Rewiring trailer lights...

Scoob

Scoob

PR Founding Father
OK, this has me pissed. Let's just get that clear and out in the open...

The old lights were shot. Had to get new ones. I had found the exact type once before, but couldn't remember where, nor could find them, nor thought it would really matter, so I bought a a new kit at the Home Depot...

These lights were a little different in that they have no wires coming out (push in setup) and no ground wire (grounded through the bolt posts). So I had some issues and it always seemed that problems were related to bad grounding. I've done everything (direct ground, cleaned the ground connections on both trailer and Yukon) with no luck. The trailer connecter has two brown wires for the tail lights coming out of the connector with one going to each side, on with the green and one with the yellow. The old setup had a jumper wire going from one light to the other.

I have tried switching the green/brown and yellow/brown on each light, using a jumper wire instead of the additional brown, etc., etc. No luck. What I did find out is that the left light (yellow wire) will do as it should without the left light (green wire) being connected at all. If I want to connect the left light and get things to work as they should, I have to switch the green and brown wire connections between blinker and tail light test.

Now, to get what I have going on here might be tough with this little bit of jibber jabber above, but I'm getting pissed...uh, am pissed. It's an easy deal. Pretty straight forward it seems. My previous setup used connectors for the Yukon wring and this kit looked to have you directly tap into the wiring. Can these connections be different for this set of lights?

Ugh... please help. Going to call local auto electrical genious today. He may be able to assist. Just not certain of the fee at this point (yes, if you reply, I will consider it as free advice).
 
OMG Scoob.....lay off the crack dude! lol.... Your going a hundred mph!

I couldnt understand a damn thing you typed.... A diagram and a 12v test light is all you need. If the old lights worked the new ones will with the correct wiring. First you need to ensure you actually have power on all the wires like you are supposed to (hence the test light).

9 out of 10 times there are corroded wires before or at the trailer connector.

Stick to tractor driving would you ???
 
hershey said:
OMG Scoob.....lay off the crack dude! lol.... Your going a hundred mph!

I couldnt understand a damn thing you typed.... A diagram and a 12v test light is all you need. If the old lights worked the new ones will with the correct wiring. First you need to ensure you actually have power on all the wires like you are supposed to (hence the test light).

9 out of 10 times there are corroded wires before or at the trailer connector.

Stick to tractor driving would you ???
Click to expand...

Ok so I'm not the only one that didn't have a clue what was going on.

First thing I would do is verify that all your wiring is in fact good. Check that you are getting 12v at each light when you are supposed to be getting it. Check that your ground is in fact grounded (at the trailer and at the tow vehicle).
 
ha ha Funny. Never took up being a crack addict, but thinking about trying... Tractor driving is only my part time gig. It helps, but I have to wreck havoc elsewhere. Sorry to dissapoint you. ;)

The whole dealio has something to do with the tail light connection (brown wire). I know the instructions said something like "tie yellow and brown wire into vehicle..." Can't remember if it was the brake, tail, and/or turn signal wires. Thing is, I just replaced the old flat 4 wire connectors with both new ones. Using bullet connectors to the vehicle since I've done this a few times due to corrosion. Everything corroded from the 4 wires coming off the vehicle (which is using one of those nifty plug in connections between the stock vehicle connectors) is new all the way back to the lights.

The problem isn't getting it to light, just light correctly. Either I get a dim light, both lights blinking, one blinking brighter, everything out when I apply the brake, etc. Only time I could get at least the driver side light (yellow wires) to work as it should with the brake, tail, signal and any combination of them, it when I had the other light connected with the two connections as in the diagram or swapped.

It's a simple deal it seems. Maybe the connection to the Yukon is corroded and/or wrong for this set. Would it make a difference from one set of tail lights to another?
 
Yellow and green make blue...
Yellow and brown ....make baby poop looking stuff.
Yellow and red.....now that's a combo!

Lights are overrated......get the sticker kit.
 
The brown wire is the marker lights/right stopturn is green/leftstop turn is yellow...if you have any lights that are running dim i would look at the ground signal off the truck and make sure you have a good ground on the trailer lights that are mounted to the trailer... did you get a light set with a single element bulb or double element? this will make a difference on splitting the stop turn signal per side... i would run a test wire from the negative on the battery and then test your light signal wires to make sure you are getting power...ground circuits can cause lots of problems...
 
Yeah, I've done all that except the wire from the negative batery terminal. Not certain I have that, much wire... All my problems in the past have come from a bad ground, so that is where I started looking. Now I am thinking it's crossed wiring in some way as the lights may go bright or dim to both depending on if I disconnect one side of the brown wire. Right side mostly.

I dunno. Just need to take it to a local dude who would know. Just a pain to take it all down to him. May have him check the connector on the Yukon first and if it checks out, it's gotta be in the trailer which would make less sense since I just got done wiring it all new.

Thanks for trying. ;)
 
Scoop, do you have the trailer on the Yukon hitch, or just the wiring connected. If it is not on the hitch it is hard to ground some trailer. If it is on the hitch, have you moved the truck? Meaning, driving - steering? On my camper every time I hook it up I do a quick check on everything. Lights,etc. Sometimes when I first hook it up the lights are all screwy, dim, won't flash, etc. Just driving to the end of the driveway and turning BAM!!! Everything works perfect. It's just the trailer seating better, contacting the ball better. Might be worth a try.
 
You know buddy, I thought about that so I put the trailer on the hitch, but did not move it, thinking it all had to be grounded. Same result. What you say makes sense in moving it just to get some wear and scuffing going on. Well, at least as much sense as everything else I have tried. I'll try it tomorrow or over the weekend. Might have to drive big green at the cliffy to make it all spiffy for those who have something other than a tractor to ride on the track. ;)
 
Scoop, just helped a buddy with some lights on Saturday. He already started installing them but ran into some issues like you. He thought it was just a simple match wires and go deal. WRONG!! The lights he bought had your normal brown,yellow,green, and ground to themselves. The colors did NOT match the trailer. Green went to yellow, etc. If you just matched them up that may be your problem.
 
Yeah, talked to an expert yesterday. Still thinking ground, but he tipped me in the thought you had as well. I've tried switching them since I use the bullet connections, that was east to try. We're thinking bad ground on one side since the right is where I am having the most problem. There is a short somewhere. Going to take a lead off the battery run back to the right side and see where I get...uh, maybe tomorrow. Not working on it in the rain. ;)

Thanks for trying to assist. Worst case I go with it as is. I have lights at all times, just not what they are supposed to be always. ;)
 
It isn't fixed yet, but thinking I know the deal. It's the Yukon, not the trailer. Wish I would have tried that direct connection from the battery sooner.

I have a driver's side rear brake light and turn signal that do not work. Tail light OK. Changed the light bar, etc. with nothing working. Almost was going to cut off plug and install another one. Problem isn't the light. It's the ground between the right and left frame rails or something. Just am not getting a good ground to that set of lights. Raliegh said something that the two sides can get disconnected and/or not grounded to each other in older vehicles. It's a 99 an a nice light shade of rust color on the underside, so...

Not sure where to go from here, but will probably be taking it Raleigh as some point. I new I wasn't as stupid as I play on PitRacer. ;)
 
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