The Ford Barn

walkerlakeprinter · 09-02-2019, 01:53 PM

Should I remove any paint between the triangular bracket and the body? I'm wondering if that is recommended to insure good grounding. The tail light worked as it is attached to the bracket when I removed it 10 years ago. Advice?

History · 09-02-2019, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by walkerlakeprinter

Should I remove any paint between the triangular bracket and the body? I'm wondering if that is recommended to insure good grounding. The tail light worked as it is attached to the bracket when I removed it 10 years ago. Advice?

I believe that is what is recommended by Les Andrews and what I did before I read it. My tail lights worked after that. The bracket covers it if you do just what’s needed.

Tom Wesenberg · 09-03-2019, 02:40 AM

I wouldn't. The mounting hardware has always provided a good ground for me.

katy · 09-03-2019, 09:51 AM

Bolt it up as-is and see if the light works.

walkerlakeprinter · 09-03-2019, 10:17 AM

Thanks for your replies. I did remove the paint. Trying to see if it would work without isn't an option right now....no electrical connection yet. After I have everything back together, I plan to give a good coat of my trust gloss black rattle can rust-proofing paint. Not much rust here in the high desert compared to Southeast Alaska where "Bessie" lived for many years.

jrelliott · 09-03-2019, 10:43 AM

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Why not run a ground wire in the loom to the tail light and connect to tail light can and a known frame ground. Now you have good paint under the bracket and no chance of rust. You will have a good electrical connection.

walkerlakeprinter · 09-03-2019, 10:52 AM

Thanks for that idea. Rust was the only thing holding my car together after all the wood dried out and fell apart. Sure is nice to live in a dry climate now and have a garage to work in. Love this adventure.

Gary Karr · 09-03-2019, 10:55 AM

All you need to do is to use a rattail file and remove the paint from the three holes in your mounting bracket and the two holes for the license bracket. Do the same on the two holes on the license bracket and you should be fine.

Synchro909 · 09-04-2019, 01:14 AM

In those situations, I remove the paint and prevent rust by using a little dielectric grease in there. Never a problem.

Russ B · 09-06-2019, 02:40 PM

I run an extra ground wire out to the frame, grind off a bit of paint, drill and tap a 10-32, and attach there. Maybe it is overkill but I run extra grounds on just about everything, including frame to body, motor to frame, etc. I use a lot of relays, a three wire alternator, and fusible links too. But I want reliability, not originality.

rotorwrench · 09-07-2019, 09:50 AM

It can make contact with cleaning around at least one of the bolt holes on the frame and the corresponding bolt hole on the mount bracket. It's a good idea to use some silicon grease on the bare metal areas to keep it from corroding. This is a common practice for bonding on aircraft structures and it will work on motor vehicles as well. If the bolt & nut hardware is unpainted at contact points, it will carry the bonding through the fastener just fine as long as the hardware is clean and secured properly.

09-03-2019, 02:40 AM	#3
Tom Wesenberg Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mpls, MN Posts: 27,582	Re: 1929 Coupe tail light bracket grounding I wouldn't. The mounting hardware has always provided a good ground for me.

09-03-2019, 09:51 AM	#4
katy Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Red Deer, Alberta Posts: 5,715	Re: 1929 Coupe tail light bracket grounding Bolt it up as-is and see if the light works. __________________ If you don't hear a rumor by 10 AM, start one!. Got my education out behind the barn!

09-03-2019, 10:17 AM	#5
walkerlakeprinter Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Walker Lake, Nevada Posts: 304	Re: 1929 Coupe tail light bracket grounding Thanks for your replies. I did remove the paint. Trying to see if it would work without isn't an option right now....no electrical connection yet. After I have everything back together, I plan to give a good coat of my trust gloss black rattle can rust-proofing paint. Not much rust here in the high desert compared to Southeast Alaska where "Bessie" lived for many years.

09-03-2019, 10:43 AM	#6
jrelliott Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Pine, AZ Posts: 823	Re: 1929 Coupe tail light bracket grounding Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Why not run a ground wire in the loom to the tail light and connect to tail light can and a known frame ground. Now you have good paint under the bracket and no chance of rust. You will have a good electrical connection.

09-03-2019, 10:52 AM	#7
walkerlakeprinter Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Walker Lake, Nevada Posts: 304	Re: 1929 Coupe tail light bracket grounding Thanks for that idea. Rust was the only thing holding my car together after all the wood dried out and fell apart. Sure is nice to live in a dry climate now and have a garage to work in. Love this adventure.

09-03-2019, 10:55 AM	#8
Gary Karr Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 1,517	Re: 1929 Coupe tail light bracket grounding All you need to do is to use a rattail file and remove the paint from the three holes in your mounting bracket and the two holes for the license bracket. Do the same on the two holes on the license bracket and you should be fine.

09-04-2019, 01:14 AM	#9
Synchro909 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 8,044	Re: 1929 Coupe tail light bracket grounding In those situations, I remove the paint and prevent rust by using a little dielectric grease in there. Never a problem. __________________ I sometimes wonder what happened to the people who asked me for directions. Even at my age, I still like to look at a young, attractive woman but I can't really remember why.

09-06-2019, 02:40 PM	#10
Russ B Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Millbrae, CA Posts: 537	Re: 1929 Coupe tail light bracket grounding I run an extra ground wire out to the frame, grind off a bit of paint, drill and tap a 10-32, and attach there. Maybe it is overkill but I run extra grounds on just about everything, including frame to body, motor to frame, etc. I use a lot of relays, a three wire alternator, and fusible links too. But I want reliability, not originality.

09-07-2019, 09:50 AM	#11
rotorwrench Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 17,410	Re: 1929 Coupe tail light bracket grounding It can make contact with cleaning around at least one of the bolt holes on the frame and the corresponding bolt hole on the mount bracket. It's a good idea to use some silicon grease on the bare metal areas to keep it from corroding. This is a common practice for bonding on aircraft structures and it will work on motor vehicles as well. If the bolt & nut hardware is unpainted at contact points, it will carry the bonding through the fastener just fine as long as the hardware is clean and secured properly.