I can not get the headlights or tail lights to come on. I have checked all fuses.
I can get one right front blinker to come on. Any help appreciated!!!!
I did replace the tail lights and they worked when I checked them. The next day nothing.

 

Are you getting power at the sockets? Double check the fuses again.

 

Hows it look at your light switch? A whole lot of things run through there.

For the head lights, check out the high/low beam switch on the floor, mine was rusted out and after cleaning it off my head lights worked on the other option. (It was an on off switch before hand, lol).

On the tail lights, do the parking lights come on when you turn on the head lights? Do the turn signals work? Or are they just dead no matter what?

 

The 56 didn't use fuses, unless someone added fuses. The headlights ran thru the headlight switch where a built in thermal breaker protected the circuit. If the wiring has been changed and/or modified, you'll probably need to use a VOM or voltage tester light to follow the power until you find where it stops.
Check here for a stock 56 wiring diagram (the B&W 12V neg ground one): http://www.clubfte.com/users/earl/Re...%20Information

 

uh....grounded?

 

i will check grounding. Today I bought and installed two flasher fuses. That did
nothing. I do have fuses. also I do not have a high/lo switch on the floor. the steering colum has been replaced with a tilt and the high low is on the colum.
I can not tell if the light switch is good or bad. i pull the **** out partial and full pull and no lights. The parking lights do not come on nor do any of the back blinkers. the only light that comes on is the right front blinker.
any more suggestions?

 

How did you check them?

 

Hey FP,
Welcome aboard! These electrical gremlins can be very frustrating.
Let's step back & breathe some fresh air - ok - Is it possible to take some pics of your set up? It might help to see what your fuse panel looks like & maybe the column you are using & for that matter your truck. It helps to see what you are working on.

I've had a lot of problems with a knock off column I'm using
that has the Horn, blinkers, & flashers running through it.
Blinkers & horn worked for a couple of days then no horn & no blinking but the lights light up - they just didn't blink. The problem centered on the cheap hazard light button set up. It was jammed about half way & it overrides everything.

You may want to check your hazard light button to see if it is
in any way jammed. Is everything you are having problems with
running through your column?

Hang in there - these electrical things require a lot of patience to
sort out.


Ben in Austin

 

When things have been changed or modified, there's no "one size fits all" answers. I can only assume you didn't do the replacement harness/wiring? Is it an aftermarket fuse panel and harness, or a homemade one? How much electrical experience do you have? Do you have/know how to use a Volt-Ohm meter?
Did you find any blown fuses? I'd start with what you did when the problem started. Were you having lighting problems before you changed the taillights?