Trailer Wiring

[17lbsteelyonfly]

My Dad got a new toy!  I have tried and tried to get the lights working properly.  I can hook up everything but one brake light.  If this(R or L-doesn't matter)is hooked up, every light, including running, flashes when the running and blinker are on but the brakes are NOT DEPRESSED.  Is this a ground issue or due ineed to run individual wires for each light.  This is a Traker 17' and a 2002 Durango if this makes any difference(shouldn't)!!!!  Please help before i sink his new toy.

THANKS!

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

I would certainly start with the ground.  Sounds like it is not grounded.

[Ben]

First, did the Durango come with the trailer light hook up. If it didn't go to a parts store or dealer and get the trailer light adapter. If you're trying to wire into the vehicles wiring, I seriously doubt you will know how to do that. I takes several diodes to build a harness.

Next, as LBH stated, make sure you have the ground wire (white wire) in the trailer harness fastened to the trailer frame and it's clean bare metal under it.

From there, it's simple wiring. Brown wire is park/running lights. If I remember right, the yellow wire is left brake/turn signal lights, Green is right brake/turn signal.

The reason you need the factory style trailer light harness for the vehicle is the vehicle uses seperate lamps for turn and brake.  The boat uses the same so you have to run the vehicles separate lamps into a single wire and use blocking diodes to keep them from back feeding into each other.

[Smib]

One of the quickest ways to check if you have a bad ground is to make up a ground wire with 2 alligator clips.  Connect one wire to your truck bumper and the other to the boat trailer.  If all the lights then work, you know you have a bad ground.  I carry this ground wire with me all the time.  Older boat trailers are notorious for having ground problems.