It could very well be that the park and run light function are interconnected terminals. Daylight running lights are a new feature so not all switches will accomidate them as a seperate function, especially pull to turn on switches. The run connection may also be intended for side marker lights. Your truck doesn't have DRLs or side markers unless you have added them. If you haven't, then there is no need to use that terminal, so you can ignore it.

 

The only problem there is that if we open the "instruction sheets" (and I absolutely hate it when manufacturers do this) on the link he provided, they are the "remove the wires and install them in the same place on the new switch" type - which means the "R" post is for running lights (back ones) and the seperate "P" tab for the mid-pull parking lights (front) to come on is simply not there.

He could combine the Parking light wire on the connector with the Running lights, but then they stay on all the time and not go out when the headlights are turned on. So, big deal - I guess you can live with it or get the right switch.

Another problem that makes this very complex, is he is installing a new wiring kit, and we don't know what provisions or flow path we have for this wiring set up.

On the 55 power was distributed off the headlight switch instead of circuit breakers as it was up until then. In this case he now has a fuse panel distributing power, so we know that the headlight switch wiring is different. So now we are trying to adapt two things. And that is where the "Domino's start to fall" and the wiring becomes a nightmare. Don't do it, you're asking for trouble.

If this were mine I would do one of two things. Either get an 8 prong headlight switch that has all the tabs my old one had, or call the wiring kit manufacturer and ask them how to adapt this switch to their harness. You are mixing too many things here that were not meant to go together and with a hobbyist level of knowledge, it's going to end up being a disaster for youif you try to "fix it". You just bought all these new things to undo those types of "Fixes." There is no reason to accept that when you are starting over.

And this is one of my gripes with Wiring Kits Vs running your own wire one by one - if you run into connection mis matches, you have to have a solution derived and sent to you by the harnes manufacturers, and your wiring discipline is gone. It's a wiring system of "Fixes" instead of Proper Match-ups and Signal Flow.

I'd get a switch that has defined "P" "R" "H" "A" "D" "I" and "B" tabs on it and not try to adapt something that isn't configured the same as what you took out.

"Nothing short of right, is right!" - Rueben H. Fleet, Founder, Consolidated Aircraft Corporation!

 

I hear ya Julie, I did call Rebel again and he told me which wires go where but as we were on the phone I had him walk me through wiring up the switch just to find out the new switch was bad (go figure)...lol So I went ahead and ordered a new headlight switch from Ron Francis that has the 8 prongs on it and believe it or not it also comes with those new fangled things called instructions...lol If you get the chance would you take a look at it and double check me just to make sure this one will work please and thanks again...

Headlight Switch-Ron Francis Wiring

 

Tard YOU are my HERO today!

You're doing it right and I'm happy and proud!

OBTW, I'm not suprised the switch was bad - I'll bet it's supposed to have that 8th post on it and lots of stuff got screwed up in the build on that one!

The new switch looks nice. It even has a "you build" wiring plug - what a great idea for shieldoing and neat wiring.

Ok so since the posts are arranged differently on this one, you know now which wires to hook to which lettered post, right? You wrote down how the Rebel guys told you to hook it up. I'm hoping that your Rebel guys and my letters to hook up wire in my drawing agreed. I'm sure also that with your kit, some of your items will no longer be coming off th eheadlight switch, but rather your fuse block - like (maybe) power to the brake light switch right?

Only diff in these two switches letters should be that the R and P each have a post on the new one! Take a pic when you get it and post it like you did the other one!

 

I think the new switch has the brake light on it also if I remember correctly. I will get some more pics up soon but I'm waiting for the new switch before I go any farther because I know if I go out there and hook everything else up I'll screw it up somehow...lol On a good note though I did get the new wires to the selnoid and regulator all nicely tucked in a new wire loom...

 

Yeah but........

The question is: with your new wiring kit, does teh pwoer actually have to be run off the headlight switch like it would be with an OEM set up,

Or

Is the power for the brake light switch provided by the fuse block that you new kit has that the OEM set up didn't have?

If you have a lead off the fuse block to run down and power the brake light switch, then youwouldn't hook anything up to the "A" terminal of your headlight switch.

I know it's all very confusing....post the pic when you get the switch!

 

According to the RF installation instruction sheet the brake lights are not powered thru the switch but off the fuse block. IMHO the best thing would be to wire up the female switch connector as shown in the RF instruction sheet and not worry about what letter terminal each wire is connected to, they can only plug together one way.
The only thing that can be screwed up that way is if you try to use a single wire OEM style dome light. If your dome light is a single wire socket, get a two wire bulb socket that fits the dome light bulb and replace the single wire one, making sure that the socket shell is NOT grounded inside the dome light (you can istall the new socket in the dome light housing without grounding it by gluing it in place with a dollop of silicon glue, making sure there is a layer of the glue between the socket and the housing). The dome light will always have power from the fuse block. The ground lead of the socket should go to the light switch (and to the door switches if used).

 

Yes I agree with AX completely.

Now that I've seen the instructions, the brake light power wire is not wired through the headlight switch in the switch instructions. My question was does the fuse panel have a spot for it or do the wiring kit folks assume you are duplicating the OEM set up and running it out of the OEM headlight switch. In other words is the headlight switch wiring configuration as shown in the instructions copasetic with the wiring kit. Or is the wiring kit assuming an OEM wiring configuration with the brake light power coming off the headlight switch? Just a question.

You'll notice they only have you running 7 wires into the female plug. There's 8 tabs and one of them is not getting a wire hooked up to it - bet its labelled "A" - the brake light power tab.

 

A rewiring kit is not based on any one vehicle's original wiring, it a generic setup using the GM color coding and general wiring scheme. I believe I once read that the GM color coding was selected because only GM has been consistant thru the years in their color coding and wiring scheme. There is a fuse and lead for the brake lights in the fuse panel. AFAIK all rewiring kits are designed to be used on 12V -grd systems only and are meant to be used to update and modernize a vehicle's electrical system.
A replacement harness is for a specific vehicle, year and sometimes even model. It is identical to the harness that was used by the manufacturer on the assembly line and would be a wire for wire, conector for connector swap. If the original vehicle was 6V + grd, the harness would be set up for 6V +grd and would necessarily be compatable or useable on a 12V - grd vehicle.

 

I believe there is a wire from the fuse box that goes to the brake lights but when I spoke with the guys from Rebel he said it might need to be hooked up through the switch depending on the switch so I planned on calling them back up once the switch got here just to be on the safe side.

 

HEY TARD!

Ya done yet?

 

I'm getting there. I was able to fix old switch for now until the new one comes in but im having a fit trying to figure out how to hook up turn signals. I have the old 3 wire switch and cant quite figure it out because directions from wiring kit is for newer wiring.

Im trying to upload the instructions from the wiring kit but for some reason its a not letting me upload the pdf file. ill keep trying.

 

ok here we go i got it to save as a pic...

there is 1 wire going to the switch its yellow and goes to the round thing which im guessing is the flasher then 2 wires comming off it which are the wires to the turn signals unless im wrong. I just havent figured out yet how all the wires from the new wiring hooks up to this switch. Also if anyone wants I can copy these wiring instructions and post them...

 

Im almost there, once i get the turn signals then the rest will be easy plus then I can get rid of all that old wiring and finish getting it all nicely tucked away and in wiring loom so she will be pretty... but untill heres a few pics of where im at now...


as you can see here I still have the old wiring harness in it untill i get the turn signals done, once done all the old wiring in the front of the truck will be removed and the new stuff will be put in wire loom.



This pic just has the wiring to the headlights and turn signals in it and the extra acc wires that are in the kit have been kept but all bundled up just incase so thats why you see the middle is bigger than the rest.



This pic shows the new wiring that runs over to the selnoid alt and starter. notice the pink wire, thats the new coil wire. the 2 green and the 1 blue wires are the horn, temp and oil pressure leads that I still need to hook up and tuck away.



Not a big fan of the electric tape but i want to make sure that when i put the bigger wire loom on that those wires dont have anyway of getting wet.



The front pass headlight and turn signal wires ran through the spot where they are suppose to, not in front of radiator all lose like they were.



The drivers side headlight and turn signals wires separating off the wires heading to their new home...

 

The last pic: don't forget to put rubber grommets in all the holes thru metal the wires go thru even if they have plastic loom over them. I assume that after you have all the wires in loom that you will add frequent tie downs to hold the loom in place.