76 stepside tail light harness question

Discussion in 'Electrical Shop' started by Paso76GMC, Mar 29, 2008.

  1. Paso76GMC

    Paso76GMC Member

    Joined:
    Mar 29, 2008
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    Hello all. I am new here let me introduce myself, I am Tony from Paso Robles, CA.

    I have a problem with my step side pickup. I am having electrical issues with the rear running lights only. Well before I can really start getting anywhere I really need a new wiring harness. Of course the one I need isn’t being made anymore.

    My question is does anyone have any info? I need the frame harness from the firewall to the rear of the truck and I really need the harness for the taillights. I know that the 68-72 step side taillights are the exact same part numbers at LMC truck as well as the back up lights. Does that mean that the harnesses are the same as well; I can order one for a 72 step side. Even if the frame one is too long or short that can be fixed as long as the plugs are the same.

    If anyone can shed any light on this situation let me know. I need to do this first because there are about 15 splices in the tail light wiring right now. The previous owner must have had an electrical connector kit.........

    Thanks for everyone's help.
     
  2. Pontiac1976

    Pontiac1976 Member

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    I not to sure because I have never looked at the 68-72 rear wiring to see if there the same.
    As the 73 - 87 tail end wiring from the Rubber plug to the light plugs. The 73 - 80 bulk head plug in to the old fuse box Style ( glass fuses ) so the front part of the rear wiring to the rubber plug in. The 81 - 87 bulk head plug in to the newer style fuse box style ( plastic blade fuses )so the front part of the rear wiring to the rubber plug in. But the very back wiring did not change from 73 - 87 at all for sure.


    I have a flat deck on my half ton so I wired different rear lights, but from the lights to the plug is new and looks stock. And from the other side of the plug I even used porper color ga wire to the bulk head.
    My bulk head plug was really nice up to the 3' mark. So I got a pack of the cheap inline but crimp connectors ( the one with red and blue plastic). I heated them up cut plastic off so there was just the metal tube put a heat srink tub on, then soldered the wires in the but connertor to getther matching the colors. Then I put some black color liqiud electric tape by dabbing around the whole wire there try to build it until just enough match the wire size as you can, it might be a bit more in some cases. Then heated the srink tubs, over the each one, dabbed some liqiud electric tape ( the kind you can use for putting handles on tools too). On both side on all the wire with the heat srink tubs to make sure it air tight. My rear wiring works great look great and factory.

    you can reuse the rubber plug ends for the tail lights( where the tail light harness is and the rear light harness is but have to take some time and a bit of W/D-40 to help get the wires out and ends to reuse them.

    Tools needle nose pliers,small screw driver, W/D-40, the right angle pulling and pushing and working the spades. same thing in revirse to get the wire in then solder new spades on that look like the old ones. Then push them in and dab some black electric tape on it at the all ends opening, to seal around the plug ends when you plug it togetther seal it .


    Then you put the plastic coil cover over and you can tell it not factory.
    This one way to do it. If you can not find a wire harness.
    Pontiac1976 hope this hepls you or others.
     
    Last edited: Mar 30, 2008
  3. Pontiac1976

    Pontiac1976 Member

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    Location:
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    Oh I should say that C ( 1/2 ) is one less wire then the K ( 3/4 ) does on the rear wiring.
     
  4. drabo

    drabo Member

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    Try making your own, it's not that hard. You might even be able to find new pins and re-use your old connectors. It is hard to find the factory color wires at the part store so I ran red for stop, yellow for side marker/running lights, and white for back up lights.
     
  5. chevy_man_3

    chevy_man_3 Member

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    Nov 10, 2002
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    Hi, If the plug by the dash is round then they should match upwith the 72 harness, if the plug at the dash is a squared one they won't,then the only problem that you might encounter is whether the back-up light is seperate or part of the tail light.



    Vince
     
  6. Pontiac1976

    Pontiac1976 Member

    Joined:
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    Location:
    Ontario, Canada
    Here is some pic's of mine I did . I found them.
    In the first two I did not die the white wire light green yet, (you can use die or marker or green highlighter .)
    the white wire is easy to die it seem to hold the link not to bad it's like staining all most.
    03 81-87 TailLight Harness 03.jpg

    81-87 TailLight Harness 01.jpg

    Rear light wireing Harness 2.jpg

    This one show the wire spliced and wraped the dip on when the loom is pushed up where it sits you will never see it.
    NEW tail light wiring 0001 IMG.jpg
    this is the dip can stuff
    IMG_PLASTI DIP_01.JPG
    This all I had taken at the time it was a after thought at the time.
     

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