Trailer Lights Wiring

[softpoint]

One of my first jobs was at a automobile electrical repair shop, around 1968. Tools were Weller soldering gun, Kester 60/40 rosin core solder, wire cutters (dikes) and a pocket knife. Along with electrical test equipment. That is still the best. The only thing I have changed is that I use shrink tubing along with Scotch33 tape now. Use wire hangers with a metal core screwed to the frame, don't use zip ties for that, they deteriorate. When you put wire ends into a plug, it is a good idea to "tin" them with solder, too. I have a good friend who runs all his trailer wiring in conduit. More work, but he NEVER has issues with his trailer wiring, even dragging them through weeds and underbrush.

[cj7zrcool]

I just rewired my trailer a couple of weeks ago. The factory wiring was a mess.

[Chad74]

Good info, BUT trailer lights are still the devil!!!!
I was having issues with my gooseneck a few weeks back turned out that I had a little rust up in the coupler. Sanded it no problems since.

[GA Bowhunter]

I hate factory trailer lights.

I rewired my car hauler about 10 years ago and it has been work flawlessly since.

I used old heavy duty extension cords(I have a pile of them left over from having a framing crew). Heavy wire and already in a "conduit".

I used a home run to each drop(lights and brakes) and ran them back to a junction box on the tongue. Ran a pig tail out from the junction box.

[tdwinklr]

how do you guys keep the wiring from sagging under the trailer and hanging up on sticks and stuff? Zip-ties weather and will break after several months.

[Gummi Bear]

how do you guys keep the wiring from sagging under the trailer and hanging up on sticks and stuff? Zip-ties weather and will break after several months.

On my 16' utility trailer, it has EMT welded under it, for wiring to run through.

On my stock trailer, it just follows the frame rail, and has some eyelets that it runs through. I use spiral loom and zip ties to hold it in place, and add some abrasion resistance.

[MainFrame8]

Agree with GA! That’s how I do my trailers. Run an extension cord from the tongue to each light. Make sure it’s a cord that has a ground, so it’s a 3 wire cord. 1 brake, 1 blinker, and 1 ground. Connect the grounds together at the tongue where your pigtail plugs in. This way your ground is not running through the trailer and shouldn’t ever fail. Connect the brake light wires together and the other two to the yellow and green.

[mudmauler]

I tell my buddy(whose an engineer) every time we’re on a drift that we need to make and sell a bulletproof trailer wiring set for bay boat trailers and we would be filthy rich!

Love those solder shrink connectors also!


“Fools multiply when wise men are silent” -Nelson Mandela

[cva34]

Quality of wire/insulation is a major factor...Some I have used /run into/purchased...when exposed to sun/salt/water/ozone copper wire turns black and brittle and hard to solder/and some the Insulation just crumbles and falls off...creating shorts..

I not goin into brands or stores, but most Kits that include them Blue connectors (pictured) mentioned in first post have that crappy wire...

[COONHOOD]

I have a question that you guys on here might be able to help with.
I have a road feeder trailer with a 12v spinner , I want to wire it through the trailer plug and have a switch in the cab to turn the spinner on and off as im driving. I dont have any lights on the trailer so My thought was to tie the spinner into one of the blinkers so my"switch" would be simply using the blinker to control the spinner. However, I guess the blinker is also tied to the brakes so doing that would kick the spinner on everytime I pressed the breaks. What do you guys think is the best way to wire this and have a convenient switch in the cab? can iI do this with flat 5 or do I need a 7 with aux?

[Welding Teach]

I have a question that you guys on here might be able to help with.
I have a road feeder trailer with a 12v spinner , I want to wire it through the trailer plug and have a switch in the cab to turn the spinner on and off as im driving. I dont have any lights on the trailer so My thought was to tie the spinner into one of the blinkers so my"switch" would be simply using the blinker to control the spinner. However, I guess the blinker is also tied to the brakes so doing that would kick the spinner on everytime I pressed the breaks. What do you guys think is the best way to wire this and have a convenient switch in the cab? can iI do this with flat 5 or do I need a 7 with aux?

Do you have trailer brake controller in your truck?
If you do wire the feeder to your brakes with a 7 pin trailer plug, simply pull the handle to activate the feeder.

[Joe H]

Need to have a switch loop. Can run in your running light circut but just as easy to run a wire just for this.

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[Richard S.]

Tagged.... Good info.

[powderburner]

I have a pipe frame trailer. I drilled a hole in the pipe and ran the wires in the pipe.

[COONHOOD]

Do you have trailer brake controller in your truck?
If you do wire the feeder to your brakes with a 7 pin trailer plug, simply pull the handle to activate the feeder.

I like this but will be pulling from a few different trucks . not all of which have the brake control.


I did decide what Im going to do though.
I will run the motor to a remote control switch and the switch to the aux of a 7 plug. Simple enough.... so long as we dont lose the remote!

Thanks for the input