Half ton

Does any one where one can find out where all the grounds that support dash board lighting are supposed to be?, or doess any one know where all the grounds for the dash board lighting are located and can share that?.

I have a 1982 f-150 and have low lighting issues, hey i know it's a 32 year old truck but i know its good to readdress all the grounding points on a truck that old and i have except the dash board because i can't seem to find any grounds that appear to support the dash board.

I tried to ask Ford motor company and when i did they looked at me like deer in the head light lol lol.?.Because of this site i have made my f-150 run much better and i enjoy it more thanks all.

trader ray

The ground is as important as the positive. Make sure you have a good engine to chassis ground and it seems like the dash was grounded on the drivers side near the level where the dash meets the side. What State is it located in or from, check the dimmer switch, also make sure the solenoid is grounded good, lots of people just leave them set there and after one under hood fire I learned the hard way years ago. These were just some random items that may have been overlooked.

Half ton

Thanks great advice. I spent the summer chasing down every ground i could find and sanded the surface to surface area.I will check around where the dash meets the side on drivers side and the dimmer swit6ch, i would have never thought of that. Thank you for that.

trader ray

You are welcome, I lived in a rusty State and the dimmer switch is a problem on the Fords.

Half ton

I tried looking at it today in my garage but it was 2 degrees below so i gave that up when a heat wave is ssupposed to hit here and drive the temp up to a balmy 35 degrees F. I'll try then.

One thing is i have confiddence in my 82 f-150, it drove like it was a summmer day and it was 2 degrees below 0. burrrr!.

trader ray

Yes, it is cold here also. I have mine in a garage and it is heated. I still open the door to work. I don't like the trouble lights in my face. I admit the old truck I have starts in under 3 seconds after pumping it a few times before turning the key. I have a manifold and a heater issue to fix sometime.

Half ton

I got a chance on this balmy 40 degree day to hop under the dash and look.I wasn't able to find any grounds under the dash?. I will look again this week end, it's supposed to be 50 some thing warm enough to apend more time looking.I also was able to see thge dimmer switch and there is no appparent ground or any wire or place to attach a wire the the metal any where around the dash to cab metal?. I couldn't see any apparent ground wire from the dimmer switch at all?.

I will do some research although i won't use Ford moptor company as those geeks are trained on 1995 and above?. I asked them for a vacuum diagram on my 1982 F-150 4x4 and they syared at me like a deer in the head lights and then told me they don't have any info on such an old truck.Made me feel like Fred flintstone ya know lol.