Underhood Light

[81-F-150-Explorer]

Originally Posted by flipklos Used a toggle switch on my 96 XL. Worked fine. never had a problom remembering to turn out the switch. Everytime I forgot the glow under the truck gave it away. The circuit will ground through the hinge. Try it. Please, please, dont argue worthless info. The hood Ground strap on a 1996 is apart of the right hinge itself. You will see the strap bridge the two pieces of the hinge together. This is not the case for 1980-1986. (although you can use 1992-1996 hinges on a 1980-1986), the original 1980-1986 hinges does not have the built in ground strap and needs the seperate one. Please don't give incorrect info... This is the 1980-1986 Forum, 1992-1996 are different.

[flipklos]

Got an 85. Aint got no strap. Got a extendeble underhood light in it. It works!

[81-F-150-Explorer]

You just said you had a 96 XL in the post before this last one.

Which is which? or do you have both a 1985, and a 1996?

[flipklos]

I had a 96 without a factory hood light. I installed two. I put a toggle switch in it. Worked good.

I own an 85. It has the factory light in it. The groundstrap was thrown when I rebuilt the engine. Light still works.

[81-F-150-Explorer]

Originally Posted by flipklos

I had a 96 without a factory hood light. I installed two. I put a toggle switch in it. Worked good.

I own an 85. It has the factory light in it. The groundstrap was thrown when I rebuilt the engine. Light still works.

Thanks for the clarification.

Why you would throw it away is beyond me though. What I say is correct, it won't ground through the hinges very well, if at all, and it's a loose connection. You can't argue that it's tight, otherwise it wouldn't pivot.
Removing it can also affect your radio antenna and reception, because it uses the hood as a ground plane. There was a reason why Ford put it there, and it wasn't just because they wanted to for no reason

Unless you replaced and have a right side 1992-1996 hinge on your truck,...

1992-1996 Hinge with Ground strap riveted on it.



1980-1986 Ground strap




Underhood Retractable Lamp. Working and Very Brightly lit. With it's ground hooked to that pesky ground strap.

[first today]

I think you may have solved why my radio stations are weak. My light works on and off. I do not have that ground.
I have a 93 hinge out in my pasture. Would I do better with that hinge or get a strap.


EDIT - I just looked and I do have that strap. I am going to check the ground tomorrow.

[81-F-150-Explorer]

Either one should work fine.

My original hinge was bent so I replaced it with the 1992-1996 one.

Less labor intensive to just get a strap though IMO. You wouldn't have to alighn the hood etc...

[whatthencuz]

where is the "switch" for the underhood light? how does it know when to turn on? I wanna put white led lights under the hood and I would like for them to turn on when I open the hood

[Festus Hagen]

If you read the thread you find that it's a mercury switch inside the under hood light.

-Enjoy
fh : )_~

[whatthencuz]

so is there a constant 12v going to the light?

[ctubutis]

Originally Posted by whatthencuz

so is there a constant 12v going to the light?

Yes, via the light-green/yellow-stripe wire coming out of the firewall near the
brake master cylinder.