Hey guys,
The other day at the launch a guy noticed my left trailer light didn’t work. With further inspection, I found the turn lights also don’t work. Obviously this is a safety issue and want to get it fixed.
Wondering if:
a. Anybody knows of a place nearby they’d recommend to get this fixed (I live in Stillwater, MN)
better yet,
b. Anybody would be willing to fix it themselves. I’d be happy to pay and IDO member instead of some shop.
Pete Hoyem
This can be an easy do it yourself fix. Do you have a volt meter? Start by checking the continuity of the light bulb. If it is a sealed tail light, unhook the wires and check it there. Next, look at the ground on the light. Most of the time trailer lights are grounded to the frame. If the ground is good, grab some spare wire, place one end on the plug, and check the wire for continuity at the other end. Doing this will tell you where your problem is.
Not to toot my own horn…well yea I’m tootin’ my own horn:
https://www.in-depthoutdoors.com/community/forums/topic/articles_412603/
If you get stuck send me a PM and we’ll get this licked.
Steve
After a half hour of checking voltages I was so pissed off I just ripped everything out and started over myself. At one point I had my truck lights not working, WtF!
Wish I would’ve just restrung them right away, would’ve saved some headache. If it’s an older wire setup, I say replace, if it’s newer checking with meter you may be better off.
Agreed with Nhamm. Sometimes, it just makes more sense to do it over and do it correctly!
It could just as easily be the vehicle wiring too…
Before you go wiring the trailer.
It could just as easily be the vehicle wiring too…
Before you go wiring the trailer.
or vehicle fuse, mine has separate trailer fuses.
Thanks for the feedback! I should have added I have no such tools, and unfortunately never have done anything like this. I’d rather pay someone some $$ that have a big headache on it and try it on my own as someone who has no idea what they’re doing.
Vehicle plug ins get dirty and/or corroded- If you replace everything go with leds in addition to the extra brightness and the long life of the bulbs, thay seem to be less effected by water and maybe less fussy overall. My experience anyway-Good luck, glad you care about safety.
How big is the trailer? Do you want the wires to go through the frame or is it okay to have them on the outside? I just zip tied them to the frame, I swear you spend as much time snaking wires through rusty trailer frame as you do wiring it up, at least with my trailer. I supposed it’s potentially more vulnerable to getting ripped off or something if it’s outside of the frame though, but even if it does, all the wiring is easy to check and work on as it’s right in front of you. And before anyone says anything, yes, I know you can normally just tape the new wires to the old ones and pull them through, didn’t work in my case :(.
I just re-wired my trailer and I live in Mahtomedi so I might be able to help. I would recommend that whatever you do, make sure you wire it well. I like to solder all connections and use the shrink wrap stuff too. Make sure you stick a ground screw into the trailer frame or something reliable so the ground doesn’t suck.
I’d also make sure you buy decent trailer light kit, make sure they are submersible and the LED ones have the added benefit of light bulbs not burning out. I think I spend ~$50 on the led kit from fleet farm.
Either way, definitely check the fuses before you do anything. My trailer lights weren’t working and I soon realized that I had blown a fuse. Then I also realized the wiring was crap and needed to be fully replaced.
Logan, when we going fishing!?
Pete I would like to help you for beer money. I work in the low voltage field so it is fun for me to fix these things.
Brian 612-518-5579
hey Pete, bring the trailer over some night and we can pull new wire for it, it won’t take long.
Hey guys,
Thanks for all the replies! Onestout helped me out; he was an expert! Also found out I’ve been driving without tail lights on my jeep since who knows when. 
I really appreciate the IDO community helping another out! Can’t wait to pay it forward. Some good fishing dialogue too!
And that folks is why this is such a great site. Glad to hear it’s all working!
blown fuses under the hood is the first check. making sure the ground from the truck to the light is good. I used the trailer for a ground but found the problem is that the drawbar may be ok but where the drawbar was bolted to the frame that goes to the back was not because the bolts rusted and didnot make contact. ran a wire from the front all the way to the back and now it works fine!
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