reverse light switch on transmission.

[tuff4rd]

Yes, your backup lights are controlled by the neutral safety switch.
There is a small screw on each side of the switch. Loosen each screw slightly, then put the truck in reverse, and turn the key to 'run', but do not start the truck. Move the switch slightly until the lights come on, then tighten down the switch. Check to make sure the engine cranks only in park and neutral.
Before doing this, though, I would check the fuse.
I fought my switch and couldn't get the stupid lights to come on. Turned out to be the fuse.

Would that be the same for a 71? Thanks

[fordman]

yea flyboy is right i thought thats the way it worked but i couldnt remember. it is the same for all the years

[1971ford]

i cant find a small screw on each side of the safety/reverse switch.

[flyboy2610]

They should be on the sides of the switch mounting flange, holding it down to the steering column.

[1971ford]

hmm. ill double check in a few minutes.

[fordman]

its on top of the column

[1971ford]

http://fordification.com/images/schemat ... _quick.jpg

this diagram is a bit confusing when the reverse lights go to the switch. there is only two wires. they say there black-red. ill go see if all 4 wires are black and red or just two in a few minutes also.

[fordman]

my pic shows 4 wires on this column it came from a 70 truck.

[rjewkes]

going back to flyboys post with a new bulb that you know works have some one outs side of the truck while with key in run position truck not started and then put in reverse and jiggle the selector until they light up. if they light when you jiggle the selector btw gently, then adjust the switch. if it don't light and you know the fuse and bulb and wires are good then it is a ground or the wires are disconected or grounded out for some reason.

[1971ford]

my dad and i just did some testing. and it got me confused. i dont fully understand what my dad tested and all because i dont know anything about testing wires and stuff. but he said it is most likely the switch because the wires were coming from the connecter are open wires (im not sure this is all right). anyways he tested alot of possibilities and i watched the reverse lights and nothing worked. he jiggled the selector also. he also blew a fuse.

so were not going to be able to fix it before the test anyways but they might not check the reverse lights. i need to by a "wiring" for dummies book or something so i can understand half of what my dad tells me.

[fordman]

www.fordification.com/wiring.htm

[1971ford]

i was aware of the diagrams but i just dont know what my dad is talking about when he tells me how he tested the wires. like i dont even know what a "ground" wire is.

[fordman]

a ground is the negative wire in the system. it has to be ther to complete the circut. a battery for a flashlight has a positive and negative side to it. the bootm is usually the negative side of a d cell battery. a truck has a the same positive and negative to and from the battery. if the ground rnegative is not connected or dirty it wont complete the circut and let the certain system not work.

[1971ford]

well now i know what a ground wire is. thanks for helping me! im going to start researching wires and learning more about them so i can fix my wire maze in my truck. there are soooooooo many wires under my dash that just stop(they end in little connectors).

[rjewkes]

hey when i bought my truck they had wired the turns into the backup lights.