Tailight housing bolts and ground question

[BrianG]

I am getting ready to put my taillight and reverse light housings back in and was wondering how they ground. After reading several old posts on this board, it appears as though I should either/or both clean the back side of the housing where it will touch the bed and I guess I'd also have to remove the paint from the bed in that same location. Or, I could run separate ground wires which I suppose wouldn't be all that hard to do.

What I don't understand though, is why do the bolts that mount these housings have rubber washers? Does it provide some sort of dampening that is supposed to help the taillight bulbs last longer or something? It seems that an ideal way to ground the housings would be through the mounting bolts using a good star washer. Just wondered if anyone had any thoughts on if the rubber washers were really needed and if anyone had any other tips or recommendations for grounding the taillight housings.

[chiefcfd]

I always thought the rubber washer had to do with keeping out moisture. I don't know that for sure. The metal housing will ground to the bed with the screws. Like you said you can always add a ground wire. I had thought about that but the housing has grounded so far without trouble.

[1968aj]

one of my taillights was not working. found the housing bolt loose. tightened it up and taillight started working.

[BrianG]

Originally Posted by chiefcfd

I always thought the rubber washer had to do with keeping out moisture. I don't know that for sure. The metal housing will ground to the bed with the screws. Like you said you can always add a ground wire. I had thought about that but the housing has grounded so far without trouble.

Wouldn't the rubber washers prevent them from grounding the housing to the frame though?

[chiefcfd]

My previous post wasn't completely clear. The ground is actually the bedside material and the housing being sandwiched by the screw. Not the screw itself. After paint I didn't have a problem with mine grounding. I didn't remove any paint behind the housing.

[BrianG]

Originally Posted by chiefcfd

My previous post wasn't completely clear. The ground is actually the bedside material and the housing being sandwiched by the screw. Not the screw itself. After paint I didn't have a problem with mine grounding. I didn't remove any paint behind the housing.

Thank you for clearing that up. I think maybe I'll install mine and try to do a continuity check to see if they are grounding out without me having to remove the paint. Or I'll try to remove as little as possible if the continuity isn't good..

[Katrina/10]

The factory ground was achieved by using star washers under the tail lamp mounting nuts.

[BrianG]

Originally Posted by Katrina/10

The factory ground was achieved by using star washers under the tail lamp mounting nuts.

I have a fleet side. I should have been more specific. The nuts on the fleetside are sort of integrated into the bedside panel, either cage or weldnuts I believe. I'd have to take another look to be certain though. So, their is not lock washer that I'm aware of in that application. With the rubber washer under the bolt/screw head, the only way to ground the housing would be by direct contact to the bedside or with a grounding wire which was not their originally.

[Katrina/10]

Originally Posted by BrianG

I have a fleet side. I should have been more specific. The nuts on the fleetside are sort of integrated into the bedside panel, either cage or weldnuts I believe. I'd have to take another look to be certain though. So, their is not lock washer that I'm aware of in that application. With the rubber washer under the bolt/screw head, the only way to ground the housing would be by direct contact to the bedside or with a grounding wire which was not their originally.

I see, didn't realize you were talking fleetside. I'm not familiar with those.