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Traver
Samba Member
Joined: October 03, 2002
Posts: 354
Location: Portland, Oregon
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 Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 9:42 am Post subject: Ground Connection |
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Can someone tell me exactly where the ground strap is supposed to connect to? I was looking at my setup, and the previous owner has the cable connected to one of the bolts where the body is connected to the pan, which I know is not correct. I looked around but didn't notice any other obvious place to connect it.
Also, it is a regular negative battery cable, not so much a metal "strap" like I've seen on other bugs. Does that matter? I could run over to Auto Zone and get the right one... |
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Gary
Person of Interest
Joined: November 01, 2002
Posts: 17069
Location: 127.0.0.1
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| Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 9:52 am Post subject: |
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Sounds like the correct spot. What makes you think it's not? I've parted a 1962 and a 1965, both of which had the battery ground to that same location.
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West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette, 319 U.S. 624 (1943) |
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Traver
Samba Member
Joined: October 03, 2002
Posts: 354
Location: Portland, Oregon
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| Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 9:56 am Post subject: |
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| Icy wrote: |
| Sounds like the correct spot. What makes you think it's not? I've parted a 1962 and a 1965, both of which had the battery ground to that same location. |
Well, I took off the bolt and there was some sort of rubber there where the body connects to the pan, which makes me think it's not properly grounded. I seem to remember on previous bugs I had that the connection was down lower, near the battery tray. I could be wrong, that's why I'm asking here. |
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Gary
Person of Interest
Joined: November 01, 2002
Posts: 17069
Location: 127.0.0.1
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| Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 10:18 am Post subject: |
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But the bolt goes through the ground lead, through the body, through the rubber, and into the pan.
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West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette, 319 U.S. 624 (1943) |
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Traver
Samba Member
Joined: October 03, 2002
Posts: 354
Location: Portland, Oregon
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| Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 10:23 am Post subject: |
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| Icy wrote: |
| But the bolt goes through the ground lead, through the body, through the rubber, and into the pan. |
Yeah, I guess that wouldn't really matter. |
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Rusty O'Toole
Samba Member
Joined: August 10, 2009
Posts: 594
Location: Canada
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| Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 10:51 am Post subject: |
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| It will be fine as long as the transmission is grounded to the pan/body. Because the engine/trans is mounted on rubber too. |
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Jeckler
Samba Member
Joined: September 27, 2005
Posts: 2718
Location: Mesa, AZ
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| Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 6:03 pm Post subject: |
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The bolt on the left is where the ground should be, not one of the body bolts.
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Andy
'63 Bug rebuild here.
Did you know that sellers can't charge a fee to accept PayPal?
| bill may wrote: |
| I am the crabby old guy. |
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is knowing not to put it in fruit salad. |
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Traver
Samba Member
Joined: October 03, 2002
Posts: 354
Location: Portland, Oregon
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| Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 11:21 pm Post subject: |
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| Jeckler wrote: |
The bolt on the left is where the ground should be, not one of the body bolts.
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Ok, that's kinda what I thought, only on mine there is a sheared off bolt with no head in that hole. I wonder if I can get it out of there. Or does it really matter if I leave it grounded at one of the body bolts? |
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16CVs 
Samba Member
Joined: February 22, 2004
Posts: 4026
Location: Redwood City, California
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| Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 11:25 pm Post subject: Body Ground |
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While I agree that it was made that way to go to the pan ,I would imagine it was that way for production ,so that when it came down the line the battery was installed and then the body was put on.
But putting it on the body and then bolting it down in to the body mount,if you took the rubber out or trimmed part of it you would improve th egeneral grounding of the body. It couldn't hurt.
Stacy |
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Gary
Person of Interest
Joined: November 01, 2002
Posts: 17069
Location: 127.0.0.1
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| Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 5:49 am Post subject: |
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| Traver wrote: |
Ok, that's kinda what I thought, only on mine there is a sheared off bolt with no head in that hole. I wonder if I can get it out of there. Or does it really matter if I leave it grounded at one of the body bolts? |
Drill a hole down the center of the remnants, apply heat, and use an EZ Out to extract it.
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West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette, 319 U.S. 624 (1943) |
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gerg
a.k.a. 6volt65
Joined: April 25, 2003
Posts: 5454
Location: Monroe, LA
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| Posted: Fri Oct 16, 2009 9:24 am Post subject: |
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So I was thinking about this same topic this morning. I have my battery ground cable hooked to that same 'bolt on the left' in the pic above.
The ground strap underneath the car is basically from the frame horn to the tranny / engine.
How does the painted body, sitting on a rubber gasket get a good ground? I was thinking of running a strap between that 'bolt on the left' to the closest rear body mount and make sure it is cleaned to bare metal for a good connection.
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Gerg
. . . I got 99 problems and my bus ain't one . . .
'65 Sunroof Beetle
'65 Vert
'60 Singlecab |
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KTPhil
Samba Member
Joined: April 06, 2006
Posts: 34021
Location: Conejo Valley, CA
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| Posted: Fri Oct 16, 2009 9:36 am Post subject: |
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| gerg wrote: |
| How does the painted body, sitting on a rubber gasket get a good ground? |
Via the bolts holding them together. |
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BUGTHUG
Samba's Rented Mule
Joined: April 22, 2007
Posts: 833
Location: KANSAS toto's fire hydrant
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| Posted: Fri Oct 16, 2009 9:51 am Post subject: |
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Gerg, and others. Make sure the ground is to BARE metal and no rubber grommets. Also go buy some dieletric grease and coat ALL the connections of your light bulbs and ground straps. Dieletric grease can be smeared all over the bulb sockets and INCREASE the connection, it will last a long time and help prevent moisture from corroding . On the bare metal were the big ground strap goes this will help to prevent rust on your shinney new paint job.  You can't have too many GROUNDS.
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I know you would understand what I'm saying if you could just see my HANDS
Even the middle of the week says W T F
1963 15 window bus
1966 VW bug
1966 21 window micro bus
1969 Dune Buggy
1965 VW bug
1974 VW bug
1972 Kelmark, VW drive line
1948 Chevrolet Hearse |
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KTPhil
Samba Member
Joined: April 06, 2006
Posts: 34021
Location: Conejo Valley, CA
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| Posted: Fri Oct 16, 2009 10:06 am Post subject: |
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| That's some well-grounded advice right there. |
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BUGTHUG
Samba's Rented Mule
Joined: April 22, 2007
Posts: 833
Location: KANSAS toto's fire hydrant
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| Posted: Fri Oct 16, 2009 10:09 am Post subject: |
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| KTPhil wrote: |
| That's some well-grounded advice right there. |
Thank you sir.
_________________
I know you would understand what I'm saying if you could just see my HANDS
Even the middle of the week says W T F
1963 15 window bus
1966 VW bug
1966 21 window micro bus
1969 Dune Buggy
1965 VW bug
1974 VW bug
1972 Kelmark, VW drive line
1948 Chevrolet Hearse |
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gerg
a.k.a. 6volt65
Joined: April 25, 2003
Posts: 5454
Location: Monroe, LA
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| Posted: Fri Oct 16, 2009 1:46 pm Post subject: |
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| KTPhil wrote: |
| gerg wrote: |
| How does the painted body, sitting on a rubber gasket get a good ground? |
Via the bolts holding them together. |
Understood - but this thing has paint everywhere - as it if were dipped, so I would think I need to clean some of the paint off the pan where the plates contact?
Just thinking through it.
I checked and I have continuity from the negative post to multiple spots on the actual body. Just wondered if it may be weak or need to be better.
I cleaned off the pan where the negative cable connects and it is bare metal to flat / cable / flat / lock / nut.
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Gerg
. . . I got 99 problems and my bus ain't one . . .
'65 Sunroof Beetle
'65 Vert
'60 Singlecab |
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ibjames
Samba Member
Joined: October 15, 2009
Posts: 197
Location: San Diego
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| Posted: Fri Oct 16, 2009 2:57 pm Post subject: |
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| BUGTHUG wrote: |
| KTPhil wrote: |
| That's some well-grounded advice right there. |
Thank you sir. |
bah dum bum ching! |
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