Grounding pods

[katsi]

OK, I have to go to my annual inspection in January and some of the electronics have gone south in the last few months. I'm allmost positive it poor ground connections so, I'm going to clean all the grounding pods and see how that goes. But, my question is this, would it be better to sodder in the grounds to the pods? Has anyone tried this? It always seems that when something stopps working, you can just wiggle the ground and it will momentarilly fix itself.

Thoughts??

[rlux4]

Here's my thoughts on that. You wouldn't want to solder the connections until after they were cleaned up anyway, and if they're cleaned up they should already be making good contact, so soldering them would seem to me to be overkill. The spade type connections with a nice bright metal and perhaps a little squeezing of the spade for tightness makes a pretty good connection.
Ron

[mbouse]

every time i hear that word, i think of that Sci-Fi movie where the aliens grow the clones in great big pea pods. Invasion of the Body Snatchers... is that the title i am looking for? Pods? we dunn need no stinkin' pods!

yeah, that would give those specific connections a better chance to survive the ravages of time. but like ron, i dunn think it would be worth the effort, especially today as i begin a complete teardown for an upcoming paint job. De-soldering takes twice as long and is four times as messy as soldering; and i dunn wanna be cuttin' no wires.

even if you did solder the wires to the pods, will you solder the pods to the fender?

[katsi]

even if you did solder the wires to the pods, will you solder the pods to the fender?

This is why I ask these questions. No, I would not solder the pods to the fenders. So, I will not solder the ground connectors.

[rlux4]

I deny any responsibility for anything said by Mike Bouse. Not that he would say anything untoward, it's just that I say enough that can get me into trouble without outside help.
Ron

[katsi]

HMMM! Ron, I really don't know why it gave you credit for Mike's insight. I simply hilighted it and pushed the quote button. Maybe my car's gremlens have infected my computer as well.

[rlux4]

No problem. I guess if I'm going to get credit (or blame) for something somebody else said, it could be a worse than be something Mike said.
Ron

[mbouse]

ack!

i resemble those remarks... oh... i did say that, didn't I?

soldering those connections would indeed prevent that particular mechanical connection to be near impervious to decay.

but, a well cleaned connection should last for decades.

[htchevyii]

I'd like a source for replated or new pods. Anyone know a cheap source for zinc plating?

[mbouse]

yeah, good luck on that one. that process is heavy metals related, and the EPA stamps hard on the producers.

but... if you have a whole bunch to be replated, i'd check with Csaba. i saw he had this done recently.

[spider2081]

I know many will not like this but I remove the grounding pods from the studs. Use a good quality crimp 1/4" ring terminal. I put a few of the wires into one terminal so there are fewer terminals on the stud. I leave the star washer that was below the pod in place to make a good contact then the ring terminals then a flat washer and then the original nut. I have not had a ground problem with either of the 2 cars I did this to.

[zachmac]

I'd like a source for replated or new pods. Anyone know a cheap source for zinc plating?

Wouldn't it be a lot easier and cheaper to just buy a couple of new pods? Several vendors offer them.

[pope]

Jeff,
You always have to go and throw logic into a discussion.
Party pooper.

Sure you could buy new ones, but then, what would there be to complain about.

[htchevyii]

I'd like a source for replated or new pods. Anyone know a cheap source for zinc plating?

Wouldn't it be a lot easier and cheaper to just buy a couple of new pods? Several vendors offer them.

Really? I don't remember seeing them. who?

[mbouse]

yeah.. who? i would LOVE to put new pods back on my car after the upcoming paint job, rather than these OEM jobs; after 30 years, they could stand some time in the spares box.