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Air Medal or two
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: cross roads
Posts: 14,081
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Why did older cars have earth ground straps?
If you have been on the planet for a while, you can remember when cars trucks and especially cop cars had two straps hanging down from the back touching the road.
Now I know fuel trks use specially made tires to ground to the road, and aircraft hook a ground up B4 fueling. That is understandable. But back in the day, lots of cars dragged straps. Now do I need little steel taps for the shoes I wear....remember those? Or more importantly, do I need ground straps? Next month we can discuss why flat ground straps are used.
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D troop 3/5 Air Cav,( Bastard CAV) and 162 Assult Helicopter Co- (Vultures) South of Saigon, U Minh Forest, Delta, and all parts in between |
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Ground straps were to stop static electricity. I need them for my truck. Winter time it shocks the crap out of me when I get out.
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Keep talking, Im gonna put you in the trunk. |
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Parrothead member
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Monmouth county, NJ USA
Posts: 13,846
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I still have a couple of those in an old box somewhere. My dad always had those on his cars when I was a kid. Supposed to be for static electricity, so you didn't get zapped when you touched the door handle.
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Vinny Red '86 944, 05 Ford Super Duty Dually '02 Ram 3500 Diesel 4x4 Dually, '07Jeep Wrangler '62 Mercury Meteor '90 Harley 1200 XL "Live your Life in such a way that the Westboro Baptist Church will want to picket your funeral." |
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Air Medal or two
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: cross roads
Posts: 14,081
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I guess cops were very tender? and, why do they not use them nowadays?
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D troop 3/5 Air Cav,( Bastard CAV) and 162 Assult Helicopter Co- (Vultures) South of Saigon, U Minh Forest, Delta, and all parts in between |
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Counterclockwise?
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I could really use them on my Tundra as I get zapped all the time.
And maybe some curb feelers.
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Rod 1986 Carrera 2001 996TT A bunch of stuff with spark plugs |
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Registered
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Pensburgh
Posts: 5,636
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I remember in the late 70s neighbor across the street had a Monte Carlo with Cragars, big and littles, rake, air shocks, he had (2) hanging from the rear bumper more for aesthetics than anything(he also had the mini-chrome mud flaps)
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Eric 83 911SC/83 944 bunch of Honda 750s 69 Chevrolet C-20 Longhorn (family heirloom) |
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Model Citizen
Join Date: May 2007
Location: The Voodoo Lounge
Posts: 18,956
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My cousin had a toy model of a Texaco gasoline tanker that had a little chain hanging down dragging the floor.
I became aware that the real fuel tankers had grounding straps, too. I was probably 5 and this was in the '60's. I don't really remember them on cars though.
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"I would be a tone-deaf heathen if I didn't call the engine astounding. If it had been invented solely to make noise, there would be shrines to it in Rome" |
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Team California
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I dunno why people don’t feel the need anymore but if I had a Prius, I’d hang a set of those brass nuts in the rear.
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Model Citizen
Join Date: May 2007
Location: The Voodoo Lounge
Posts: 18,956
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It'd be kind of funny if the brass nuts on the Prius lit up at night, maybe a blue glow.
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"I would be a tone-deaf heathen if I didn't call the engine astounding. If it had been invented solely to make noise, there would be shrines to it in Rome" |
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Back in the saddle again
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Central TX west of Houston
Posts: 56,144
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Modern version on Amazon
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Steve '08 Boxster RS60 Spyder #0099/1960 - never named a car before, but this is Charlotte. '88 targa ![]() |
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Southern Class & Sass
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Huh, I just learned something new. Could you please explain how these work? I'd think, being rubber, they wouldn't provide any ground.
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Dixie Bradenton, FL 2013 Camaro ZL1 |
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Get off my lawn!
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Many fires were started in dry areas from the sparks from the metal ground straps.
The only time I get shocked is getting out of my Velour seats in the El Camino. I learned long long ago too use the key I just pulled from the ignition to touch the door lock knob. The spark jumps from the key to the lock knob before I touch it. No more static and I feel no shock. I have never felt a shock going to get in any vehicle.
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Glen 49 Year member of the Porsche Club of America 1985 911 Carrera; 2017 Macan 1986 El Camino with Fuel Injected 350 Crate Engine My Motto: I will never be too old to have a happy childhood! |
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Quote:
In some workplaces that really, really care about static electricity - like with flammable liquids/gasses and propellants/explosives - you wear dissipative footwear and even make sure that your "rubber" tired furniture conducts enough electricity to the floor so as to prevent a charge buildup. I've been places where you had to stand on a mat and get measured - if you weren't dissipative enough (i.e. "grounded") you couldn't even insert your access card to open the door. And, now thinking about this, I finally understand why lots of vehicles like ambulances might have loose chains dangling and jingling. Thank you! Now I realize that I kind of knew but didn't really ponder it...
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'78SC, lots of other boring cars... |
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Quote:
I guess some of the earlier "super MPG efficient" tires were even worse for static - though IDK if that's still the case.
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'78SC, lots of other boring cars... |
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Banned
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: St Paul MN
Posts: 19,428
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drifters will drag chains behind their cars to make sparks.
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Back in the saddle again
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Central TX west of Houston
Posts: 56,144
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Quote:
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Steve '08 Boxster RS60 Spyder #0099/1960 - never named a car before, but this is Charlotte. '88 targa ![]() |
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Registered
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Honolulu, HI
Posts: 9,862
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So, blue balls. Perfect, so those cars don't multiply.
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The fun - '06 Carrera, '79 930, '06 S4 Avant, '16 i8 The mundane - '24 Tesla Model 3, '22 Tesla Model Y, '19 Tacoma |
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Air Medal or two
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: cross roads
Posts: 14,081
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Dixie-
I have no clue but could guess.
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D troop 3/5 Air Cav,( Bastard CAV) and 162 Assult Helicopter Co- (Vultures) South of Saigon, U Minh Forest, Delta, and all parts in between |
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Back in the saddle again
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Central TX west of Houston
Posts: 56,144
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Quote:
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Steve '08 Boxster RS60 Spyder #0099/1960 - never named a car before, but this is Charlotte. '88 targa ![]() |
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Southern Class & Sass
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Quote:
I once watched YouTubes about tanks for a month. Why? Because I didn't realize how fascinating they are. Plus, you never know when the girl's dinner conversation will switch from clothes and makeup to WWII tanks. ![]()
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Dixie Bradenton, FL 2013 Camaro ZL1 Last edited by Dixie; 06-20-2024 at 01:54 PM.. |
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