Wiring Problem on Tilt trailer

[nicholasgoodman]

Hello, I have a jon boat trailer that tilts. It needed rewired because the guy before me who had it did not have it wired. I’ve spent hours trying to get it right, making sure the grounds are touching bare metal and good connections on everything. The lights are still dim after everything I try. I watched a YouTube video that said a ground close to the hitch wouldn’t be good for this type of trailer because it can lose connection at the tilt point. What are your alls opinions and suggestions?

 

[04fxdwgi25]

Have you checked the wiring on the vehicle pulling it? May be a crap ground on that end.

Do not expect the trailer ball to be the ground. Bad decision if someone does. The white wire ground should be good on vehicle and trailer.

 

[roscoe]

Run a separate white 16 or 18 gauge ground wire from the wiring harness at the coupler, to each light.

Do not try to use the trailer frame as a ground. Its waste of time, as you have already found out.

Spend the $10 and be done with it.

 

[tpenfield]

I would check the voltage you are seeing both at the '+' wires and the ground with the lights on. See what voltage you are getting with no lights on.

There may be a voltage drop somewhere, if the lights are dim.

 

[nicholasgoodman]

Run a separate white 16 or 18 gauge ground wire from the wiring harness at the coupler, to each light.

Do not try to use the trailer frame as a ground. Its waste of time, as you have already found out.

Spend the $10 and be done with it.

I just tried this, it helped some of my problem but not all. I now have good brake lights and turn signals on both lights. But I still don’t have running lights or the license plate light.

 

[nicholasgoodman]

Have you checked the wiring on the vehicle pulling it? May be a crap ground on that end.

Do not expect the trailer ball to be the ground. Bad decision if someone does. The white wire ground should be good on vehicle and trailer.

View attachment 388388

Yes I have, I’ve pulled other trailers and they have worked fine. This is my first tilt trailer I’ve had and it’s causing me a headache trying to get it right.

 

[Chris1956]

A tilt trailer is not different from any of the others you have pulled, at least electrically.

If your car has "Imported style" tail lights, you need a converter to convert separate brake, turn signal and running lights to work with most trailer lights. Imported cars often have separate bulb filaments for those three. They need to convert to two filaments in the trailer light bulbs.

 

[nicholasgoodman]

A tilt trailer is not different from any of the others you have pulled, at least electrically.

If your car has "Imported style" tail lights, you need a converter to convert separate brake, turn signal and running lights to work with most trailer lights. Imported cars often have separate bulb filaments for those three. They need to convert to two filaments in the trailer light bulbs.

My truck has both a 7 pin and a 4 pin connector on it. The lights on the trailer uses the 4 pin, do I need to get a 7 to a 4 and do it that way?

 

[04fxdwgi25]

Is there a "bonding wire" connecting the stationary section of frame to the tilting section? That pivot point is a poor bond.

 

[nicholasgoodman]

Is there a "bonding wire" connecting the stationary section of frame to the tilting section? That pivot point is a poor bond.

There’s not, but I ran my ground all the way back to the stationary part and that helped with the break lights, and turn signals. The running lights and the license plate light still do not work.

 

[04fxdwgi25]

If the running lights don't work, you have a problem with the wiring / plug on the brown wire. Just follow the diagram I supplied and start probing to see where the problem is.

Not unheard of for a wire to rot off inside the insulation.