Flickering trailer lights fix

[Cfrench085]

I’ve had an issue for the last little bit with flickering and occasionally and randomly not working trailer lights. Lights would go off and on with large bumps on the interstate. Usually the white Phoenix lights on the side which I think are the same circuit as the tail light.
Start hunting bad connection. Truck is fine. Plug is fine. Connection in break away tongue is fine. Wiggle tongue, works/flickers. Look for another connection. There is none. Look to ground wire. Clean it well. Same issue. Wiggle tongue... work/doesn’t/flickers. Figure ground is getting to tongue but losing connection at the break away tongue without a good constant connection. Test with wire from tongue ground to marker light ground on front of trailer. Success.
Run a ground wire through the tongue breakaway tube to the port side front marker light screw if you have any flickering trailer light issues.

[Tom Edwards]

Ya, the hinge gets rusty and a new ground has to be wired.

[Sam378]

Check your truck, my Chevy over the years sometime the plug don’t make a tight fit where it goes into the truck and this is the result might have to tighten it

[DMart1]

Your trailer wiring is fine, its the trailer ground to the ball. Get a ball sander and clean out the underside of the trailer hitch. Easy fix.

[g8rh8r]

I tried these same things but wound up drilling a new ground connection spot and they have worked since with out any problem.

[CatFan]

Your trailer wiring is fine, its the trailer ground to the ball. Get a ball sander and clean out the underside of the trailer hitch. Easy fix.

A million times no. The ball has nothing to do with trailer lights. If it does, it is 100% an indication that wiring is bad.

[DMart1]

A million times no. The ball has nothing to do with trailer lights. If it does, it is 100% an indication that wiring is bad.

Hmm well, I had this exact issue on an older Champion and once the inside of the hitch (that rests on the ball) was cleaned out, it took care of the issue. Never a lighting problem or flicker again.

Maybe since the old ground was shot it was reliant on the ball/hitch for the ground (?).

[CatFan]

Hmm well, I had this exact issue on an older Champion and once the inside of the hitch (that rests on the ball) was cleaned out, it took care of the issue. Never a lighting problem or flicker again.

Maybe since the old ground was shot it was reliant on the ball/hitch for the ground (?).

If the wiring is bad, it will get a poor ground through the hitch and you get dim lights and flickering. It will never be reliable without a good wired ground.

[Tom Edwards]

you should be able to plug in the connection and the lights should work WITHOUT THE TRAILER HITCHED TO THE TOW VEHICLE. If the lights don't work unless the trailer is hitched, check the ground.

[Cfrench085]

you should be able to plug in the connection and the lights should work WITHOUT THE TRAILER HITCHED TO THE TOW VEHICLE. If the lights don't work unless the trailer is hitched, check the ground.

No ball required

[Cfrench085]

Check your truck, my Chevy over the years sometime the plug don’t make a tight fit where it goes into the truck and this is the result might have to tighten it

Tried that first and bent blades a little tighter. Same on second truck.