On my 1952 F-1 which is still 6 volt my head lights seem like they are a little on the dim side.The switch is new and generator is good.I do have the original wiring.What can I check or do to improve this problem.I do not want to go to 12 volt.

 

Ground is the biggest problem with a 6V system. Check to make sure ALL grounding points are clean. If everything else is working fine I will guarantee it's a bad ground.

 

I would also like to add good wire. If you're running the factory original wiring I would also suggest you check all of the power wires to make sure it's not frayed, grounding out or had bad wire end connections.

 

Is there grounds at the head light buckets to check?Could I use a volt meter to check and see what I have at the head light plugs?

 

Yes, not in the buckets exactly, in the grille area. It's near the radiator shields as I recall. All the connectors in there are bullet-type and they get full of dirt and corrosion, so sometimes just pulling them out and putting them back in helps. You might want to extend the ground to the regulator mounting screw (which is also a ground for the generator).

To properly check the voltage, you'd need to do it with the headlights on. Maybe stick a probe into the bullet connector?

 

Thanks Ross,I will pull the head lights out and do some checking into.

 

One thing to beware of, if you find rotten socket connectors at the headlights, repro headlight sockets are all (that I could find) pre-wired with smaller gauge wires than you need for 6v.

 

I rewired the my new headlight sockets with 14ga wire. I too, couldn't find any with decent gauge wire.

 

It is usaully the ground conection. I have a 6 volt system in a model a 31 coupe, the light were dim and sometimes the high beam on the left would not work. First thought is was bulb filament. To do a test get a good long wire and ground nice a clean to the frame run it to the can and see if it brightens. Worked for me..

 

Russ, all above is good points and true! Congrats on keeping your truck 6 volt! Remember, your wiring is 56 years old! Yes, check for rust at all ground connections. You must have clean metal to metal contact. Also if you do rewire, make sure you put in new proper gauge wire from your battery to ground, from battery to starter, etc.

Another idea: last year my tail and brake lights weren't as bright as I thought they should be, so I ran a wire from the taillight and grounded it to the frame under the bed, bright as can be!

 

I am not at all famaliar with the 6V systems. Mine is 12V with new wiring. I found that my stock sealed beam headlights were almost useless driving home from work at night (sometimes 1:30 AM). It is a rare night indeed when I do not see deer on the road, so I need to see well.

I got a set of halogen sealed beams and that helped a lot. They just went right in place of my stock ones. The had them on the shelf at the local parts store.

Are these available for the 6V system?

 

I too am running a 6v system. Also experiencing dim light issues, hard starting problems, etc. In reading these and other forums, I've come to realize that I may have self inflicted problems due to inadequate wire sizes, on battery cables, grounds, harnesses, etc. I rewired truck when restored 20 years ago. All wiring is in good condition, just probably too small of a guage for 6 volts. My question is? Is there a place or reference that tells the proper size wire for the different circuits needed for our 6v trucks. I am planning a mild redo this summer and would like to correct some problems then.

 

The shop manual for the '48-52 truck has all the guages listed but, you have to go through the manual and find all of the individual wire diagrams for each circuit. There is an over all wiring diagram at the back of the book but it doesn't list the guages. I would assume if you have the manual for '53 it would have the same info.

Here are diagrams from the '48-52 manual, should give you an idea what is needed for your truck:

 

Bobj49f2 - Thanks for the tip. I will have to dig through my manuals and find out.

 

Just thought I would pass an update on my dim headlight problem.The headlight plugs had been changed and the wire was much smaller than the stock wire they were connected to.I took the clips out of the sockets and rewired with 14 gauge wire.I checked and cleaned the ground wire at the bucket and I also ran another ground wire from behind the grill with 12 gauge wire for a double ground.Took my truck to an inspection station and had them lined up.For a 6 volt they are much better now.Thanks for all the help.