Trailer Lights Question!

[Brantime]

I have a question on my trailer light hook ups! It is probably a ground question, just thought I would ask the experts, lol!

I have installed a new frame mount hitch and this will be the first time to pull my trailer with the setup...

When stepping on the break peddle in the tow vehicle, the tail lights go out (no break lights). Even the running lamps on the side did not work!

I drove the trailer around  just a little, and the running lamps started to work...still no breaklights when stepping on the tow vehicles break peddle!  

Any suggestions?

[NadMat]

I have a question on my trailer light hook ups! It is probably a ground question, just thought I would ask the experts, lol!

I have installed a new frame mount hitch and this will be the first time to pull my trailer with the setup...

When stepping on the break peddle in the tow vehicle, the tail lights go out (no break lights). Even the running lamps on the side did not work!

I drove the trailer around  just a little, and the running lamps started to work...still no breaklights when stepping on the tow vehicles break peddle!  

Any suggestions?

Sounds like your new hitch is not grounded to frame very well, try getting self tapping stainless steel screw and driving it through both frame and hitch after putting a little dieletric grease on it. JMAO, good luck

[dthurston]

That is EXACTLY what happened when we towed our PU home. That's the only tow we've made with it so far.

When I looked at the frame of the camper, what looks like the ground wires for the lights is screwed to the frame with a screw that is fully rusted. It is completely frozen and congealed together and there is no hope to remove the screw or separate the connectors.

I expect that I'll have to cut and re-crimp the ends and so on. Going to have to wait until after our next tow (to the first night out!). I've hit the connector with liberal amounts of WD-40 too, but we'll see.

My meter showed a good circuit from the 4-pin lead from the car, so I'm suspecting the trailer's ground wire connections in my case.

Doug

[pershingd]

Ditto on what the others have said. Sounds like you have a bad ground.

David

[sandcsantacruz]

I just had this problem last week too...

To make sure it was a ground I hooked a jumper cable to the frame of my pu and the frame of my truck.  Everything came back on.  I just found a new ground on the pu (I had 2 close to the tongue, 1 on the gas line for the water heater and 1 on the battery box frame, I picked the battery box cuz its closer) and connected there, then tapped into the ground wire in the harness.(I have a 7 pin harness, dont know if that makes a difference, I'm new to trailers too)  I also cleaned all my connections both on truck and pu side (took harness's apart and everything) with an electrical connection spray cleaner and fairly light sandpaper.

I've only towed it around town to make sure everything works, and so far that has fixed my ground problem.

Hope this helps!!
steve

[tlhdoc]

To make sure it was a ground I hooked a jumper cable to the frame of my pu and the frame of my truck.

Thanks for the tip on this easy way to check the ground.