Electrical fire

[Valence]

If you decide to do a battery disconnect, here's where I put mine. There are many different battery disconnect options out there - some I've seen in the classifieds with a key mounted right near the driver's seat - very slick.

Mine is less slick, and just serviceable for my needs/skill level.
http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?83830-Battery-Disconnect-Installed!

 

[nchittendon]

The beginning of the surgery. Figured it easier in the long run to just remove the fender. It has a hole in it anyways, so what better time to fix that too.


We've located the issue, and will be operating soon. The patient is relaxing for the time being.


And in the midst of removing the fender, found another potential problem lurking in the shadows...

 

[nchittendon]

Reading over the wiring diagram, I'm wondering why the horn circuit breaker didn't do anything to prevent this.....shouldn't it have.....broke the circuit?

 

[nchittendon]

So is there constant power to the horn, even when the truck is off? I have one wire in this mess that is constant power. I'm assuming it's to the horn since the horn button is the ground.

 

[steelandcanvas]

The horn breaker only protects the horn. In the schematic, look at wire #15. It goes to the light switch, another wire that is always hot.

 

[nchittendon]

And it looks like #10 feeds off of #15 as well, so #10 is hot too it appears.

 

[nchittendon]

Got the wiring sorted after some time with a test light and soldering iron.


This is what I started with.


Once the wires were wrapped with tape, I then wrapped them with a piece of coolant hose (where they would contact the frame) and then put the ribbed plastic tubing over it as well. lol It won't rub through there again!!

Also, as long as the fender was off, I got rid of a nasty rust hole and welded in some new metal.

In doing all of this, I learned that one of my rear taillights is a complete LED convert......while the other is not. Both taillight housings are plastic, and one of them is cracked.

 

[nchittendon]

Annnnnnnnnnnnnd since the driver side fender was off, I figured it would make life a little easier doing the zipper boot on that side as well. It was bad, the inner clamp let go some time ago.

While I was doing that, my wingman (7yo) started working on painting the freshly sand blasted water can.

View attachment 496009View attachment 496010View attachment 496011

 

[silverstate55]

Hope that resolves your electrical issues; keep us updated!

 

[Valence]

And in the midst of removing the fender, found another potential problem lurking in the shadows...
View attachment 491838

Where exactly is this located at? From the closeness of the picture I'm a bit lost as to where we're looking. If it's also on the driver's side but "in front" of the wire harness bundle you just repaired, then I just covered that hose, as it too had wear from the frame!

Thanks for posting all this though, I checked my harness bundle on both the passenger (below the air cleaner) and driver's side (just like yours here), and found obvious wear as well. I covered them with coolant hose too, though perhaps I should get some of that ribbed plastic tubing as well.

 

[nchittendon]

Valence, the pic you're looking at is the driver side, up towards the radiator support. I believe it is the wires for the driver side lighting that goes through there. And as you pointed out, the harness under the air cleaner as well got the same protection as my driver side one. All were in contact with the frame, and I would assume with 40 years of vibration they weren't going to hold up much longer.