In a message dated 1/31/2007 8:20:33 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,
nick.barb@xxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:
There
are two long thick rubber
straps hanging down purposely touching the
ground at the front of the
car just back of the front bumper.
Seems that they could be
grounding straps for lightning or
something?? Not sure if these are
after-market items, like old
JC Whitney stuff or a dealer item or an
actual Mopar
option. Anyone heard of these before? Thanks, Nick
Nichols
Nick,
These are conductive rubber, and are to drain off static charge that builds
up as you drive down the road. Originally, all gasoline trucks had
them. Of course, if you were REALLY OLD, like me, you would remember that
fuel trucks always had a piece of chain dragging along the pavement. Chain
was noisy, and of course had to be replaced frequently.
Rubber tires are apparently slightly conductive, now, and
they drain off the charge, but I was a newsboy right after WWII, selling to
the morning commute traffic in Detroit, in the winter. Every time a car
pulled up to buy a paper, if that car had new synthetic rubber tires on it, when
the driver touched my hand with a coin, I would get a pretty good shock.
Actually, it might have been good for business, because the drivers got a
good laugh out of it.
I didn't think it was funny.
Joe
Savard
Lake Orion, Michigan
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