i'm having a problem with my tail lights. when i bought the truck there were absolutely no wires going past the end of the cab - nothing to lite up the tail lights. since then, i have wired everything up with the exception of the backup lights. lately, i have been having problems with the lights not being as bright one side as the other and intermittent problems with different sides that has already gotten me pulled over once. anyone know of a site on the web where i can buy partial or full wire harnesses? i am tired of my splices not doing the job and want to replace it with something close to original. thanks

'79 F-250 4X4 300 I6/4 spd man 3" lift with 35" grabber mt's

 

[font color=red size=2]The best manual you can get is on this site, it's in the online store, the complete factory repair manual including wiring diagrams, all on CD rom.

The light wiring should be fairly simple. There are 3 wires -brown, yellow, green. The brown is the park lights, yellow and green are the blinker/brake wires, one for each side (not sure which is which). Or you could pull the rear harness out of a salvaged pickup.

Just a thought.

Marty

"Cleverly Disguised as a Responsible Adult"[/font]

 

thanks 73Custom for the reply. i saw the cd's on the online store - they list having the schematics through '79 on the main page but only go up to '75 on the specific ordering page. i'm pretty sure that the wiring on the taillight couldn't have changed drastically during that time period, but i'm not sure about spending $50 bucks on the cd only to have it for the wrong year. i tried the local yards around here and they're either missing, dryrotted out, or been hacked up already. i checked out painlesswiring on the net and they seem pretty much ch**y and j**p oriented (some people never learn). if you can think of anyplace else that might carry the rear harness i would appreciate you passing it right along. thanks again for the info.

'79 f-250 4x4 300I6 4spd man 3" lift w/35" mt's

 

It's like Marty said and you've been told before tailights are about as simple as they come. The parts houses have good weather protected connectors, or you can solder your wire and use heat srink for a good fit.

First of all you have to have a good ground for each light socket, a battery post brush works good, a good wire coming from under the dash 3-16ga. wires, a fourth if you have backups, and your lights have to work. Go buy a 100ft. roll of wire or three 25ft. rolls of different colors if you perfer and a couple of hours and you can rewire youe lights completely. It aint rocket science.

Just get after it.

John
jowilker
[link:www.ford-trucks.net/users/jowilker|Club FTE since 01 01] My FTE Page

[link:www.ford-trucks.net/users/jowilker/NCFTE.html|NC Truck Owners] NC Ford Truck owners group

66F100s Rule
In the cool still quite of night you can hear chevies rusting away.

 

I just thought of something, go somewhere that trailer wiring kits are sold. You can get the three wires needed on a roll. I know Home Depot has it, and the auto parts houses should too. :-)

John
jowilker
[link:www.ford-trucks.net/users/jowilker|Club FTE since 01 01] My FTE Page

[link:www.ford-trucks.net/users/jowilker/NCFTE.html|NC Truck Owners] NC Ford Truck owners group

66F100s Rule
In the cool still quite of night you can hear chevies rusting away.

 

thanks john,
i don't mean to be trying anyone's patience, just looking for alternatives. i've run the wires twice now. both times i started just aft of the front of the bed. i used three wires and followed the schematic in my haynes as close as possible. i admit i didn't solder any of my connections - just crimp connected them and ziptied them up to the frame rings. the main reason i was hoping for a complete harness is that i'm leaving for honduras this summer for an entire year - one of the great perks of being active duty military :-) my folks up in minnesota will be graced with the presence of my truck all the while and the closer it is to original the better. i only want to prevent any problems my father might have if he should have the need to dabble into the wiring. this time i'm taking your advise and searching for the three wire spools you mentioned. there aren't any home depot out here in delaware, but there are lowe's and plenty of the smooth-talkin' parts stores. thanks alot for all the advise along the way - my truck has gone from a $400 nonrunning piece of equipment to a truck that it as dependable today as the day it came off of the line. and that is in no small part to the advise of guys like you john. i swear sometimes that your parents raised you in an oval crib painted blue. regardless, thanks for the info and i'll try soldering this time.
chris

 

I would be willing to bet a Franklin that your problem isn't wire, but ground. Get an ice pick test light, and if it's lite comes on, and if it blinks, your bulbs should lite.

John
jowilker
[link:www.ford-trucks.net/users/jowilker|Club FTE since 01 01] My FTE Page

[link:www.ford-trucks.net/users/jowilker/NCFTE.html|NC Truck Owners] NC Ford Truck owners group

66F100s Rule
In the cool still quite of night you can hear chevies rusting away.