Grote 8202 Rear light change.

[jeffy777]

I bought a Grote 8202 rear(tail) light assembly and did not get any documentation. Does anyone know or have the instructions to this product. I searched Grotes site and they do not list this product anymore.

 

[DatGuyC]

Do the wires not have numbered tags on them?

 

[jeffy777]

Do the wires not have numbered tags on them?

Yeah, it is numbered. But something is not working. The numbers are: 23, 21, 24, 22, gnd. So I am assuming from the TM that 23 is Blackout stop lamps, 21 is the rear service lamp, 22 is turn signal. 24 then should be by elimination blackout service lamp though the TM says 20.

I took 21 and hooked it up and hooked up what I thought was ground and turned on the service light, got nothing.
I took 22 and hooked it up and hooked up what I thought was ground and turned on the service light, got nothing.
I took 23 and hooked it up and hooked up what I thought was ground and turned on the service light, got nothing.
I took 24 and hooked it up and hooked up what I thought was ground and turned on the service light, got nothing.

So I guess I need to see if they work at all or they are bad. (which I doubt)
Either I am not getting power back there or my ground is bad.

 

[Postman515]

Your new lights have the short jumper ground wire that you attach to the mounting bolt don't they?

 

[Action]

The numbers on the light wires hook up to the same number on the harness metal tags. No need for a manual on this.
Do you have the metal plate between the 2 bucket mounting screws?

 

[infidel got me]

ground is the white tagged wire --- the rest are numbered accordingly

 

[juanprado]

Led's have 2 grounds!

 

[infidel got me]

My led taillights that I have installed on 5 trucks have only had the white labeled wire listed as ground. I have installed the pigtail wire(that comes with the led taillight) and original chassis ground to the mounting bolt. No problems yet, what is the other ground???

 

[jeffy777]

UPDATE! Grote 8202 now working fine. So the problem is as many told me but I was too hard headed to listen was the ground. The ground cable that is in the wiring harness was very corroded and needed to be Wire brushed clean. You would think I thought a 30 year old vehicle sent me should have a clean contacts and never corrode. But that was the issue. The Grote unit is a sealed and isolated unit and its ground has to be connected to the harness ground on the back of the bucket. While the old light drives its ground through the bucket to the harness ground. I stink.... but I learned something. Both lights are there and work great.

The other issues:
1. It was that was hard to find the right screw. Thee original equipment had 12-24 x 1.25" screws I needed 12-24 x .75" screws and these screws are not easily available except at Fastenal. I thought I could use one inch long ones and that failed on four positions around the light. So I thought I would get it with .5" and it ended up with .75"

2. The covers that protect the Packard connectors for the rear were cemented into place. I had to drill out every screw except one. I re-tapped the first one and broke my tap on the second.

3. While knocking off the cover the running light off the passenger side running light just popped off. So I order new LED versions of that.

So finally I have a legal all lights working truck. Thanks to everyone for their help. (Special thank to Roy and my son Jeff, for figuring out the core problem of the corrosion and putting up with my cursing)

 

[papakb]

Here's a link to a handy chart to print out and have available that describes exactly what a wires purpose is in a wiring harness:.

http://olive-drab.com/od_mseries_circuits.php