How To Rewire A Trailer

The plug had a broken pin and the wires were brittle and chewed up.
So, I got a new wiring harness and everything else I needed.
First, I unbolted the wiring harness ground from the tongue of the trailer.
Next, I cut the wires and pulled out each section.
The LED taillights on this trailer were recently installed, but the front marker lights were old and corroded, so I replaced those as well.
All four of the screws broke off when I removed them. I used a hammer and punch to beat out 3 of the broken screws and the fourth one had to be drilled out.
The area around the marking lights was rusty so I decided to grind it down and repaint it.
I also hit the area where the wiring harness grounds to the trailer to make sure there would be a good connection.
After cleaning the bare metal with paint thinner I sprayed it with Rust-oleum’s paint and primer in one.
I carefully routed the wire on these marking lights through the back and into the little channel so the didn’t get pinched when they were installed.
These screws are stainless steel, so they won’t rust like the last ones did.
I ordered marine grade heat shrink connectors along with a crimping tool from Amazon.
Once crimped, I used a heat gun on the connector to make it water tight.
This flexible conduit helps to protect the wires between the tongue of the trailer and where it plugs into the vehicle.
I fed the wiring harness through the channel on the tongue of the trailer.
Applying dialectic grease where the ground wire meets the frame helps make a better connection and keeps it from rusting.
I spliced into one of the brown taillight wires to get power for my front marker lights.
This multi-wire connector let’s me connect a single wire in one side and two wires into the larger side -that way the brown wire is reconnected, but I’ve also spliced in my white wire.
This crimper won’t release until it’s squeezed down all the way, so you always get the perfect crimp.
Next, I measured how much wire was needed to reach each front marker light.
I repeated the whole process one more time- this allowed me to attach two white wires to the single white wire. One for each marker light.
These trailer wiring harnesses are really simple: green for the right side turn signal, yellow for the left side, and brown for both taillights.
The colored wires coming out of the taillights correspond, so all I had to do was match them up and crimp.
These connectors have an adhesive that’s activated when heated, so not only does the tubing shrink but it glues into place.
I moved to the front to hook up the right and left marker lights.
These lights are grounded through the screws that attach them to the trailer.
I put a few cable clips under the trailer to make sure the wires don’t sag.
I hooked it up to my truck and to make sure everything was good to go. @hausplans

#build #building #howto #construction #diy #contractor #tools #trailer #connectors #rewire

[mickjones]

Not understanding some of these comments. I've seen tons of videos & this was concise & learned alot. So thx!!

[____________________________.x]

1:34 I used to work on industrial power systems. You aren't really doing that properly? Correct on the dielectric grease, but a safety earth bond connection requires a bolt+star washer+nut (or welded bolt) connection to the chassis, then the earth crimp, then a star washer + locknut. The first star washer creates the solid earth connection.
Combining this with a conduit P clip is inadvisable because it's just another fixture applying rotational vibration. Safety systems exist for a reason, they have one job, they are never combined with other systems because it always degrades safety.
Yes in this application it's not an issue, but someone watching this may go on to touch something way more hazardous, and apply the same working methods to that system while not understanding why things are done in specific ways. There are still people who solder crimp connections for example.
Congrats on actually using the correct crimp tool, almost nobody on YouTube gets that right 👍

[suhajdaj]

At 1:17 flexible conduit should have tape underneath it. otherwise sand and road grit can work its way in and act like sand paper between the wire insulation and conduit.


So you have three layers of protection to the copper stands...
Going inner to outer...
Layer 1: wire insulation
Layer 2: anti abrasion tape
Layer 3: conduit (i.e the corregated plastic tubing)
Layer 4 (optional) overlap tape

No need to redo, but that's oem automotive method.

[NotImportant]

I’m surprised you were able to complete this being all jacked up on Mountain Dew

[mattsmith]

just got done with wiring my trailer. i used Deutsch DT connectors so that the next time i have to replace a light, i just crimp the wires from the lights and reuse the Deutsch plugs.
also, disconnecting a light takes 2 seconds, and i don't need any tools to do it.

[samsen]

You have owned this trailer for a long long time and yet you haven't talked about the greatest problem of every trailer. BAD BEARING and bearing
I hope I've given enough fuel for your next series of clips that might be extremely useful to many.

[skinnerAK]

Pretty helpful video, thanks. Not sure where all these effing people come off, with their harsh and judgy critique. Much more helpful to simply say: 'I might've done that a little differently...'

[randyshaffer]

I'm working on a snowmobile trailer for my project

[WesternNyBigfoot]

I did an exact same thing and I still can't get the lights to work

[capps]

I would've run the ground back to each light. Too many times, I've hooked up and no lights due to a coroded ground. Wired my 16ft up this way, and it's been solid for a year now.

[adamr]

Ive done this many times, easy.i need help now.either plugin connected to the truck (not the one going to the truck plugin), criss crossed wires or bulbs are bad.i cant make a connection.sos

[scotttaylor]

Hey guy help me out please. My dad hired some people to remove all the leaves from his 7 acre property and they turned out to be crackheads who took half his money and bounced but they left their trailer. It’s a weirdly modified boat trailer. I really want to build a pull behind room essentially. It’s only 8 feet I think. Could you do a video explaining how I would need to construct it and where to place the reinforcements?

[treslongwell]

why does no one show how to do the front connection? How long to dangle?

[victoriglesias]

Hi, where can I get the single to double wire connector ?

[okidokidiego]

Goood morning, which trailers is the best and size(gauge) 12, 14, 10. Please left me know I did my 16 ft trailer with 7 ways and my tail lights are poor and I instal side lithos and did not work, THOSE LIGTHS I INSTAL AT BATERY AND WORK PERFECT THE CABLE SIZE I USED IS 14 gauge and I am thing to do one more time but used 12 gauge. Please any point of view.please

[unclebuck]

Ya done f*cked up big time. You should've used a seven-pin setup. That way you could've installed back up lights which are a total game changer. Since it's pretty obvious you don't know what you're doing, you better hand that project of to The New Guy so he can redo it.