Missing backup lights
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Missing backup lights
Hi all, am new here. My dilemma, I pulled bed with intent to replace. While bed is off I replaced gas tank ,fuel lines, shocks, and replaced a butchered wiring harness for tail lights with a brand new one only to find out there previously no back up wire.Being an automatic transmission I believe that the back up switch is trans related, is it? I have no switch assembly tied to steering column. I don't want to run a switch to dash for obvious reasons.
Hotshot
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 14,333
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From: Stanley, VA
What year truck? 73-77 had the switch on the steering column, 78-79 had the switch mounted on the side of the trans.
Did you have back-up lights before you pulled the bed?
Does the neutral start function? The switch is a compound switch, it functions as both the neutral start switch and the back-up lights.
BTW, welcome to FTE, lots of good, knowledgeable people here.
Did you have back-up lights before you pulled the bed?
Does the neutral start function? The switch is a compound switch, it functions as both the neutral start switch and the back-up lights.
BTW, welcome to FTE, lots of good, knowledgeable people here.
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It's a 78. I did note a lighting issue prior to removing bed but I forgot what that issue was. They may have wired the backups to another source? By time I continued project it was forgotten. When I pulled bed it was a mess. Multiple trailer plugs and splices. Coming from front I have 7 wires, 1 to 1st gas tank, 1 to 2nd tank and 1 to tank selector. Leaves 4 left where 5 is needed. Looks like I will have to decrease and wash Trans area. What I see there is no wire coming from Trans. I checked shop manual it shows backup switch on column for some. Not mine, but it doesn't show diagram of alternative. Thanks
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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 14,333
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From: Stanley, VA
The wires that should go to the back are
1) Front fuel
2) Rear fuel
3) Tank selector
4) Taillights, tag lights & side marker lights
5) Left turn/brake light
6) Right turn/brake light
7) Back-up lights
The wire for the back-up lights should be black w/ red stripe.
This is what your NSS (neutral start switch) should look like:
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Thanks for the heads up on different types. I may have found issue. Due to discoloration of wires not being replaced color coding with new is tricky especially with the 5th wire on new harness, so I used a tester and trial and error, bottom line is I gave the brake lights a dedicated line. According to info from previous response brake lights are with turn signals? My confusion is I only have 1 lead for brake, does it need to be split or use either turn signal? Thanks I feel confident that I may getting somewhere.
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Hotshot
Joined: Apr 2009
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From: Stanley, VA
The left brake light/turn signal wire should be yellow w/ black trace, the right brake light/turn signal is green. The taillight/tag light/ side marker light is a brown wire.
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I have from front 7 leads
1 fuel tank
2 fuel tank
3 selector switch
4 yellow with black left/brake
5 green right/brake
6 brown running lights
7 black ?
The new harness is basically the same but has 5 leads. Yellow to yellow,green to green. Brown to brown, and black to black. Leaving 1 wire left for single filament back up and no where to go.
So it appears I am missing a lead. All else is working. Thank you your help is appreciated.
1 fuel tank
2 fuel tank
3 selector switch
4 yellow with black left/brake
5 green right/brake
6 brown running lights
7 black ?
The new harness is basically the same but has 5 leads. Yellow to yellow,green to green. Brown to brown, and black to black. Leaving 1 wire left for single filament back up and no where to go.
So it appears I am missing a lead. All else is working. Thank you your help is appreciated.
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