Truck keeps "Zapping" me!

[steved]

I solved mine with a static strap (type mentioned that hang from a tanker truck) hanging off the tcase crossmember. And you can tell as soon as it is gone/not touching the ground.



I did run a steel cable on my 99 before I found a source for the straps... will be going back to the cable on my 04. 5 because I have ripped two of the straps off the truck because they froze to the ground... and the cable is simple:



Get a piece of vinyl coated cable (good stuff, not clothesline grade)...



Solder an eye terminal to one end... I believe mine is an 1/2" eye. Leave lots of cable extra... attach the eye to a bolt in the frame...



Using two wire clamps, run the cable to the ground through a hole in the tcase xmember... let enough slack that it will always touch the ground (don't worry about it dragging as they "float" off the ground at speed)... hold it at the desired length using the clamps (one above/one below the xmember to prevent it from pulling more out and from backing out of the hole)...



If you leave enough slack, as the cable wears, you can simply readjust the wire clamps so that it drags on the ground again... the one on my 99 lasted about 50k before it needed adjusted... I had enough that I did it three more times before I traded it off... I never ripped it off, but it did stick bad enough that it bent the edge of the crossmember... I figure it had froze down.



The only thing about having something dragging is that you get people all the time telling you your dragging something and the service people tend to winding them up around stuff and not put it back.





steved

 

[SHyans]

Since I posted this thread a month ago, I've adopted the touching the key to the door before using my hand. Problem solved.

 

[JamesCohen]

Before I get out, I slam my hand in the door. Then, when I do get out, I can't feel the electric shock with my fingers. I make it a point to not get out of the truck too often.







Seriously though, I just make sure that I touch the door as my foot touches the ground.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

While installing some Ham Radio gear on my truck, I discovered there was no continuity between the door and the rest of the vehicle - yeah, I get zappppped too...



Seems that the hinges and other door hardware are not providing a door-to body ground path for static equalization.



I suspect that the door Is "floating" above electrical ground while in motion, and building up a good sized electrical charge - it might be the DOOR that has the charge, not the passengers!



Next time, try touching somewhere on the door frame instead of the door itself, to see if you still get zapped - if it is just the door that's the problem, a small suitable ground strap could be installed from the door over to the door frame...