Ground strap locations

[Steeveedee]

All good information, there! I would add that using a copper wire as a ground strap is going to lead to early failure as the copper work hardens when it flexes and will break sooner rather than later. That's why the ground straps are not copper. The steel is going to eventually break, too, but the large multitude of strands makes the straps quite long-lasting.

[Mike_The_Grad]

Glad to see this thread still around, and even more pertinent info added. Heres a tip I found online while searching ground straps. You can revive wires to practically brand new. Even the most corroded and dirtiest of wires. You need: 2 containers(cups,bowls,jars,tupperware,etc.) In one container add 1 tablespoon of table salt and add vinegar to a level just below full(white,cider,balsamic, etc. Don't matter.) You're making an acidic solution to dissolve the surface contaminants on the copper strands of the wire. I the other container add 1 tablespoon of baking soda and fill to a level just below full with plain water. This will neutralize the acid solutions effect on the wires. Add as much salt to the vinegar that will dissolve, and add more baking soda to the plain water to make it cloudy. Now just swirl your wire in the salt/vinegar solution for a minute or two and you will see it return to it's original form, remove the wire and immediately dunk it into the baking soda/water solution for 10-20 seconds. BAM! clean wires ready to solder some ring terminals onto to make ground straps.

[dave5287]

i took a lead wire and ground out my tail light socket to my frame and it corrected my problem for some reason my tail lights were not grounding out enough that was my fix

[DeadheadNM]

Examples on my Blazer are shown here: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...9&postcount=53 and some harness grounds here (note the use of star washers on fender and firewall and captured toothed washers on the rad support): http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...1&postcount=54

[custom10nut]

I didn’t take the time to go through all the post, so if what i say has been covered, here it is again.
One ground that is so important but often overlooked, is grounding the back of the Gauge panel. Put a small grounding wire at each end of the panel to the dash panel, and it’ll fix the issues with the lights, that plague so many.

[dave5287]

i will try that on my 1969gmc thank you

[69Tom]

Subscribed!

[franken]

It's been stated before (as well as quite a bit of misinfo).
All the current that flows out of the battery/alt has to flow back into the battery/alt via the grounds.

[REDROCKER652002]

I have been thinking about this with my son's truck. I found one ground, and it was broken. So, my question is, if I wanted to make up straps, what gauge wire should I be using? i have a tone of wire laying around from different projects, so I thought it might be a good weekend project for me and my son. Thoughts? Or is it better to get the right wire from GMCPaul or another vendor?

[Getter-Done]

I would say somewhere around 10 gage,
would be comparable to the original strap.
Main thing to think about doing it this way is,

Your ground will be as good as your crimp and
contact to frame or block or_____.
If you have a good crimping tool on clean contact point
This will be a improvement.
This will be a good learning experience for your son.











.

[Steeveedee]

Ground straps are made of braided wire. You can buy them at your local parts store or from one of the vendors who sell here

[FirstOwner69]

GMCPAULS sells ground straps.
https://gmcpauls.com/Electrical.htm

Classic Trucks does also.
https://www.classicparts.com/Wiring-...oducts/287/3/0

[BigBird05]

I am making my own harness's, engine, front lamp, tail lamp and dash. They all will have ground wires added that will go back to the battery, the core support the frame, the dash and the bed of the truck. It's not a frame off restoration, so the extra wires will not matter. All new cars and trucks have ground wires like that. If you are installing an LS engine into a early model truck that will have a computer you should think about extra ground wires.

[68 P.O.S.]

Yup, that location is identified in the very first post.

[davischevy]

Originally Posted by 68 P.O.S.

Yup, that location is identified in the very first post.

Well, sort of. If you look at that drawing, and the associated link and picture I put here, The screws in the firewall are past the break in the concave area of the firewall. The screws in the 69 I posted are on the flat area of the firewall.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...9&postcount=53
DeadheadNM's Blazer

My 72 Cheyenne Super.

[scottmitchellrose]

very helpful- thanks!!

[pjmoreland]

My '68 2WD short bed came originally with a 2BBL V8 (VIN code E, 5/16" fuel line) and it does not have the typical two grounding screws behind the valve covers. Instead, it has a single screw hole closer to the center of the firewall. It looks like it is in a similar location to the inline 6 image from the original post. If I run a grounding strap from that hole to one of the valve covers, the grounding strap is going to have to be ridiculously long.

[70STOVEBOLT]

Does anyone have a pic of the radiator support ground strap? I see in DeadheadNM's Blazer post that it's bolted to the core support behind the battery tray but the pic doesn't show where the other end attaches.

[geunther]

Originally Posted by 70STOVEBOLT

Does anyone have a pic of the radiator support ground strap? I see in DeadheadNM's Blazer post that it's bolted to the core support behind the battery tray but the pic doesn't show where the other end attaches.

I think the one behind the battery tray is part of the wiring harness for the passenger side headlight? Especially if the one you are referring to is the insulated wire?

[70STOVEBOLT]

Originally Posted by geunther

I think the one behind the battery tray is part of the wiring harness for the passenger side headlight? Especially if the one you are referring to is the insulated wire?

I think you are right. Do you know where the rad support ground connects at both ends? My truck never had one but I am not opposed to adding it.

[geunther]

I just removed the rad spt from an original truck (72). I did not see any dedicated grounds from the spt to the frame other than those insulated wires which do the opposite and ground to the rad spt.

[68 P.O.S.]

Originally Posted by 70STOVEBOLT

Does anyone have a pic of the radiator support ground strap? I see in DeadheadNM's Blazer post that it's bolted to the core support behind the battery tray but the pic doesn't show where the other end attaches.

On my current truck, and my previous truck, the ground wire on the rad support uses the same bolt as the headlight ground behind the battery box. The other end you're asking about connects to the small wire that comes off the neg battery cable.

[70STOVEBOLT]

Good to know I won’t worry about it then

[Andy4639]

Well a friend of mine gave me about 50' of this grounding wire they used at the phone company. I grounded the 68 with it. I have the ramp truck done with it also. Neither one is Stock correct by no means but the lights and all the electric's work well.

On my 71 LS 6.0 swap I added a bunch of grounds with #10 wire to it just to make sure all the electronic's worked well. So far so good.

[68 P.O.S.]

Originally Posted by Andy4639

Well a friend of mine gave me about 50' of this grounding wire they used at the phone company. I grounded the 68 with it. I have the ramp truck done with it also. Neither one is Stock correct by no means but the lights and all the electric's work well.

On my 71 LS 6.0 swap I added a bunch of grounds with #10 wire to it just to make sure all the electronic's worked well. So far so good.

Nice Andy, I bet that wire works very well.