Couple Big 3 questions

[FML 10+ year member]

Fixing to do the big 3 on the truck here shortly. Trying to make a decision about my grounds.

Common knowledge would be to make grounds as short as possible. In my truck, the negative battery ground is about 4 inches away, attached to the sheet metal of the inner fender well. Obviously, this is a flimsy and in my opinion, not the best ground (even though iv seen thousands of others ground there) . I was thinking of grounding it to the frame rail, probably the most solid piece of steel on the truck. However, that would be a good 2 feet of distance from the battery. Is that ok?

Also, one tutorial i read said the engine ground can go to the same ground location you put your battery ground at,but then see installs where they run the engine ground to the battery. Are these points im discussing a matter of choice, or is there any benefit going one route over the other?

Lastly,i normally do self tapping screws, but im using 0g for this, i feel i need something stronger. But none of my areas have room or option to do a nut and bolt (my go to for ground) . Thanks for the help folks!

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[negolien]

Can do 3 screws on a ring terminal or however many you can fit. 1 inside and the others outside pinning down the edge. Yes frame rail would be good. Going to engine is a waste it's going to the frame anyway. Engine to chassis and battery to chassis then + to Alt. Jut my opinion that's how mine is.

 

[FML 10+ year member]

Can do 3 screws on a ring terminal or however many you can fit. 1 inside and the others outside pinning down the edge. Yes frame rail would be good. Going to engine is a waste it's going to the frame anyway. Engine to chassis and battery to chassis then + to Alt. Jut my opinion that's how mine is.

Kind of confused by your reply man. It's a waste grounding the engine? 0_o

 

[bassbaby94]

as long as the 2 from the negative are touching chassis it doesnt matter how its done. the engine is technically secured to the chassis anway.. so by connecting from engine to frame and then battery to frame it completes a circuit without having 2 leads from battery 1 to chassis and 1 to engine.

 

[FML 10+ year member]

Understood. So, I would personally like to run the battery negative to the frame rail rather than bolting it to the sheet metal. I assume the sheet metal body is only spot welded to the frame. But will I be better off running a 6 inch run to the sheet metal fender well, sacrifices a bit on solidness of ground, but a short lead, or have a 2 foot run going to a much more solid ground? Im just concerned with running such long ground wire when its known it should be as short as possible? Thanks

 

[bassbaby94]

Understood. So, I would personally like to run the battery negative to the frame rail rather than bolting it to the sheet metal. I assume the sheet metal body is only spot welded to the frame. But will I be better off running a 6 inch run to the sheet metal fender well, sacrifices a bit on solidness of ground, but a short lead, or have a 2 foot run going to a much more solid ground? Im just concerned with running such long ground wire when its known it should be as short as possible? Thanks

Running grounds to either spot will work but the frame would be more suitable for a good connection. You can also run both to each spot if you really wanted. i dont think having your ground wire 2ft in length would cause any problems, i just wouldnt go an inch over that.

 

[72Impala 10+ year member]

Running grounds to either spot will work but the frame would be more suitable for a good connection. You can also run both to each spot if you really wanted. i dont think having your ground wire 2ft in length would cause any problems, i just wouldnt go an inch over that.

So 24 inches is ok but 25 inches is not? Lol come on

 

[brian84corvette 10+ year member]

the back half of your alternator needs a great negative flow to battery negative. engine block to frame is nice - but the reason that one is there is to ground your alternator wich mounts thru bolts and brackets and more bolts to your engine block.... eliminate the extra and just ground the back half of your alternator directly to battery negative or to frame whatevers better in your case.

electricity needs to flow equil parts negative to positive to complete the circut.

eyeball the mekman alternators - they have a grounding stud directly attached to the backhalf of the alt casing - why - because thats where the negative electrical flow that is created in the alternataor runs to. yes an alternator produces if you will a sign wave of equil parts positive and negative electrical energy - everyone thinks how can i beef up the + side of things yet skimps out on the negative side.

learn how it works and be an informed user

 

[FML 10+ year member]

the back half of your alternator needs a great negative flow to battery negative. engine block to frame is nice - but the reason that one is there is to ground your alternator wich mounts thru bolts and brackets and more bolts to your engine block.... eliminate the extra and just ground the back half of your alternator directly to battery negative or to frame whatevers better in your case.
electricity needs to flow equil parts negative to positive to complete the circut.

eyeball the mekman alternators - they have a grounding stud directly attached to the backhalf of the alt casing - why - because thats where the negative electrical flow that is created in the alternataor runs to. yes an alternator produces if you will a sign wave of equil parts positive and negative electrical energy - everyone thinks how can i beef up the + side of things yet skimps out on the negative side.

learn how it works and be an informed user

Sounds good to me. I was poking around on some of the alternator case bolts, some ground out, some dont. Alternator mount bolts do not ;The ones that do are the ones that hold the alternator case together. They are an odd type of bolt though.

Its not a torx or Phillips head, kind of weird. Anybody know which bolts im speaking on? Alternator casing bolt for a 99 GM vehicle. Or info on how to properly remove them. Thanks