Getting Ezloader 17'-20' trailer to pass inspection

[jwharan]

I need to know the following things.<br /><br />All lights work, however, when I depress the brakes, the tail lights do not "get brighter." They just stay lit as standard tail lights.<br /><br />Any idea, what is up with the brake lights? Is it s separate bulb? Standard 4 pin connection. GND, Left Blinker, Right Blinker, and Tail!<br /><br />Also where do I locate my VIN on the trailer, can't find it anywhere.<br /><br />Lastly, I have a hell of a time, getting the "claw" to release from the ball when I want to unhitch the trailer. I have to hit the Bolt that goes through the coupler horizontal, until it slides downward far enought to loosen up the claw. Once I get it to slide, the Lever will open on top of the coupler the full way. ANy ideas where to begin in fixing this problem? Thanks

 

[tommays]

Re: Getting Ezloader 17'-20' trailer to pass inspection

http://www.easternmarine.com/em_showroom/tech_articles.html <br /><br /> http://www.easternmarine.com/em_showroom/tech_info/light_tech.html <br /><br />

<br /><br />you need to be sure your getting power out of the car plug with a test light or a test plug<br /><br />then you can trace it back to the trailer lights a bad ground connection is one of the most common problems<br /><br />tommays

 

[jwharan]

Re: Getting Ezloader 17'-20' trailer to pass inspection

Following your diagram, all lights work, but what tell the brake lights to illuminate. Both tail lights are on. Signals, work fine. Just no brake light. No difference between brake light and tail light,.

 

[craze1cars]

Re: Getting Ezloader 17'-20' trailer to pass inspection

If you're following Tommay's diagram, the yellow tells the left brake filament to illuminate, the green tells the right one to. Do you have the correct lightbulbs? Should be 2 filaments in each. One filament lights with the running lights, the other then lights up with the brake lights and/or turn signal. Test both filaments on the bulb for continuity with your meter. Are the bulbs inserted the correct way? Are connections clean and are they showing correct voltage on your meter when tested at the sockets? Do you have power coming from the appropriate plugs on the vehicle when the brake pedal is depressed (again by using meter or testlight?) Is each and every ground connection clean and solid? I'm inclined to guess you have a problem with the wiring on the vehicle, may not the trailer. Or a lightbulb problem.<br /><br />As for you coupler problem, just replace it. They're cheap and available at any auto parts store.<br /><br />VIN #'s are usually located on a plate that's riveted to the frame. If it's been repainted or anything else, the plate may be missing. Your VIN should also be written on the title for the trailer.

 

[rottenray6402]

Re: Getting Ezloader 17'-20' trailer to pass inspection

Does the tow vehicle you are using have separate lights for the turn signals? If so it could be it was wired originally (incorrectly)so the turn signals work but there would be no brake lights. It needs to run through a relay to separate the brake/turn signals.

 

[jwharan]

Re: Getting Ezloader 17'-20' trailer to pass inspection

Thanks for the posts. Here is the deal. The turn signals do work. What would make the turn signals work but not the brake lights? They should be the same filament correct?

 

[jwharan]

Re: Getting Ezloader 17'-20' trailer to pass inspection

rottenray6402, i think you are on the right track. My turn signals are seperate from the brake lights, and that could be an ussue. How do i run this relay? from where to where?

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Getting Ezloader 17'-20' trailer to pass inspection

You need a converter available from any department store that sells auto supplies.

 

[jwharan]

Re: Getting Ezloader 17'-20' trailer to pass inspection

what am I converting? can someone be more clear? A delay will do what? CAn someone be more specific about where I need to wire the delay to? Thanks.,

 

[Wreck Rider]

Re: Getting Ezloader 17'-20' trailer to pass inspection

Just for fun I'll give it a try, forgive me if I start too slow;<br /><br />4-pin trailers can receive only three signals, <br />- running lights (which are dim bulbs in both tail-light assemblies, and maybe some other marker lights, and maybe a licence illuminator),<br />- left turn / stop (which is a bright bulb in the left tail-light assembly), and<br />- right turn / stop (which is a bright bulb in the right tail-light assembly)<br /><br />Turn signals work by flashing the individual bright bulbs, stop works by turning both bright bulbs on; the point here is that the trailer directs turn signal and stop light information into the same bulb. (the dim and bright bulbs are actually only separate filaments inside the same glass bulb but that doesn't change the concept)<br /><br />Many cars aren't wired this way, they have completely separate bulbs for turn and stop. That means that the car is giving four separate signals (running, stop, left turn, right turn) but the trailer is only capable of receiving three separate signals (running, left turn/stop, right turn/stop). So, to make a 4-pin trailer light set work with some cars (like my Mazda Mystere) you need a piece of electronics that converts the cars instructructions into something the trailer can process.<br /><br />I just finished installing this converter on the Mystere. Here in Canada they're not easy to find but U-haul has them on the shelf for $20.95, they're called two-to-three wire adapters. One side has five wires you connect in the car to ground, running, left turn, right turn, stop and the other side has the standard 4-pin connector already wired to it.<br /><br />Hope this clarified rather than the opposite!

 

[Wreck Rider]

Re: Getting Ezloader 17'-20' trailer to pass inspection

Whoops, missed an important point. The symptoms you describe are to be expected if a) your tow vehicle has separate stop and turn bulbs, and b) the trailer light harness was wired incorrectly so it only contacts the turn signal wires in the tow vehicle.

 

[jwharan]

Re: Getting Ezloader 17'-20' trailer to pass inspection

Wreck: Thanks,<br />Only issue is, my truck also only has 4 wires, not 5. So assuming I had that part, how do I wire the brake signal down to the 4 to 3 adapter you are speaking of?

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Getting Ezloader 17'-20' trailer to pass inspection

If your truck indeed has separate bulbs for brake and turn signals (not one bulb with two filaments) you are not wired correctly and no amount of cross wiring will solve the problem except installation of the converter.

 

[tommays]

Re: Getting Ezloader 17'-20' trailer to pass inspection

if you tell us what truck and year i think somebody will no what you need<br /><br />tommays

 

[Speedwagon]

Re: Getting Ezloader 17'-20' trailer to pass inspection

The easiest way to tell if you have seperate stop and turn lamps, is do you have rear amber lamps? If you do, then you have seperate wiring, and you need a converter.<br /><br />If you have seperate turn and stop lamps, but everything is red back there, the turn/hazards WILL NOT light in the same spot as the stop lights.<br /><br />General info: <br />Japanese trucks tend to use seperate turn and stop lamps.<br />Most all American trucks use the same stop/turn lamps, until recent years. I know Chevy changed the Silverado(and GMC Sierra) in 1999 over to this format, though I don't recall seeing any Fords or Dodges doing this(I could be wrong, as I'm not up to speed on the newer Fords/Dodges).

 

[jwharan]

Re: Getting Ezloader 17'-20' trailer to pass inspection

I have seperate bulbs. This is not a question. They are seperate. I need a converter. I have 1998 4runner. I need to install the converter. I am looking for information on what type of converter I need and how to install it. Details. Thanks for everyone's help.

 

[douglloyd]

Re: Getting Ezloader 17'-20' trailer to pass inspection

EZ Loader Trailer Serial # placards fade over time.<br />Mine faded so badly that the DMV had to issue me a new serial # having presented the previous registration and Bill of Sale from the previous owner. In Connecticut trailers under 3000#'s do not require a title. So I had to get a temp. and go to a truck scale and get her weighed got all the lights working and they finally gave me a plate. Good Luck!

 

[Wreck Rider]

Re: Getting Ezloader 17'-20' trailer to pass inspection

Originally posted by jwharan:<br /> I have seperate bulbs. This is not a question. They are seperate. I need a converter. I have 1998 4runner. I need to install the converter. I am looking for information on what type of converter I need and how to install it. Details. Thanks for everyone's help.

The converter is called a "2-3 wire converter", or at least mine is, it will be a solid block of plastic a little bigger than a deck of cards with five wires coming out one side (nicely labelled on the body of the converter as ground, running lights, brake lights, left turn, right turn) and it will have a pre-wired four pin flat connector coming out the other side.<br /><br />The thing is wired using splices, wire nuts, or crimp connectors to tap into the existing running lights, brake, and turn signal wires at some convenient place. You won't find a ground wire so that has to be bonded to the chassis; the converter should come with a ring connector already installed on the ground wire (white wire), use a sheet metal screw to bond it to the chassis or body in a convenient place. Usually the most convenient place to reach the existing wires is in the trunk of the vehicle if its a car, not sure what's most convenient on a truck, you just have to tap into the lighting wires, maybe they're easy to access by removing one or both of the light assemblies from the back of the bed.<br /><br />

Wreck: Thanks,<br />Only issue is, my truck also only has 4 wires, not 5. So assuming I had that part, how do I wire the brake signal down to the 4 to 3 adapter you are speaking of?

If the one you're missing is ground then problem solved, that's not normally run as a separate wire, you have to bond to the frame or body. If you're talking about the four pin plug you already have installed that doesn't work right I guess it's also problem solved, you need to tap into one of the brake light lines (making sure it's the supply side, meaning the one providing positive voltage) to get the fifth wire. Then identify what your four existing wires are by using a voltage tester with the lights in different states or by trusting the colour code of the wire (I don't remember what it is but you see its in the diagram posted by tommays above), then follow the wiring description above.

 

[Wreck Rider]

Re: Getting Ezloader 17'-20' trailer to pass inspection

If you look on the Mega mall part of this site and follow "Trailer > Electrical > Adapters & Converters " you'll see a couple of examples of the converter you need. Some places (like http://www.accessconnect.com/trailer_wiring_accessories.htm) even sell vehicle specific converters that save you the trouble of cutting wires, you plug this type into the existing wiring harness of the tow vehicle.

 

[soup87]

Re: Getting Ezloader 17'-20' trailer to pass inspection

Just saw your post and was wondering if you have checked for blown fuses. I know nothing about your truck, but if it already had a four pin connector in back the wiring Is most likly done. I know that the newer Fords now have a fuse block under the hood that has fuses in it for just the trailer lights. If one of these blow your trucks lights still work. But the trailer lights don't. Just a thought.<br /><br />Steve