# boss headlights dim



## scott v (Jan 24, 2010)

I have a 8'2" vee-blade on my 1985 chevy truck and the headlights are very dim. The plow was new last year, I had the problem last year to but I just lived with it. I think it might be something with the truck it self due to the fact that the plow is set up for my 2005 gmc also, but the lights work fine on that truck. Maybe a ground issue? I've gone back through all the wiring and it is hooked up right, do you need extra grounds for if trucks? If anyone can help that would be great! Thanks, Scott


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## B&B (Nov 4, 2006)

Are both trucks wired with the 13 pin harness? Probably just a weak ground on the 85's headlamps more than likely but there's other possibles too depending on exactly what we're working with.


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## scott v (Jan 24, 2010)

Thanks for the response!
Yes both of them are 13 pin, but the only difference is the harness in the 2005 is five years old and the one in the 1985 was new last year.I read on a post last night that if you snip the white/yellow wire and run it directly to a ground that helps,but that was on a newer dodge. Mine is reversed on the old truck,but i tried it anyway, with the white/yellow on ground the headlights do no work, but the red/yellow to ground the low beams work and are a lot brighter but the high beams do not work at all. The plow has the new style head lights on it, but like i said they work fine on the 2005, so i know that they work. I've gone back over the wiring and all the head light adapters with the install instructions and every thing looks right, so i'm hoping it's just something stupid. Thanks, Scott


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## sweetk30 (Sep 3, 2006)

all the battery voltage went from the battery to the headlight switch and back out to the headlights. lots of power loss.

read here for good modification to do !

this helps a tone on these old trucks.

http://coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=45681&highlight=relay+mod


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## scott v (Jan 24, 2010)

I'll check out your mod. Thanks.


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## scott v (Jan 24, 2010)

That's quite a few mods to do, you would think that the wiring harness that you get for your truck when you buy the plow new would work so you wouldn't have to do all those mods to your wiring. Or have a little more info on trouble shooting issues like the one I have, seeing that all trucks are not the same. O well I guess a little improvising is what I need at this point.


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## B&B (Nov 4, 2006)

Is this a two headlamp or four headlamp truck Scott? Do the truck headlamps work fine? As in they're as bright as they should be? From what you've described it appears the plow harness isn't configured correctly for the truck, thus dim plow lights are the result.


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## scott v (Jan 24, 2010)

It is a four headlight system,truck headlights work fine high and low. The plow light high beams work fine, it's just the low beams that are really dim. I've checked all the grounds it the headlight wiring with a test light, everything has ground. I've even tried to add another ground to the harness from the battery ground and that does not seem to help. I've been over the wiring adapters and made sure all the plugs are in the right place and the wires are hooked up to the battery correct numerous times everything seems to be right. At this point I don't know what to do. Thanks, Scott


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## B&B (Nov 4, 2006)

Somehow I knew it would be a 4 lamp truck. Look on the relay pack for the only relay that has a red/white wire. Remove that relay from the socket and see if the lows then improve. I'll bet they do. And if so, then we're move further.


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## scott v (Jan 24, 2010)

O.K. I pulled that relay out with the lights on and it seemed like the only thing it did was the lights got a little bit dimmer(low beams). Thanks.


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## B&B (Nov 4, 2006)

Check the vehicle option connector on the red/yellow and the white/yellow wires to see if its reversed. It should be red/yellow to red/yellow and like wise for the white/yellow. If it's not, reverse them.

Also, did you leave the small red/white wire that should be connected to the positive battery terminal connected?


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## scott v (Jan 24, 2010)

The red/white is hooked up to the positive, but the red/yellow and the white/yellow are hooked up opposite and the tag on the wire says it needs to be this way for the year of the truck. (1985)


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## B&B (Nov 4, 2006)

scott v;973472 said:


> but the red/yellow and the white/yellow are hooked up opposite and the tag on the wire says it needs to be this way for the year of the truck. (1985)


Reverse them.


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## scott v (Jan 24, 2010)

Alright be right back!Thanks


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## scott v (Jan 24, 2010)

Alright, I reversed them and the high beams on the plow come on, the high beam indicator in the truck stays on too. If you hit the high beam switch the low and high beams on the plow come on very dim.


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## B&B (Nov 4, 2006)

Ok, reversing the option connector from it's intended way was a test to see if they orientated the headlight adapter pins correctly, and I'd say that they did not. So that needs addressed. Check the pin orientation on the light adapters following the info on the last page in this document here.

Don't forget to swap the option connector back to it original orientation too and I think you'll be all fixed up.


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## scott v (Jan 24, 2010)

ok, so I switch the yellow and the black wires on the adapters that go to the low beams. I switch them on both sides, the headlight plug in side and the adapter plug in side. The low beams work great nice and bright, but when you hit the high beams on the plow lights they dont come on and the low beams go very dim and all the markers lights on the truck flicker. If you turn the plow lights off and go with just the truck headlights the low beams work, but the high beams don't. I think were getting closer and I thank you for all the help! Thanks, Scott


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## scott v (Jan 24, 2010)

Was I suppose to switch the black and yellow wires at the high beams too? Because I did that and it did not help, still having the same problem with the high beams.


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## scott v (Jan 24, 2010)

was i suppose to switch the black and yellow wires at the high beams too? because i did that and it did not change anything, i'm still having the same problem with the high beams.


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## scott v (Jan 24, 2010)

sorry for the double post, i couldn't figure out how to delete one of them.


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## B&B (Nov 4, 2006)

No you only reverse the pins in the low beam plugs and of course two of the three in the connector at the other end of the adapters, which you did. But check that you have continuity through the high beam pins in those 3 pin plugs where they're connected to the plow harness (the ones you reversed the black and yellow in) to be sure there's continuity through those plugs. Did you also remember to flip the option connector back?

Also, be sure your small brown wire has a good connection at the battery negative terminal. A weak connection there will cause some major tail chasing if it's not 100% as it's the main harness ground.





Double posts are a fact of life around here with the server the way it is so you're not alone there.


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## scott v (Jan 24, 2010)

Still fighting it, the brown wire looks good and I did switch the option connectors back, and I seem to have continuity through the plugs.


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## scott v (Jan 24, 2010)

Well the low beams still seem like there working fine so I guess I'll run it like that tonight and hope for the best. Goin out to start pushin in an hour.Bring on the money!!!!


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## B&B (Nov 4, 2006)

You're gaining ground but it sounds like you may have reversed the wrong plugs. The low beam plugs are good but I think you may have reversed the pins in the wrong blue plastic plug, so that needs verified. This pertains to both sides of the truck too obviously.


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## scott v (Jan 24, 2010)

I will check it out, Thanks


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