At some point it does become redundant, but no, not really.

 

Yes, there are few items on a CJ so you quickly get to the point that you have installed a seperate ground to all electricity users. Trick is to get the ground path as large as the supply path but any larger is wasting cash.

 

NO.

This is a 100 amp ground strap continuous run to multiple locations:

Tired of grounding issues.

 

No you can't. If you could my Jeep wouldn't run at all. Think of it this way. Most older vehicle (and maybe most new too) use a chassis ground system, meaning you can put a screw into the body or frame pretty much anywhere to obtain a ground path. Doing it with a dedicated wire simply makes a cleaner, more efficient path to do it with.

 

This is of course true. But as vehicles age, corrosion between body panels and other components puts small ohm resistance between parts so direct grounds to important components is not a bad idea.

incidentally, don't use an ohm meter to detect bad grounds because even a poor ground will show continuity at the low current levels produced by the meter. Instead, measure voltage drop (such as between neg terminal on battery to the ground terminal on the accessory) with the accessory operating at full load.

[In new cars, digital systems can be even more sensitive to grounds. Fun and games in a few years]

 

I added 6 heavy grounding straps (3 per side) connecting body to chassis. Made a world of difference in everything electrical!

Danny

 

Why?
What electrical system is connected to the chassis?

Maybe you just had poor connections around the tub and now the current is able to go through the chassis frame.

 

Bad grounds are a huge issue in CJs and any older vehicle really. Multiple straps to body, block, frame, and dash help tons. I like to use a bus bar in the engine bay, under the dash and in the rear, all with one stud daisy chained straight to battery.

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No, but I have seen CJ projects that have more grounds than needed.

Basically you only need to ground between isolated portions of the Jeep that have rubber, paint, polyurethane, grease, oil or any other insulating media that prevents or slows down the path of electrons. Electrons need to move through conductive material.

Factory grounding was from (-) battery-to-engine block, engine block motor mount-to-motor mount frame and battery to firewall. That was it. Worked OK with fresh new steel, paint that was applied after body parts were fitted and minimum accessories and options that didn't need much current (low voltage that flows to high voltage = DC current flowing from negative to positive).

But over time, these simple connection points become corroded and inadequate for high current add-ons, separated painted panels, and so forth. Providing new points for electrons to move through conductive material is all that is needed and that will depend on the electrical device's function on how it needs to be grounded in order to function.

An example is my underhood light that use to work with factory wiring but no longer worked after painting hood and hinges separately. I simply lost the path of conductivity. With hinges being painted and hinge pins greased, I had to add a ground strap from ground Bus Bar-to-hood hinge bolt to complete the conductive path. I now we have a working light.

Use your own judgement as to where, why and when a good ground is needed.

 

No, but I have seen CJ projects that have more grounds than needed.

Basically you only need to ground between isolated portions of the Jeep that have rubber, paint, polyurethane, grease, oil or any other insulating media that prevents or slows down the path of electrons. Electrons need to move through conductive material.

Factory grounding was from (-) battery-to-engine block, engine block motor mount-to-motor mount frame and battery to firewall. That was it. Worked OK with fresh new steel, paint that was applied after body parts were fitted and minimum accessories and options that didn't need much current (low voltage that flows to high voltage = DC current flowing from negative to positive).

But over time, these simple connection points become corroded and inadequate for high current add-ons, separated painted panels, and so forth. Providing new points for electrons to move through conductive material is all that is needed and that will depend on the electrical device's function on how it needs to be grounded in order to function.

An example is my underhood light that use to work with factory wiring but no longer worked after painting hood and hinges separately. I simply lost the path of conductivity. With hinges being painted and hinge pins greased, I had to add a ground strap from ground Bus Bar-to-hood hinge bolt to complete the conductive path. I now we have a working light.

View attachment 3994727

View attachment 3994729

Use your own judgement as to where, why and when a good ground is needed.

That's a great idea. Going to probably do this when I replace the hood hinges next month.

 

I used to run a diesel shop for a trucking company. Every shop in the company had what we called "Rod's Bible". It was a two page map of every ground there is on our Kenworths. Using that to check all the grounds solved all sorts of electrical problems, from gages not working to sensors tripping check engine lights, etc. and these were New trucks! Good grounding is crucial in any vehicle. Sometimes just cleaning, tightening, replacing or re-locating an existing ground can do really good things.

 

6 CJ-5s for me

Neg cable onto engine

Ground jumper from neg battery post to firewall (in front of passenger)

Strap/ cable from engine to frame (jumping over motor mounts.

I have at times ran a separate ground from the radio--it being part of the radio

I HAVE NEVER RAN A SEPARATE GROUND ON ANY OF MY CJs, SEEMS THE METAL PEICES ARE ADEQUATE AND WERE THE INTENDED PATHWAY FOR ALL OF THIS TO WORK.


My CJ2A with a fiberglass body is a different story----if a part uses 12 volts, it must return to the negative battery via a separate ground wire or congregate to a buss on it's way to the neg battery. Neg battery grounds to engine block (Like my CJ-5s) and jumps from the engine to the frame (just like the CJ-5s). Even running all of the grounds separate, I have never had a ground issue at all since 1991 when I wired Willy up initially.

So that's been 7 Jeeps for me beginning in 1981, It really does not make sense that everybody else has these problems??---and yes, I've had my share of rust too!

----JEEPFELLER

 

I rewired our Jeep and ran individual grounds to what I thought everything electrical via ground blocks. I still find things that have bad grounds.

 

Simple common sense.
High draw items such as winches could use added grounding.
Isolated appliances, such as fiberglass and/or rubber mounted appliances, or items mounted past poor grounding components (hinges, as Kieth noted) , usually need added grounding.
But there comes a time where the law of diminishing returns kicks in and you wind up with a lot of unnecessary clutter with no real value.

 

In looking at my Jeep cj I see the grounds but they look very thin to me..
I will replace with ground strap.
Do I found to frame from Body
I should add this in new TDC Frame and new tub
All new wiring harness from painless.
Doing the dash which peels the onion a little more making me look at my grounds all gauges work originally but after wiring harness voltmeter was pegged over.. just want to sure it’s all grounded properly you guys are making me understand this better and I can’t thank you enough!

 

I would do larger gauge grounds than factory if I were you and add a bus bar by battery to at least connect a dash ground to. Neg cable to block, ground strap or cable from block to frame and a strap from tub to frame. You should be golden then since all is new.

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Bus bar does sound like my best option. I can grimy multiple items to it.
I want a major ground on dash with tach and clock running right of battery then all others running when key is on. Can anyone recommend good place to get good electrical components I looked at crown pares but am unsure I look at electrical to be what I want perfect

 

Reccomended gauge fir my grounds? Or am a better with the grounding cables

 

A rule of thumb is to have a ground at least the same size as the pos. side that feeds that device. But being larger is not a problem. Ideally a current path, pos or neg, is largest at the battery and steps down from there if needed. Some things can get away with a small gauge wire to cover a small load, while other things need a cable since they draw much more power, such as a starter.

 

Another overlooked ground is the windshield frame.
The hinges are the only ground path for the wiper motor.
When the hinges become rusty, you have just developed a bad ground.

Folding down your windshield isn't only fun, it also restores the ground path for the wiper motor by wiping away the rust in the hinge pin.

 

After reading many posts on the subject I added a ground bar along with a power distribution bar with my recent rebuild. Highly recommend doing so. The power bar has been a nice addition when re-wiring for stereo, winch, etc.

 

John, what's the link on the site for the "TeamRush" - what's his name - he did an amazing job of walking through the entire basic ground points.

If I remember right, it started at the Starter, Alt, Bat - also, the head to block to motor mount to frame / body. I can't remember.

I might have done a clean up of that one also.

 

Your thinking of 'Jeephammer' we have a few of his old posts in pdf form in the stickies thread. maybe someone can do a 'wayback' search of his grounding posts. and then print them out in pdf format and we can upload them to this site.

 

Jeepsc are not High Speed Digital circuit boards where ground loops in the design would render a newly designed circuit board useless. Having said that, no need to get stupid about it. My fiberglass body and nose is running fine since '86 with few but intelligent grounding. Headlight buckets one wire to frame. Twilight brackets, one wire to frame. Dashboard, one wire to frame. Alternator bracket to frame. That's about it for an all fiberglass body

 

Twilight brackets? Did you mean Tail light brackets? 1 ea.

and don't forget the gas tank.
and the front turn signal lights
and the horn
and washer fluid bottle.
and wiper motor
and heater motor.

 

Thanks John - as usual, your memory is better then mine - how could I forget Jeephammer!

Found it - https://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f8/engine-grounds-491290/.

I followed it to a tee and never regretted it. EVERYTHING worked better. Not having the starter grounded from the factory still shocks me. Anyway, there ya' are.

- Patrick

 

I converted them to a PDF so the pictures are intact using wayback machine.

 

In case you don't wish to rummage around junkyards (very few left in my area), some good choices here

https://www.summitracing.com/search/part-type/electrical-junction-blocks?page=1

 

Or you could use one of these https://www.homedepot.com/b/Electri...ices-Breaker-Box-Parts-Grounding-Bars/Square-D/N-5yc1vZbm0jZal2?storeSelection=

 

I got these: https://www.amazon.com/Bay-Marine-S...dp/B075X54P9C/ref=sr_1_15?dchild=1&keywords=Ground+block&qid=1625656864&sr=8-15