I have dual filament bulb, and dual pigtail. when headlight switch is half way out, both filaments come on. when headlight swich is pulled all the way out, park lights go off. Do these trucks not have running lights when headlights are on? And when i push in the bulb and turn it, it doesn't line up with the two filaments on the pigtail anymore. its wierd...

 

If the bulb contacts don't line up with the socket contacts then remove the bulb and see if you can push out the socket base and rotate it.
It should be keyed to stay in place but they can turn.

 

The stock light switch kills the park lights when main beams are on.

 

Thanks! BJ and I wired mine up last week and this was happening. We thought that was correct, but weren't 100% sure.

 

So if I ran a jumper wire from taillights wire to parking light wire they should stay on with headlights?

 

There's an easier way to do it, if you dig around though that would work.

 

What's the easier way?

 

Headlight switch from a 1967 or newer vehicle.

 

That's easier than running a jumper under the dash?
Like this one that came in a box of parts with my truck?

 

You can either use a jumper from the headlight ON position to the parking light feed or swap the switch. I use 67 up switches. What is easier is up to you. Use a DVM to test the switch you have and you can see if it feeds power to the running lights in park and HL on positions.

 

The jumper would be from the taillight terminal to the front parking light terminal on a stock switch. The headlights and parking lights are fed off separate circuit breakers, you don't want to cross-connect them.

edit: It sure would help if you would put your truck's year and model in your signature, I don't know if 55's are the same as 48-52's.

 

DRLs were not even legal in the US until 1995, not mandated until the mid 2000s.

 

I just put a jumper wire between the park and running lights on the stock switch. I wanted the look of the stock switch.

 

They aren't mandatory even now

 

The stock switch was kind of different is this correct?

switch pulled half way out = front marker lights on only
pulled all the way out = headlights on front markers off and rear running lights on