I have an electrical problem that could be a simple problem but I want to hear your suggestions.
When the truck is running sometime my headlights work properly and sometime they don’t. When they’re on working properly, my horn sounds weak. When my lights are turn off; the horn works fine.
From time to time my Fuse Breaker “pops” located on of the starter. I will be driving along and fuse will “pop” all of sudden. Put a new fuse in and away I go.....
I was recommended to buy a new harness and start from scratch??? I’m sure I have a ground issue or is it the horn button and light switch?
Sounds like you have a short, if you have reproduction light sockets it is probably them. The springs and plungers that connect to the light bulb sometimes short against each other.
"Bear Down, try Hard, and never quit, NEVER"
Tuff Headman
Disconnect your ground from the battery and place a simple test light in between the battery post and the cable clamp. If you have a short the test light bulb will be on. Start disconnecting one circuit at a time. When the light goes out you will have found where the short is.
I ran seperate ground wires from all lights and horn back to the Battery. That way you don't have to trust the ground through body / frame, (Rusty connections and such).
Basicly MAKE SURE you have good connections.
How bad is your harness? (origonal 80+ year old taped together in 100 spots or are we talking new in the last 40 years?)
I would first crawl under and whatnot and see if mice have been chewing or any obvious rubbing areas that have worn thru. especially around the radiator.
Does the horn sound weak with the brake on (brake lights on..)
Does the horn sound weak with just the parking lights on?
Ive also heard the repop headlight connections of the last few years have been crap - oversize contacts that short very easily to the metal outside.
I too would run a dedicated ground from each headlight bucket to the frame rail(clean paint to shiney metal, attach, then repaint)
Otherwise the ground path is thru the swivel mount for the headlight thru the ground bar, thru the fender/thru the fender support and finally to the frame rail - lots of areas for rust and cause a poor ground.
However your truck is grounding may be just good enough for the horn to work OR the headlights to work, not both so clean clean clean.
Even if all this cleaning and whatnot doesnt find it, its just that much better grounded. Can never have too many grounds...
It's pretty simple under the horn button. All your doing is making a ground against the end of a single wire that comes up the center of the horn rod. There is a small brass fitting that is soldered on the end of the wire that the horn button makes contact with. The wire can be fully seated and look good but may be corroded enough not to make a good electrical path. That was the case with mine. I replaced the wire and that solved a lot of my problems. To do this repair you will need to remove the steering column. Removing the steering column will require you to pull the floor boards and take it out through the bottom as there will not be enough room to pull the horn rod if your roof is on.
Another thing you might try is sanding the horn commutator with a very fine grade of sand paper such as 600 grit. Just enough to polish it up a bit.
Remove the horn & light contacts assembly at the bottom of the steering column. Take apart the 2 halves and check the inside. If it is full of oil that has leaked out of the steering column, clean it up and install the special tube in the bottom of the steering column which prevents that oil leak. Bratton's part #5280, $9.00. It is only for 2 tooth steering assemblies.
You remember earlier myself stating this?, "From time to time my Fuse Breaker “pops” located on of the starter. I will be driving along and fuse will “pop” all of sudden. Put a new fuse in and away I go....."
Answer? Brake Switch I Model A Tech Guy told me a story of a Model A Owner popping fuses when cruzing down the road and when applying brake, the fuse would pop.
wv model AA wrote:You remember earlier myself stating this?, "From time to time my Fuse Breaker “pops” located on of the starter. I will be driving along and fuse will “pop” all of sudden. Put a new fuse in and away I go....."
Answer? Brake Switch I Model A Tech Guy told me a story of a Model A Owner popping fuses when cruzing down the road and when applying brake, the fuse would pop.
Makes sense to me.
So are you saying that is what you have found to be the problem?
Speaking of the replacement head light plug, They look like the original. What causes the shortage problem is that the metal part of the connector is made wrong. The fiber insulator is OK. To correct this problem, if you have an old original head light wiring for head lights carefully remove the metal far-rel that comes through the back of headlight bucket on the wiring. From the replacement light wiring remove the metal far-rel being careful not to damage the wires or the insulator. Put the old far-rel off you old original wiring harness on the end of wires of the replacement that comes out the back of the lite bucket. Your head lights should work like they worked when they came for the factory. I did mine like this and I have had no problem works great Shelby, Louisiana.
wv model AA wrote:You remember earlier myself stating this?, "From time to time my Fuse Breaker “pops” located on of the starter. I will be driving along and fuse will “pop” all of sudden. Put a new fuse in and away I go....."
Answer? Brake Switch I Model A Tech Guy told me a story of a Model A Owner popping fuses when cruzing down the road and when applying brake, the fuse would pop.
Makes sense to me.
I have heard some of the repop switches are hit or miss on quality, i thought i remember an article floating around the web on how to modify/"fix" a repop switch so it doesnt short...
Macswoods, Note in my post "Headlight Socket ar the wiring harness" The new Ferrell is on the left the old original Ferrell is on the right,with the new insulator and new wire installed. The new Ferrell does not work .With it (the new ferrell ) The wires sits in between the 2 wire sockets shorting 2 terminals together. On the back of the Ferrell you have some finger that wholes the insulator in the Ferrell, bend those back slide the new ferrell off file it in 13, using an old original ferrell put it on your new replacement wiring with new insulator. will fit and your head lights work like they were made to work I'm An ole timer with the model "A" also for over 57 yrs. Shelby, Louisiana.
Thank you all for your suggestions. Your support helps owning a Ford Model AA enjoyable. Currently the truck is in storage and these Electrical Bugs occurred from last fall. As I get the truck ready for spring in the coming weeks, I will keep you all posted on the outcomes.
Note; the previous owner did install a new wiring harness.
I’ve owned the truck now 2 Years and loved every minute of it!
I’m sure I have a ground issue or is it the horn button and light switch?
Shelby, Louisiana.
I'm An ole timer with the model "A" also for over 57 yrs. Shelby, Louisiana.