I didn't know where to post this so here goes. When I get out of my truck I get a static shock when I close the door. The skock is pretty strong. Has anyone got a remedy for this. Is this common to all F150's? Mine is a 2000 XLT with cloth seats. I don't know if it is the rubbing of my jeans on the seat when I get out or just the static ewlectricty of the moving vehicle. If it was the vehicle motion I wonder if one of those grounding straps would help. Even though they look dorky it would be worth a try. Any info. would be appreciated. Thanks. Jay.

 

I was told by a friend who works for Michelin that some tires cause more static electricity than others because they have less rubber and more of other compounds that conduct electricity. Tire makers use things other materials to make rubber harder and last longer and that causes shocks. What tires do you have. I have not been shocked by my SCrew, but I also have leather. Just my .02

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Gen III
4x4 Lariat
5.4
Lmtd Slip, 3.55
ORP
Tow Package
Oxford White/Az Beige
Med Parchment leather
Heated captains chairs
Moonroof
Slider
Bed extender
CD Changer

Ordered 1/11/01
Arrived at Dealer 2/28/01

 

I have the stock Goodyear RT/S tires. I am about to change them to the off road style 17" wheels with the same style tire this week. That is some good info. because my brother said he experiences the same thing and he owns a Dodge Dakota (I have found a way to forgive him) with the same type of Goodyears. Jay.

 

I had the same problem. Try using Scotchgard. I works pretty well.

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1999 4x4 F250 LD XLT SuperCab 5.4L, 3.73, 4R100 trans.
Flowmaster exhaust, K&N, Superchip, WMS Velocity Tube, Rancho RSX shocks, Hellwig rear swaybar, Stull billet grille, PIAA Air Dam with 2-PIAA Pro80XT's (85W Superwhites), 4-KC Daylighters (150W), Performance Accessories 3" Body Lift, 33/12.5/17 ProComp Mud Terrains on 17x8 American Racing Atlas Rims. Kenwood 7007 CD, Alpine 3342 Signal Processor, Alpine MRV-F353 5Ch. Amp, Pioneer TS-A6865 3-way speakers, MTX Thunderforms. CompuStar alarm/autostart.

 

It's very common with the cloth seats. Another trick is as your getting out get in the habit of touching the metal part of the door until your feet hit the ground. That way you discharge the static without the shock.

 

I usually only have that problem during the cold weather months. I usually park it, open the door and touch the ignition key to the door frame to discharge the spark before touching the door. I also read in an older post that keeping a dryer sheet(like Bounce) in the seat cushions will reduce that problem. Or when I'm feeling a bit devilish, I get out, close the door with my rubber sole tennis shoes and chase my wife to discharge the shock on her. > hehehehehehehehehe...

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97 F150 Reg Cab Short Bed
4.2L Auto
Current Performance mods=
Accel 9000Series Race Plug Wires
Motorcraft Platinum Plugs 60 Series Heat Rating
K&N Air Filter(Modified Stock Airbox)
Flowmaster 40 Single in/out.
B&M Shift Improver Kit(highly recommend!!)
Current Musical Improvements=
California Profile3600 running two front Pioneer5x7 three way speakers and a single 10" Cerwin Vega in my homebuilt port tuned box.
Pioneer Cassette/cd control head unit with matching Pioneer 6 disc changer.
1/2 Farad Stinger cap.

My other truck is an in the works 1950 Ford pickup.

 

Usually the summer months are humid enough to keep the real serious static from occurring.

Try driving around at 88 mph, and rubbing your jeans on the seats vigorously. You could conceivably generate the necessary 1.2 gigawatts of electricity, and who knows what might happen.


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'98 SC XLT 4.2
4x2 3.55 ls
Gibson 3" cat back
K&N filter (who doesn't?)
Cpt. chairs, and those oh so cool auto headlights.
Factory door steps to get my pants dirty

 

I could sell the electricity to the state of California. Ha Ha.

 

Here's a simple fix: run one of those thin rubber strips with the small metal strip in them from your diff or low part of the truck. I've seen these on a bunch of newer vehicles. That way, the metal strip is the ground between the truck and the earth, not you when you step out!

 

Just don't drive in a thunderstorm!

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2000 F150 XLT 4X4 Off Road 5.4L Reg. Cab 3.55

Performance Enhancemets:
K&N
WMS Velocity Tube
Gibson Sweptside

Audio Enhancements:
All of the above, plus
Sony C7000X HU
Cerwin-Vega SS2502 components(Front)
Blaupunkt PCxp573s(Rear)

Radio-delay mod

Other Enhancements:
Extang Black Max Tonneau Cover

 

F150Sven-

I notice you have a K&N, Gibson SS, and WMS tube like myself. I realize this is nitpicking, but it really won't make much difference in a thunderstorm or not. If your truck is the highest thing around, you will still most likely be regardless. Lightning looks for the shortest distance. If you have a grounding strip like I mentioned, it would probably be burned off by the strike. If you don't have one, the Lightning will arc somewhere from the botton of the truck to the ground. The safest place to be in any case is in the truck, because the metal will direct the charge around you and out the bottom.

 

Hey JimW. Where did you buy your Gibson exhaust? What type of wheels do you have and is the exhaust discoloring them? Does the exhaust effect your brakes in the winter? I heard the moisure from the exhaust can cause freezing of the brakes. I have a 2000 so it has rear discs. The gibson exhaust sounds awesome, very low and throaty. Thanks. Jay.

 

JimW, I was mostly joking, but it could still get you. Electricity does strange things.

SVTCobra, I got mine on carparts.com when they had a 33% off coupon. The Sweptside exits behind the rear wheel, so no wheel problems. It's also a lot quieter than the others. You may be thinking of the supertruck system that exits in front of the tires.

 

SVT Cobra-

I got mine through a local shop in Calgary, AB (relatively speaking, it is still a 6 hour drive from where I live...) Unlimited performance and exhaust. It cost me a pretty penny, but it was still slightly cheaper than buying online through a U.S. dealer and having shipping costs, and with out Canadian loonie (dollar) going into the crapper. It definately looks much better. My truck is a 97 SC 4x4, with the OEM exhaust ahead of the rear wheel. It definately pitted the wheel (I just have the steel rims), and turned the chrome green. I had to strip my wheel and repainting it silver, and scrub the chrome wheel hub cover and chrome rings I had on my truck. This is the main reason I went for a nice Cat-back. If you think about it, exhaust is mainly water vapour and carbon dioxide, plus all sorts of neat nitrogen oxides from incomplete combustion. The CO2 and these NO's make really neat acidic concoctions when combined with the H2O. No wonder it is bad for the wheel and probably the brake. I think Ford was really dumb to put the exhaust there in the first place, they smartened up with the '98 and up models. I don't know if anybody has had problems with the Gibson Super Truck which exhausts in front of the wheel, but I would never get one, because of my experience.
F150 Sven-

I knew you were, and I agree that lots of lightning can get you! I've seen it hit planes before, and it can do either nothing at all (which is what usually happens), or do mucho biggo damage! It depends usually where the strike enters and exits the airframe, and what path the current took in between these points.