Trailer Light Problems

[Guest]

My lights went out on the old Ranger trailer.

I tested the truck, it works fine.

The boat worked last time I had it out in February.

So, I replaced the lights, pulled new wire & spliced on a new wiring harness.

then, pulled the ground screw & sanded off the rust.

Nothing.....

After 4hrs of work & $50 in material, no stinking lights.

[fishinwrench]

Clean off the area where the lights bolt to the trailer. You've lost your ground to the bulb terminals.

[Guest]

wrench, I took a wire brush to the terminal, ball & trailer hitch.

nothing

[Guest]

you mean, on the back of the trailer?

that might be the problem

[Jerry Rapp]

rusty hitch ball? buff it some. WD 40 on it, then hook it up. The voice of Semi experience.

[fishinwrench]

you mean, on the back of the trailer?

that might be the problem

Yes. Usually (2) 1/4x20 studs per light box, that is what grounds the bulb sockets

I'm assuming that you have a white ground wire from truck to trailer frame and that you are NOT relying on the hitch ball for a ground as Jerry said.

If you are then fix it, as that's no good.

[Guest]

The lights are oval & slip in with a black rubber gasket.

There's a white ground wire from the light to the trailer in the back on each side.

I will brush them off.

The front has a separate ground on the frame.

Where it's a got a metal clip with a threaded hole that the ground screw goes into.

[Guest]

The front ground screw.

Tail lights & grounding screw which is a rivet, so I couldn't change it out.

The front screw is pretty rusted so it might need a new screw

[jdmidwest]

I really wish someone would come up with a bulletproof way to rig lights on a trailer. Seems like every year or so, I am rewiring my trailer lights, or plugs that have corroded, or something. No matter what you do, it is always something.

I always run the ground wire to the trailer and never rely on the hitch to ground the trailer. I even wire the ground to the bulb sockets to make sure. I have switched to led's on two of my trailers and have done away with the bulb problems, it has been a good investment.

I solder wire connections, use shrink wrap insulation, and the best electrical tape I can buy, but I still have problems from time to time. The little 4 wire flat connectors usually are replaced every few years as they corrode or wiggle loose in the connection.

There must be a better way.

[fishinwrench]

Yep, trailer lights and bow/stern boat running lights are both inherently dam'ned. Its in the bible.

Something about a talking jumper wire.