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Post by Bob Jameson on Dec 31, 2006 8:10:46 GMT -6
I truly do not look forward to trouble shooting with this wiring all the time. They work then they dont. Hit a bump and they work fine then they go out. Stop for gas and get going again they go off. I try to be careful with too much off road travel but we all know how it goes at times.I check the leads the ground etc then like robert w says it turns out to be something else many times. I dont know how many times I have messed with lites over the years.  I am willing to pay good money or a nice lure/bait grubstake to have this taken care of today or tomorrow so if there are any good electricians with patience come on down. LOL . I too dread going through St Louis with no lites that is an almost guaranteed rear end situation. I always seem to hit it after dark also. |
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Post by fishadict on Dec 31, 2006 8:31:00 GMT -6
Welcome to the wonderful world of trailer lights. When it gets to your point, replace with new wiring. I have seen some that run their wiring over the top of the trailer and clamp lights to transom of the boat or tail gate of the open trailer. Then everything is visible and you do not need to thread wires through the frame. Good luck.
fa
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Post by thebeav2 on Dec 31, 2006 8:32:18 GMT -6
It has to be a grounding problem from your trailer to your truck.
Does your tuck have a factory Installed wiring harness? Or did you cobble It up LOL
Does the wiring harness from your trailer have the white wire directly grounded to the trailer?
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Post by Bob Jameson on Dec 31, 2006 8:37:52 GMT -6
Beav, the truck is a factory install trailor plug. Thats a good thing. I am not getting a current on the left side of the trailor. The right side is working. The trailor that is a cobble up job  . But has been working fine just until I was doing a once over to get ready for this road trip things went downhill it seems. I am going to wax some traps first and then start on this wiring deal. Just running out of patience with it as it is taking too much time that could and needs to be devoted to other tasks. |
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Post by Velgang on Dec 31, 2006 8:39:07 GMT -6
Bob, I run into this a lot at work and even at home. From your post I take it you are talking about just the parking lights. If its all your lights (turn signals, brake lights and parking lights then it is for sure a ground problem.) If it is a ground problem here is a simple fix that will get you there and back. Get a length of wire about 3 or 4 feet long. Stop to a auto parts store and pick up 2 good sized aligator clips. Clip one end to a good ground on your trailer and one to the bumper or frame of your truck. That way if your ground on your plug fails when you hit a bump you still have the extra ground wire.
If the problem is only with the turn signals or brake lights then you have a bad connection on those circuts. 99% of the time dirty connections are at fault. A small wire brush, emery cloth or something of the like will take care of the problem.
Once all your connections are clean wipe a small amount of dielectric grease on your plugs/connections to help keep them clean and free of corrosion.
I would be glad to stop on down and help you out if it wasnt so far away.
Joe
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Post by SteveCraig on Dec 31, 2006 8:44:16 GMT -6
Bob,
Go to Wally World and get a new wiring harness. A huge time saver for sure. I also agree that it is a ground problem or a short of some kind. I finally quit dealing with the headache and just put on the new wiring. Took all of an hour to do and no problems since.
Steve
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Post by Danny Clifton on Dec 31, 2006 8:54:46 GMT -6
Bob think I gave you my phone number. Exit 170 on I35. Come by. I'll fix yer trailer. Dont forget the the lure and bait lol.
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Post by bobwendt on Dec 31, 2006 9:02:29 GMT -6
bob j. what velgang and steve said. I consistantly have problems with left side only, turn or break but running lihts ok. I finally figured the male plug from trailor to the female plug in the truck is sloppy. if it wobbled with a bump the lights wouldn`t work. I finally roped, wired, bungeed, whatever you want to call it the sob in tight and no problems. I`ve fought lights my whole life like everyone else. I`d GLADLY pay 4 grand for a 3 grand trailerwith no light issures. the sob`s are mostly made in some foreign country like arkansas or alabama where they use 2 cent materials to save a buck. I swear I could buy better lighted trailors from china or korea and would if I could. so much for u.s. made quality. it`s all cheap chit and very frustrating. fwiw, it`s still raning out there, near disaster conditions, in fact it is a disaster. so no rush to get going. going to take a week minimum just to tyravel the dirt roads ( all roads) out there. the sand roads no sweat, but you need to driver the red clay to get to the sand and it won`t work. even if you have a tank , the tank will just sink out of sight ot slide off onto it`s side. i.e. chill out, take ma out for new years eve ,as the wendt curse has done wooped kansas good.
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Post by Steve Gappa on Dec 31, 2006 9:12:20 GMT -6
When riding the Naaaawton... we had a saying "Lucas, Prince of Darkness" because Lucas was the company that made the lighting components...
Trailers seem to be the same way. Seems like theres a few times when it's magical, and everything works like it should...but more times than not, something is always funky.
One time, a buddy and I were setting up a new trailer to run to Sturgis. We had everything new- and we wired it up right- soldering, not tape, etc. We even got fancy and added running lights like a big rig. We spent several nights doing this, and when finished we tested it several times and always worked fine.
We left that night, and honest to God we got 2 blocks from their house, and no lights. Road side screwing around got the running lights working and brakes...no turn but screw it good enough.....
seems like those words are used a lot in trailer lights....screw it, good enough....
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Post by thebeav2 on Dec 31, 2006 9:27:31 GMT -6
Spray some WD40 on all your connections It helps.
My lights worked yesterday when i checked them but who knows what will happen when I leave on Tuesday. It's in the hands of the trailer Gods. LOL
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Post by bobwendt on Dec 31, 2006 9:37:18 GMT -6
I ran 1550 miler back from wyoming once with 250 head of live foxes and ZERO lights and drove her straght thru all night. the truckers all blinked like they thought I really didn`t know, lol. I just kept the peddle to the metal and let her roll. never had a cop or way station stop me. I guess they figure the same, what the hey.
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Post by Bob Jameson on Dec 31, 2006 9:53:34 GMT -6
I been down this road so many times before like alot of us have. I am with bob w.I would pay generously to get a rig that was problem free with the lighting not even an issue with the money. Its obvious we all have traveled this road with respects to the lites on and off. I swear for something as aggrivating as this can I would rather be sprayed by a skunk every day the rest of my life. Of course I smell like I have anyways most of the time. ;D I will try some things mentioned and if it doesnt work I am with steve on this.Screw it , its good enough. And let her roll and act like its all ok.Thats the spirit. |
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Post by trapperjoemo on Dec 31, 2006 18:37:36 GMT -6
Bob W. mentioned rolling home without trailer lights... I`m surprised you made it thru Missouri !
I`m no world travler, but I`ve been to both coasts and several states around Missouri. I swear I`ll see more COPS in a trip 1/2 way across Mo. than I do on the entire trip outside this state. No kidding!! I will see more Highway Patrols here in a 3-4 hour road trip than I would if traveling for 3-4 WEEKS elsewhere ! So, watch out.
Bob J. how are the lights working now? Fixed right, or screw it?
You can easily check those wires by grounding good, and using a test light or just a hot wire from a "proven" plug on the truck. Just touch the hot wire to the trailer light harness and see if something comes on.
Loose connecting plug and/or bad ground sounds right to me. Keep in mind that your brake light bulb is also your turn signal light. Also if a standard 4 wire harness, green is right side turn and stop, yellow is left side turn and stop, brown is tail lights, and white is the ground, which usually grounds-out right on the trailer tongue. Make sure your light fixtures are properly grounded too.
As I said in another post,,, it`s the ground more often than not.
Joe
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Post by Bob Jameson on Jan 1, 2007 8:23:48 GMT -6
I will be coming through on I-70 yes. I am monitoring the weather today as I was planning on leaving early tomorrow morning around 5-6 am. If it still looks bad out in my area I may postpone a day or so. Yes I believe I run past the Terre Haute area on the way through I saw the sign. My trailor was a flat bed but I built 4' sides and enclosed it with a tailgate to haul my 4 wheeler and freezer etc.
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Post by mkborders on Jan 1, 2007 14:31:28 GMT -6
Well as long as we're telling stories,, I got ya all beat!
Back when I was in the Guard and we still had jeeps, we had one that would for no apparent reason lose all electrical power. Lights, engine spark, radios, everything.
Always happened while we were moving. The problem could only be corrected by hiting the turn signal.
Had to be careful though as fumes would build up in the tail pipe and muffler and when we hit the signal there would be a tremendous blast from the tail pipe!
Had a great time going down I-65 in Louisville with it.
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Post by Bob Jameson on Jan 1, 2007 15:50:12 GMT -6
whoopee fellas I got trailor lites . ;D had the boy and my son in law come over and we analyzed the situation. It boiled down to two blown fuses. One under the hood and one under the dash. Geesh. This is a new truck now. I think Freak jinxed me when I went to visit. LOL Thank you all for the tips and trouble shooting ideas. |
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Post by trapperjoemo on Jan 1, 2007 23:47:11 GMT -6
Glad you found "that" problem... but, if it was me I would "need" to know what caused the fuses to blow!! Then maybe I could drive in peace, and sleep better at night!! Good luck, and carry a few extra fuses, for WHEN they blow again.
Happy trapping.
Joe
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