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why both lights blink??

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by TinCity, Jun 25, 2009.

  1. TinCity
    Joined: May 27, 2009
    Posts: 10

    TinCity
    Member

    Okay wiring is not my strong point! I wired tail lights up to my
    57 ford 1 ton shop truck, I have 3 wires coming out of the light fixture
    with one being just a side marker then brake & tail light...

    I assume I wire my directional into my brake light, which I did but
    there is only one brake light wire coming from the truck so like I
    assumed both lights flash???

    Does it need to be grounded?
    any help would be great!
     
    Last edited: Jun 25, 2009
  2. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 56,077

    squirrel
    Member

    the light housing does need to be grounded.
     
  3. carkiller
    Joined: Jun 12, 2002
    Posts: 849

    carkiller
    Member


  4. Imwalkin
    Joined: Jul 29, 2004
    Posts: 544

    Imwalkin
    Member
    from Tucson, Az

    if you only have one bulb they are both hooked up to the same wire. You will need a way to seperate the two. I don't recall what peole use but it some sort of trailer box.
     
  5. milorat
    Joined: Dec 22, 2006
    Posts: 121

    milorat
    BANNED

    I agree with "carkiller",Bad ground........
     
  6. Bettlejuice
    Joined: Apr 27, 2009
    Posts: 481

    Bettlejuice
    Member
    from WV

    Bad grounds cause some crazy shit to happen...

    The way the tailights work on my Galaxie (it sounds sorta like what you're explaining)... The brake lights are a wire all on their own. The left/right indicatiors each have their own wire. There isn't a dedicated tail light wire; when the taillights are on, the turn signals will open and close that circuit. So if you have the tail lights on, and push the brake, both filaments in the bulb will be lit. Now, turn on a signal, and tail light portion will flash on and off, while the brake light stays the same. That's how mines wired using only 3 wires. I'm goin' from memory and my Galaxie ain't here, but I remember figuring that all out and THINK that was how I did it.

    But bad grounds cause some crazy shit to happen... :eek: Check 'em all, no such thing as too good a ground!
     
  7. nico32
    Joined: Oct 30, 2008
    Posts: 716

    nico32
    Member
    from fdl, wi

    For the rear lights, your brake light wire is your directional wire for each side.

    When you hit the brakes, your brake light switch feeds power to your turn signal switch and powers up both rear directional wires. When you hit your turn signal, the corresponding side will flash weather the brake is applied or not with the other side of course staying on solid while the brake is applied.

    Hope that helps.
     
  8. Bettlejuice
    Joined: Apr 27, 2009
    Posts: 481

    Bettlejuice
    Member
    from WV


    AHH! You're right! I was backwards... Now it's comin' back to me!
     
  9. TinCity
    Joined: May 27, 2009
    Posts: 10

    TinCity
    Member

    so I have one brake light wire from the truck going to both rear
    "brake lights" and then the directional wires for both sides feeding
    into that ONE brake light wire?? How does it know left from right?
     
  10. Bettlejuice
    Joined: Apr 27, 2009
    Posts: 481

    Bettlejuice
    Member
    from WV

    It would be 2 brake/turns and 1 taillight, the brake lights are the same wire as the turn signals, so there's a right and a left, but there is just 1 taillight that is run to both sides. When you hit the brakes, you're essentially turning on both turn signals steady. I'd just flip on one turn signal and check 'em with a meter or test light to see which side is what.
     
  11. nico32
    Joined: Oct 30, 2008
    Posts: 716

    nico32
    Member
    from fdl, wi

    Yeah like he said :D

    The link odd ball posted pretty much sums up what I was getting at. I guess the follow up question would be, you are running some kind of blinker switch, correct? That would make a world of difference in the wiring.
     
  12. juanski
    Joined: Oct 9, 2006
    Posts: 459

    juanski
    Member

    your hazzard switch is on.
     
  13. Bettlejuice
    Joined: Apr 27, 2009
    Posts: 481

    Bettlejuice
    Member
    from WV

    I don't thnk any early Fords have hazzards. I'm not sure when they started doing it, but it was at least 1965, my 64 doesn't have them. I thought about adding them, the wiring was in my aftermarket harness for them, but I passed just because it would have been a pain in the butt.
     
  14. FiddyFour
    Joined: Dec 31, 2004
    Posts: 9,024

    FiddyFour
    Member

  15. Bettlejuice
    Joined: Apr 27, 2009
    Posts: 481

    Bettlejuice
    Member
    from WV

    Huh, learn somethin' new every day... Thats goofy, wonder what the logic was in putting hazards in, then not, then again (I had a 70 Cougar and a 72 Mach 1, both had 'em)? I bet it save 31 cents.
     

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