Better option than a ground strap?

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Map63Vette

Map63Vette

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Has anyone done something to replace the original ground strap with something more robust or mount to a new location? Mine has looked pretty rough for a while now, and I've got a fair deal more going on electronically now that I have a modern engine and other stuff installed. Everything important or high power has dedicated grounds to the engine block, battery, or a small terminal strip I have by a fuse/relay box I added, but several things still rely on body grounds to work (like lights, gauges, etc.). I'm wondering if there is a reason to use the firewall as a grounding point vs something more robust like tying directly from the battery to the core support or something like that. Just feels weird to have a small little self tapping screw be all that connects a lot of various things back to ground. Looking for a way to modernize it if there are better options. I had considered just welding a bolt somewhere to use as a body ground stud as well, but haven't gone that far yet.
 
Map63Vette said:
Has anyone done something to replace the original ground strap with something more robust or mount to a new location? Mine has looked pretty rough for a while now, and I've got a fair deal more going on electronically now that I have a modern engine and other stuff installed. Everything important or high power has dedicated grounds to the engine block, battery, or a small terminal strip I have by a fuse/relay box I added, but several things still rely on body grounds to work (like lights, gauges, etc.). I'm wondering if there is a reason to use the firewall as a grounding point vs something more robust like tying directly from the battery to the core support or something like that. Just feels weird to have a small little self tapping screw be all that connects a lot of various things back to ground. Looking for a way to modernize it if there are better options. I had considered just welding a bolt somewhere to use as a body ground stud as well, but haven't gone that far yet.
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Talk to Tony at CE Auto Supply. I installed his grounding kit when I relocated my battery to the trunk. He's a car guy too so very knowledgeable and a great resource for "why do this"...

Ground Straps & Grounding Solutions - CE Auto Electric Supply - Automotive Electrical Solutions

ceautoelectricsupply.com ceautoelectricsupply.com
 
You can also get a battery ground cable with pigtail to ground to the radiator support.
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Grounds are the last place you want to cheap out/cut corners.. Floating grounds cause all kinds of weird issues.
 
There is no reason to use a "strap." Just use a cable similar to the hot side. Ground the battery to the BLOCK. That is the highest current, IE the starter. Use another cable from the block to the firewall. Look at your alternator mount on the pass. side head. That/ those same holes are on the rear of the driver side head. Get a short 1ft or 18" Ford style eyelet to eyelet starter cable and bolt to the rear of the head and the firewall. The master cylinder studs sometimes work well. The unibody is completely welded. Some guys claim that the welds are poor for electrical, and that is nonsense. If the welds are that poor, you better worry about the car breaking into pieces!!! Lots of little spot welds add up to lots of "surface area" so to speak.
 
A simple nut welded to the right front framerail with a batt cable attached to it from the rh rear cyl head takes all worry out of body grounds. Not my original idea but I used it and never a grounding issue.
 
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