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Message
Help with trailer lights
Posted on 11/15/13 at 6:15 pm
Posted on 11/15/13 at 6:15 pm
I figured the noble and smart guys of the OD board could help
I have a 16 foot, dual axl trailer. My lights have been acting weird. I figured it was a grounding issue on the ball. They wouldn't come on and then dim. It Would also do weird things like both lights would blink when the right blinker was on, completely go out when you press the break. Well after it rode on my work truck, I guess it rubbed the rust off and worked fine. Well after a week, still works fine on my work truck. Now, I hook it up to my personal truck and nothing. I bought a pig tail tester and it shows my plug on my truck is working as it should. I took the reciever off of my work truck and tried it that way and still nothing. What the hell is the issue here? Any help would be appreciated as I'm about to pull my hair out
I have a 16 foot, dual axl trailer. My lights have been acting weird. I figured it was a grounding issue on the ball. They wouldn't come on and then dim. It Would also do weird things like both lights would blink when the right blinker was on, completely go out when you press the break. Well after it rode on my work truck, I guess it rubbed the rust off and worked fine. Well after a week, still works fine on my work truck. Now, I hook it up to my personal truck and nothing. I bought a pig tail tester and it shows my plug on my truck is working as it should. I took the reciever off of my work truck and tried it that way and still nothing. What the hell is the issue here? Any help would be appreciated as I'm about to pull my hair out
7
Posted on 11/15/13 at 6:18 pm to coonass27
Try a direct ground wire bolted on your truck and also make sure your ground wire on the trailer has a good contact.
Posted on 11/15/13 at 6:26 pm to fishfighter
The ground on the trailer is good. I Checked it and even sanded it down. Like I said. It works fine on my work truck
How do I do a direct ground wire, run a wore from the truck to the trailer. Would a jumper cable test this?
How do I do a direct ground wire, run a wore from the truck to the trailer. Would a jumper cable test this?
Posted on 11/15/13 at 6:28 pm to coonass27
Keep riding around til the rust on other truck ball wears off.
When I gooseneck hitch in my new truck it took a few miles for my lights to start working right. As long as the ground on the trailer is still good.
When I gooseneck hitch in my new truck it took a few miles for my lights to start working right. As long as the ground on the trailer is still good.
Posted on 11/15/13 at 6:30 pm to coonass27
quote:
I took the reciever off of my work truck and tried it that way and still nothing.
I'm sorry if I asking the wrong questions, but are you talking about the towing receiver?
If everything is working fine with the company truck and trailer and not your truck and trailer it seems obvious unless I'm missing something.
Posted on 11/15/13 at 6:34 pm to coonass27
quote:
Would a jumper cable test this?
Yes, just make sure the contact is clean bare metal.
Posted on 11/15/13 at 6:40 pm to QuietTiger
quote:
I'm sorry if I asking the wrong questions, but are you talking about the towing receiver? If everything is working fine with the company truck and trailer and not your truck and trailer it seems obvious unless I'm missing something.
Yes, that would seem obvious that its I'm my truck wiring but all the fuses are fine, I put a volt meter on my plus, and I even bough a tester to plug Into my trucks hook ups. They all light up as they should
And yes, I took the ball and mount out of my work truck (thinking it may be the ball) and put it on my truck. No lights. The ball and mount on my truck is brand new
Posted on 11/15/13 at 6:44 pm to coonass27
Didn't read any of your post because I didn't need to.
Trailer light problems = poor grounds
Trailer light problems = poor grounds
Posted on 11/15/13 at 6:47 pm to coonass27
quote:
They wouldn't come on and then dim.
quote:
completely go out when you press the break.
I'm just guessing, but it sounds like a connection/power problem to me. You are testing the terminals with your tester without a load, put one on it and the problem surfaces. JMO
Good luck.
Posted on 11/15/13 at 6:51 pm to weagle99
quote:
poor ground
As Weagle said, that's part of the power. It'll open with a load on it.
Posted on 11/15/13 at 6:56 pm to coonass27
I've had problems with a new factory installed pig tail like you speak of. Pull both trucks side by side & trace wires. Also I've had to put a bigger flasher plug in a newer truck to keep both blinkers from blinking at the same time. All in all trailer lights are APITA 
Posted on 11/15/13 at 7:06 pm to Nascar Fan
So I'm not getting enough power from the plug under a load? How is that corrected?
Posted on 11/15/13 at 7:10 pm to coonass27
Sounds like a ground to me
Posted on 11/15/13 at 7:13 pm to coonass27
quote:
How is that corrected?
If that's the case and I'm not 100% sure it is, just going by what you say. You'll have to backtrack the connections and see which one looks odd or tests odd under a load.
If you can get another vehicle with working hook ups to try out then it's a no brainer for sure.
Trailer lights/power problems suck. I'm about to revamp my boat with a civilized wiring method.
Posted on 11/15/13 at 7:20 pm to Rod Farva
Check ground issue FIRST.
Most 4- wire plugs use the ball for ground. This is not the best way.
I', assuming you hava ground wire" coming out of the plug on the trailer. On a flat, 4-dire plug it will be white -- not sure aboiut the newer 7 oin lugs.
Take that ground wire that's coming out of the trailer plug, add a terminal, and use a bolt or sheet metal screw to attach it to the trailer frame. It's OK to add wire to this wire so you bacan reach a good spot to tap in.
THEN check to make sure none of the trailer wires have lost their insulation and are rubbing against the trailer frame. If they are making contact, splice in a new section of wire, or add electrical tape t the bare spots.
These two steps will solve 95.78% of trailer light problems.
Most 4- wire plugs use the ball for ground. This is not the best way.
I', assuming you hava ground wire" coming out of the plug on the trailer. On a flat, 4-dire plug it will be white -- not sure aboiut the newer 7 oin lugs.
Take that ground wire that's coming out of the trailer plug, add a terminal, and use a bolt or sheet metal screw to attach it to the trailer frame. It's OK to add wire to this wire so you bacan reach a good spot to tap in.
THEN check to make sure none of the trailer wires have lost their insulation and are rubbing against the trailer frame. If they are making contact, splice in a new section of wire, or add electrical tape t the bare spots.
These two steps will solve 95.78% of trailer light problems.
Posted on 11/15/13 at 7:24 pm to coonass27
quote:I'm not saying this is your problem but it was one of mine when both lights was blinking when your turn signal was on. It's a flasher plug in your fuze box.
I've had to put a bigger flasher plug
Posted on 11/15/13 at 7:45 pm to Nascar Fan
Well. I ran a set of jumper cables to the frame and the trailer. Lights work.so the problem is in my balls. No pun intended lol
Posted on 11/15/13 at 7:59 pm to coonass27
Found it. Crappy wiring from the plug to the trailer wiring. Ground wire was spliced and hanging on by a thread.
Posted on 11/15/13 at 8:05 pm to coonass27
quote:
Crappy wiring from the plug to the trailer wiring. Ground wire was spliced and hanging on by a thread.
Posted on 11/15/13 at 8:07 pm to Nascar Fan
Dem swah heely wimmenz starting to look better?
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