of the routing and the retainers you used. I'd like to see how you guys routed yours so I know I've done it correctly.

[Gromit]

A few good old zip ties will be good as far as fastening everything down to prevent chafing and keep the harness in place

Sorry I have no photos; but I do know to suggest that you start from the center and route each leg of the rear taillight harness through the provided holes on that rearmost transverse support towards each side's tail light assembly.

Because when I replaced mine I didn't do that on one side and was bummed to find I had to pull half of the harness back out again just to loop it back through the holes

I doubt that I am making sense here but once you have it in front of you - you will see what I mean..

I would recommend wearing a dust mask and eye protection because a lot of dirt will flake off as you are pushing that harness around under the frame (unless you have one of those frame-off beauties)..

The grounds are really important and you really have to look at both surfaces (the body metal where the ground fitting mates) and the fitting itself to be sure they are making a good connection and there is clean metal.. you can spray it with cold galvanizing AFTER assembly so that you have a good connection and then the whole assembly is protected.

A little Di-Electric grease is handy too..

The Side Markers ground to the sheet metal and the taillights ground through the screws that attach the tail light housing to the body. so I paid close attention to wire brushing those connections as I put it together and it worked out okay.

Otherwise you risk ending up with weakly glowing taillights and the Man pulling you over..

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

I wish I had the link, but there are some aftermarket clips you can buy somewhat similar the originals. I haven't dove in under the cab yet, but four are used to mount the harness to the LH frame under my short bed, and there are more, just not sure the total yet................Search this website for the clips, that's where I found them. They're tan in color. I believe rubber coating.

Also look at the assembly manual. I'm sure it covers it. Just a matter of locating the right page, which is usually a pain in the arsch.

[jeffahart]

I don't have pics but there are retaining clips running inside the driver side frame channel. When the harness splits off to passenger side wiring, there are clips in the channel just behind the bottom of the tailgate behind your bumper.

[FirstOwner69]

Here are 2 pictures showing the clips originally used inside the left frame rail of my 69 long bed (3/4 ton). I'll get under the truck tomorrow to count how many there are. I looked a few minutes ago and don't think I'll be able to snap more pictures though.

[jomatt20]

Originally Posted by FirstOwner69

Here are 2 pictures showing the clips originally used inside the left frame rail of my 69 long bed (3/4 ton). I'll get under the truck tomorrow to count how many there are. I looked a few minutes ago and don't think I'll be able to snap more pictures though.

Thanks bud appreciate it
They look similar to the ones that run on the rear cross sill for the rear light harness under the bed

[FirstOwner69]

One more picture from my file.

[FirstOwner69]

Originally Posted by jomatt20

They look similar to the ones that run on the rear cross sill for the rear light harness under the bed

Identical.

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

Originally Posted by FirstOwner69

Identical.

Close. I don't see any rubber coating, but they'll definitely work.

[NoNeck]

We routed our tail light harness same as original, and the guys are right. There should be some clips (or empty holes for the clips) on the drivers side frame rail. The mid-harness from under the bed connects to a grommet on the actual tail light harness on a metal support at the very back of the bed.

Maybe this photo helps with the routing.

POP

[jomatt20]

Originally Posted by NoNeck

We routed our tail light harness same as original, and the guys are right. There should be some clips (or empty holes for the clips) on the drivers side frame rail. The mid-harness from under the bed connects to a grommet on the actual tail light harness on a metal support at the very back of the bed.

Maybe this photo helps with the routing.

POP

This helps a bunch thanks pop

[FirstOwner69]

I just crawled under the truck and took pics. There are 7 clips on the frame rail, 1 on the rear cross member where the taillight harness connects and 3 inside the rear bed sill. I can post the pictures this evening if you still want them. Let me know.

Jim

[jomatt20]

Originally Posted by FirstOwner69

I just crawled under the truck and took pics. There are 7 clips on the frame rail, 1 on the rear cross member where the taillight harness connects and 3 inside the rear bed sill. I can post the pictures this evening if you still want them. Let me know.

Jim

The more the better, thanks man

[FirstOwner69]

Pictures starting at front. Some pictures show the factory camper wiring harness running parallel to the lighting harnesses.

[FirstOwner69]

Page 2... 4th picture is at back of rear cross member. 5th is inside left end of rear bed sill.

[FirstOwner69]

Page 3... 1st picture is inside rear bed sill at center. 2nd is at right end of rear bed sill. My truck never had a bed to frame ground strap so ignore that in the last picture.

[jomatt20]

Thanks this helps a lot!

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

First owner, where did you get your wiring? Plugs gave it away. Your clips look to be black rubber coated. Mine are tan, but they're otherwise the same. Turns out I have a hand full of black ones as well. Don't know what they're for, but I suspect they came off with the engine in 1993. I failed to take note.

[FirstOwner69]

Originally Posted by 71CHEVYSHORTBED402

First owner, where did you get your wiring? Plugs gave it away. Your clips look to be black rubber coated. Mine are tan, but they're otherwise the same. Turns out I have a hand full of black ones as well. Don't know what they're for, but I suspect they came off with the engine in 1993. I failed to take note.

The wiring and clips are original to the truck. Not sure what you mean by "Plugs gave it away."

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

Originally Posted by FirstOwner69

The wiring and clips are original to the truck. Not sure what you mean by "Plugs gave it away."

The plugs on the rear of my 1971 look nothing like what you have in your 9th image. Yours appears to be plastic to metal. My plugs are rubber. What year is your truck? Ooooooops, I'm guessing 1969. ha!..........There must have been a variance between years.

[FirstOwner69]

Originally Posted by 71CHEVYSHORTBED402

The plugs on the rear of my 1971 look nothing like what you have in your 9th image. Yours appears to be plastic to metal. My plugs are rubber. What year is your truck? Ooooooops, I'm guessing 1969. ha!..........There must have been a variance between years.

Thanks for the clarification. The plugs are rubber. They appear shiny due to reflection from the flash. I may have also put ArmorAll on them after cleaning them.

69 is a good guess on your part.

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

Originally Posted by FirstOwner69

Thanks for the clarification. The plugs are rubber. They appear shiny due to reflection from the flash. I may have also put ArmorAll on them after cleaning them.

69 is a good guess on your part.

I'm just real slow is all. Man you cleaned those up nicely. One side appears aluminum. That 10th picture is of the license plate plug right? Mine hasn't been hooked up in a long while.

[FirstOwner69]

Originally Posted by 71CHEVYSHORTBED402

Assembly Manual (not verified for your truck): https://flic.kr/p/AB6YXC

Potential aftermarket clips. They look like they'll work, diameter might be an issue: http://www.ebay.com/itm/1955-1956-19...mtr&rmvSB=true

Good find on the clips! Look close to the originals. I agree on the diameter concern.

[FirstOwner69]

These look even closer... The originals had a rubber or vinyl coating on the part that contacts the wire. It doesn't look like these do.
http://www.classicparts.com/1947-72-...tinfo/52-905/#

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

Originally Posted by FirstOwner69

These look even closer...
http://www.classicparts.com/1947-72-...tinfo/52-905/#

That they do. These are originals after my first attempt to clean. They ended up like new (brushes, paint thinner and WD-40). They were painted black. Slight surface rust.....Now tucked away in a box someplace: