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  1. #1
    Member Bill Reynolds's Avatar
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    RT188 Trailer Wiring Issue

    Last week, my trailer blew the fuse in my truck’s backup light circuit. After several diagnosis trips and blown fuses, I isolated the problem to the wiring bundle running the length of the trailer frame. There are several large washers welded along the frame that the wire bundle runs through and the bundle is zip tied to the last one near the rear fender. Much to my surprise, the wire insulation was rubbed through at this point causing the blue wire to short to the trailer frame.
    This shows the abrasion at the zip tie location, but there was wear at nearly all the other washer locations.


    I taped all the abrasion locations and created insulation sleeves from split wiring harness cover. I zip tied a sleeve in each washer providing an insulated tunnel for the wire bundle.


    I continue to be puzzled as to how this wire could wear the insulation when it Is just lying inside the big washers. One of my friends suggested that it was the wind blowing the wire around as you travel and causing the most severe wear at the single point that was fastened.
    This trailer is less than a year old and is one of the first ones produced by EZ-Loader, you may want to check your wiring bundle if you have one of these trailers.

    I try to drive as if my 16 year old Grandson is following me
    Speak as if he is listening and act as if he is watching

  2. Member tcesni's Avatar
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    #2
    Thanks for the heads up, I will check my wiring!
    2018 Ranger RT188 SC Black/115 hp Yamaha SHO 4-stroke; Garmin LVS34 - north
    2018 Ranger RT188 DC Black/115 hp Merc Pro XS 4-stroke; Garmin LVS34 - south
    14' Mirrorcraft tin boat (ancient) with a 9.9 Mercury 4-stroke, no electronics; catches fish anyway

  3. Member
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    #3
    Good job. I'm amazed they don't use grommets and the wire isn't a multi core flex, just to avoid this sort of issue. Definitely under engineered.

  4. Member Ravenr's Avatar
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    #4
    Thanks for sharing. I will be checking also!
    2018 Ranger RT188- Mercury 115 4S Pro XS

  5. Member Jeff Hahn's Avatar
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    #5
    Either the wind or vibrations while trailering made the wires rub inside the washer and wear through the insulation. Nice job on the repair!
    "The man of system is apt to be very wise in his own conceit; and is often so enamored with the supposed beauty of his own ideal plan of government that he cannot suffer the smallest deviation from any part of it…He seems to imagine that he can arrange the different members of a great society with as much ease as the hand arranges the different pieces upon a chessboard.” Adam Smith, The Theory of Moral Sentiments

  6. Member mattfish11's Avatar
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    #6
    Good heads up! I'll have to check my wiring and I'll do this upgrade, too!
    2014 Ranger RT188
    Mercury Fourstroke



  7. Member Bill Reynolds's Avatar
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    #7
    Quote Originally Posted by mattfish11 View Post
    Good heads up! I'll have to check my wiring and I'll do this upgrade, too!
    I notice that you have a 2014 RT trailer. I had a 2014 for 4 years and never had an electrical problem. I replaced it last summer with a new trailer (ordered from Ranger), which is the one with the electrical problem. I would be curious to know how the wiring bundle is routed down the inside of the trailer frame on the 2014 and if there is any abrasion where the wire passes through support points.
    What is amazing to me is that I have owned bass boats for over 50 years and have never had or heard of anyone else having this problem.

    I try to drive as if my 16 year old Grandson is following me
    Speak as if he is listening and act as if he is watching

  8. Member
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    #8
    My 15 looks just like yours with the round supports for the wiring. I just added some bluewaters and checked all the wiring and could see no wear on the insulation like yours.

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    #9
    Thanks for the tip. I'll have to check mine as soon as the snow melts around it...

  10. Member Bill Reynolds's Avatar
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    #10
    Update - I sent an email to EZ-Loader describing the wire chafing problem and the way I fixed it. Today, I saw a new Ranger 198 that had just arrived at the dealer and EZ-Loader has fixed the problem. They fixed it by running the same plastic tubing I used the full length of the trailer (inside the washers). There were several trailers on the lot that have been there for a while that have the problem so it is within the last week or so that it has been fixed.
    Thanks Ranger/EZ-Loader for fixing the problem.

    I try to drive as if my 16 year old Grandson is following me
    Speak as if he is listening and act as if he is watching

  11. Member
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    #11
    Thanks for the heads up!!