OK. I have a Ford F250 (1993) that is my Q truck. Bought it for $250. I had the shop class at my school fox it up. That's the intro.

The wiring for back lights was put together with love and gum. Recently, the wires became unspliced. I just rewired the turn signals using only my basic knowledge of 8th grade science class. The Brake lights are a different matter.

Here is the link

Fix my truck

The pic on the left is the 3 wires coming from the left, and the pic on the right are the 2 wires coming from the left.

Can anyone tell me in the simplest terms what connects to what? Remember all those old airline disaster movies where they have to talk to the person who has never flown and get him to land the plane? Talk to me like that.

Thanks in advance!

 

Welcome to the forums.

I'm be the first to tell you.............
"put your head between your legs and brace for impact" because likely you ain't gunno never get it to work right.


Ok, the turn signals and the brake lights use the same bulb, so you can't have one without the other(basically). In lehman terms, when you have your foot on the brakes(the lights come on), and when you flip the turnsignal switch it interrupts one of the lights and flashes it(leaving the other light on for "brake lights").

The basic wiring for the back of the truck will entail 4 basic wires(this is an over basic simplification)

1)left turn signal
2) right turn signal
3) running lights(both sides and license plate lights)
4) back up lights(both sides

Simply tracing down which wire does what will enable you to attach them to the proper place.

Turn on running lights and determine which wire is "hot"(using voltmeter or test light). Attach this wire to both rear lights so they glow softly. You don't want them on the "bright" side as that is the turn signal element of the bulbs.

Turn on left turn signal and repeat procedure til you get the LH bulb to blink brightly. Repeat for Right turn signal.

Back up lights are the last option and the least important right now.



This is your assignment, if you chose to tackle it. This message will self destruct in 10....9.....8............................

 

I'm afraid of stripping the nut to disconnect the battery with the many times I'm taking it on and off. Do I have to disconnect the battery to connect the wites at the back of the truck?

 

No you do not need to disconnect the battery. In fact, if you disconnect the battery, you won't be able to test which wire does what. The brown wire is the running lights, green and yellow are the turn signals, but I can never remember which is which.

 

Let me word it better in case I said it wrong...

Do I have to connect the battery before connecting two wires and putting a wire nut on them?

 

You can connect them WITH the battery hooked up, as they aren't "live" until you operate the brake pedal or turn signal.

 

You dont need to disconnect the battery at all. In fact, it should most definitly be hooked up. You can not get shocked by these wires.

Wiring is fairly simple once you get the basics down. Use a circuit tester and see which wires do what and connect to the proper wire leading to the proper light. i.e. if you hit the brakes and one wire lights up, connect to which wires run to the brake lights. Should be the same color. If everything is hooked up correctly and nothing still lights up, its a grounding issue

 

Let me reinforce the need to use a test light or meter to check these wires. Having an assistant to hit the brake, lights and signals for you will help as well.

 

Hey JAS.. Remember it like this.

Green is the right turn, it has an R in it.
Yellow is the left turn, it has an L in it.

Thats how I remember!

 

Geez, that can go right along with:
Righty Tighty
Lefty Loosy

 

Hahaha, it sure can.

Although I guess the only exception to the electrical rule is if someone screwed up badly on wiring.

With the bolts.. Sometimes nobody tells you how to take off a semi tire (stud piloted) and youre like "man this thing is tight..." and then you realize it is left hand thread....... There is a big 'L' to help you.

Ah, I love learning.

 

Some of the older Fords had that on the pass side back (and only the pass side back) generally with the Dana 70 rear.