Trailer wiring?

bam-bam

Ok, with all the discussion about hitches I've seen nothing about trailer light wiring. If you've done it...
Where did you tap in?
Did you use a converter box?
4-wire flat or 5-wire plug?


discuss, please

Slammedtallboy

I've always used the import wiring with built in converter box. Ran it off of my tail light looms.

Eagle Beagle

Slammedtallboy

Can i say........WHAT????

ragenasian

HA HA he posted up the wiring for the plugs over here.

BillBoard

i paid uhaul to do it... i think it was like 60 dollas... 40 for labor and 20 for wiring harness...

they did a great job...

skinny

Hey now what about break controllers? cant forget those if were going into it Its not really all that hard. there are many, many diff ways you can do it. If your stock system will hold the amps wire it straight into your lights. if not get a kit, post it up and we will guide you through your rough times

bam-bam

It ain't rough times for me, just wanted to see what others have done. As far as brakes, I don't think I'll bother. I don't think there'll be enough weight to justify it.

evol911

Eagle Beagle wrote:

Ahh..... I see! You guys were doing it all wrong!

skinny

here you go

Eagle Beagle

good global stuff for a sticky?

thnx B

: )

White&Nerdy

On my 91 FWD wagon I just tapped into the tail light wiring. I used a converter box with a 4 wire flat plug. No brakes, was only a 4x4 trailer. Best part was I could toss it into the spare tire well when I wasn't using it, out of sight, out of mind.

bam-bam

Yeah, I'm thinking that since all the wiring is inside the car, I'll have to poke a hole in the spare tire well to come out of.
Funny, the 7-wire stuff above... I'm a tractor/trailer mechanic,and that standard is ingrained. I just can't make sense of what's posted

evol911

bam-bam wrote:

Yeah, I'm thinking that since all the wiring is inside the car, I'll have to poke a hole in the spare tire well to come out of.
Funny, the 7-wire stuff above... I'm a tractor/trailer mechanic,and that standard is ingrained. I just can't make sense of what's posted

Why don't you run the wires out of the taillights, smoosh them between the body and the foam gasket of the taillight then drop them down behind the bumper cover then over to the receiver?

bam-bam

YEAH! can you still get the 1157 bulbs with leads soldered on them?

Seriously, how far forward on the car do you have to go to catch the taillight harness before it splits? Aynbody know?

evol911

I meant run the wires through there smart ass not hard wire them to you bulbs! Tryin' to put my 2 cents in.... Why don't you just hardwire it to a toggle on your dash or better yet put one of those cool red NOS buttons on your steering wheel and hit it everytime you stop and yeah, you still need to label it as your NOS button!!!

bam-bam

ha! Sorry, I thought you meant run the wires outside the body from behind the taillight lenses :oops: I used to work on some rental trucks/ trailers and that's how it was done.

noahrexion

A simple harness like this costs like $10-15 and installed in about 20 minutes for a proper clean look. I love the way mine sits and would not want a harness that sat inside the car and had to be pulled out. With some grease and a cap (like mine) your connections should stay corrosion free and not give you any trouble.

The harness for the lights runs WAY up to the drivers side but the easiest spot to tap is where I did mine behind the panel (easy access).

Slammedtallboy

Ya that's the one I've used and it's great!!

Eagle Beagle

overhere, year 2005, foglights too...

keep forgetting to take pictures...
maybe this messy helps...

bam-bam

looks good,noahrexion. I haven't seen the converter that's right at the plug, the ones i've used are 5 in 4 out with pigtails. Yours eliminates one more splice=good. I'm not a fan of the 'Scotchlok' connectors, though. I've seen way to many faults traced back to them. I kinda thought I'd be tapping in right at the taillights, just wondered if the harness split under the backseat or something.

noahrexion

bam-bam wrote:

looks good,noahrexion. I haven't seen the converter that's right at the plug, the ones i've used are 5 in 4 out with pigtails. Yours eliminates one more splice=good. I'm not a fan of the 'Scotchlok' connectors, though. I've seen way to many faults traced back to them. I kinda thought I'd be tapping in right at the taillights, just wondered if the harness split under the backseat or something.

I agree about the connectors; best thing to do when using them is to split and remove a piece of the insulation where the gate will go over that way you avoid the uncertainty of a good connection. They work good enough and it is quite easy as I'm sure you know.

Wally world, $11 connector. Do it, Do it...

bam-bam

oh, I'll "do it" soon enough. Springtime brings so many other delightful chores...spent today working on the lawnmower, burning brush, and fixing the carb on a friend's '86 Isuzu p'up. It seems there's never enough time to do what I've planned.

White&Nerdy

That's a lot more slick than my setup. I, too, spliced wires in at the tail lights (on each side), then ran them down into the spare tire well beneath the plastic trim pieces. That's where I had the converter. When I hooked up the trailer, I'd grab the trailer light wiring from the spare tire well, hook it up, and gently shut the hatch on it. Never had a problem. But yeah, not as elegant a solution, either. For my occasional use, I didn't mind.

rti intrac

noahrexion wrote:

A simple harness like this costs like $10-15 and installed in about 20 minutes for a proper clean look. I love the way mine sits and would not want a harness that sat inside the car and had to be pulled out. With some grease and a cap (like mine) your connections should stay corrosion free and not give you any trouble.

The harness for the lights runs WAY up to the drivers side but the easiest spot to tap is where I did mine behind the panel (easy access).

NEVER use those blue crimps, I work as a atuo sparky and those connectors fail so often, Yes they are cheap and easy but they dont last, Best way is to solder and heatshrink the joins no problems.

rti intrac

noahrexion wrote:

A simple harness like this costs like $10-15 and installed in about 20 minutes for a proper clean look. I love the way mine sits and would not want a harness that sat inside the car and had to be pulled out. With some grease and a cap (like mine) your connections should stay corrosion free and not give you any trouble.

The harness for the lights runs WAY up to the drivers side but the easiest spot to tap is where I did mine behind the panel (easy access).

NEVER use those blue crimps, I work as a atuo sparky and those connectors fail so often, Yes they are cheap and easy but they dont last, Best way is to solder and heatshrink the joins no problems.

fettcols

I've never wired up a converter on a honda but I've wired up many of the Hoppy converters.

I've even used them to integrate the tail lights on sportbikes. You can find them at wal*mart for under $20. Use solder and shrink tubing! Make sure you have a buddy there to hit the brakes and signals and stuff while you're back there with a meter or test light.

The Hoppy converters come with decent instructions, real DIY type instructions.

I've always been a flat four guy, my girl's camper and my bike trailer are both flat fours. So that means the truck and the van have to be as well.

oilspot

Eagle Beagle wrote:

Come on guys....
STEEKERDOOS! that explains it all.

Eagle Beagle

gna...
rub it in
: )
if you translate 1:1
plugs in-a box