![]() Boat trailer light wiring consists of a plug connected to the tow vehicle’s lighting circuitry, a matching trailer light connector on the trailer wiring harness, a wiring harness that runs the length of the trailer frame and a variety of lights around the trailer’s perimeter. If your trailer’s lights are on the fritz, the problem can often be traced to the wiring. Keeping your trailer’s running lights in perfect order is essential for your safety and legally required to let other drivers know your intentions. I was impressed with the workmanship and it tought me Scotch Locks have their place.Your trailer’s lights are only as good as its wiring. Once the tongue wiring was fixed back to these runs of ribbon cable everything worked fine. At each side marker location it had a little curled loop in it and the appropriate green or yellow wire was peeled of the ribbon and a Scotch Lock connected it to the side marker. I got under the wagon and discovered the wiring was the flat four wire ribbon. And, at the same time I didn't think the customer would accept paying for it. The tongue wiring and remote battery wiring were a mess full of crimps and Scotch Locks. Not a trailer, a wagon they could tow with a vehicle and also be pulled by horses in a show type setting. Years back when I was a mechanic, I had a customer come in with a horse wagon they had just purchased. But if I'm helping a buddy and he bought a kit that has Scotch Locks and that's what he wants, that's what he gets. If it's my own vehicle, I will cut and solder. I'll give another vote for tapping into factory vehicle wiring for trailer lights. Or or something you know you will redo later anyway. But, for emergency repairs they are great. Examples include truck bodies, marine, electrical switch gear. ![]() There are lots of situations where factory installs use 3M crimp connectors. They have their place if you don't have soldering skills, are doing some retro work that is already crimped, or are in a get-it-done situation (side of the road). I also use 3M crimp connectors, but I don't prefer them. Solder properly, don't over heat the joint and don't over fill it. This is the cleanest and least bulky way IMO. Even with crimp lugs, I will use uninsulated lugs, crimp, solder and heat shrink. When I build a new harness, it's solder and heat shrink. Periodic pull tests were used to verify the crimping, both hand crimp and machine crimp. Any wiring harnesses were built to typical MIL specs, all with crimp connectors - not solder. ![]() If it's super critical, I'll remove the terminal plastic shield as required, tin the wire ends, crimp and shrink fit.įWIW - I spent 20 years in manufacturing precision measuring equipment. Exception would be a larger high current type wire. Solder makes a nice connection, but I don't use solder in the race cars because vibration can cause issues unless the wire is supported at the splice. IF I had to rewire it, I would likely use solder and crimp. I re-packed the bearings last year and checked all the connections - no issues with power, stops just fine, lights all work, etc. I'm not saying there isn't better, but I'm not going to go fix what isn't broke. It stops on a dime, have to turn the brake controller waaay down or it'll yank the ass end off the truck. I'll look under the box trailer when I get time, but I'm betting it's got SLs under it too. When I use a 4x4 usually use the left for a j box, I think maybe my helper wired this old truck and added an extra box, didn't really hurt and gave a place to hook trailer wiring with ease. You can pole it with an awl, insert a wire and it will s3elf close a hole, used extension cord often makes for great pieces of fixture wire, super easy to tie up and clamp in to a box. Rolled black tubing is wonderful, super easy to push wire and often used when replacing whole looms on trucks, shove a piece from the fire wall to the bumper box. The pics above with this one were demo pics to show the various connections, my fave is simple cable connectors, they can even be reversed which I often do. It covers all the fixture studs and connections, as I said common wire nut filled with spray and when they are on truck bumpers with constant washing we simply smear a little silicone on the top and sides, even in connectors and let the bottom open with a drain, these boxes look new inside and the screws even come loose. I need some other pics, we have several of these in service.
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