New Ranger Trailer Wiring Gremlins

[CBuckBassin]

All:

When I drive my trailer lights will flicker on and off which leads me to believe I would have a bad ground somewhere between the truck and trailer. I took my truck in to an RV center who tested the plug on my truck and said that everything was working normally. My hitch and ball are not corroded, however it seems to be grounding through the hitch ball which would explain the poor connection when driving and going over bumps. All connections I can find on the trailer are solid for the ground wires. I'll take it in as it should be under warranty considering it is a 1 year old trailer, however this is getting very frustrating to say the least. When it happens it prevents me from backing up as it locks my surge brakes. Any help here is appreciated.

Thanks,
Cameron

[gatorglenn]

All:

When I drive my trailer lights will flicker on and off which leads me to believe I would have a bad ground somewhere between the truck and trailer. I took my truck in to an RV center who tested the plug on my truck and said that everything was working normally. My hitch and ball are not corroded, however it seems to be grounding through the hitch ball which would explain the poor connection when driving and going over bumps. All connections I can find on the trailer are solid for the ground wires. I'll take it in as it should be under warranty considering it is a 1 year old trailer, however this is getting very frustrating to say the least. When it happens it prevents me from backing up as it locks my surge brakes. Any help here is appreciated.

Thanks,
Cameron

It does sound like a ground. And since your surge brakes are not working. I would guess to start with the the ground that’s coming off the actuator. Should just be a white wire with a screw in the bottom of the tongue.

[billwvu05]

I clean all the ground connections on my trailer each winter with a wire brush and put everything back together with some dielectric grease to make sure I have a nice clean connection. I'm no expert in this but I have not ran into any issues with the trailer lights thus far in 4 years. Strange its happening on a new trailer, I would take it in to the dealer.

[eriedude]

I had to change the ground on my Ranger trailer when it was brand new. I ran a longer wire to the fender bolt and its worked great ever since.

[Bill Reynolds]

This thread may shed some light on the problem.
http://www.bbcboards.net/showthread....618&highlight=
In light of the problem I presented, consider this scenario:
The ground wire (white) is on one outside edge of the wiring harness making it the most likely wire to be worn or pinched. Rubbing through the insulation on the ground wire Thereby allowing the bare wire to contact the trailer frame should not be a problem since the trailer frame is grounded, but if it were to rub through and break the wire, it may cause the problem you describe. If this is the problem, it will occur at the last washer on the trailer frame where the wiring harness is zip tied.

[Bill Reynolds]

This is another example of the wear on the wire bundle where it passes through the frame washers. The brown color is The last layer of insulation before the wire is exposed. This wear occurred in one of the forward washers that was not zip tied and the trailer is less than a year old.

[javjoe]

I've been having this happen myself lately. If i wiggle the plug connected to the truck the lights go on and off. Thought it might be the plug so i replaced it and still does it.

I'm thinking the female plug on the truck is the culprit, doesn't lock the plug in tight enough?

[tcesni]

This is another example of the wear on the wire bundle where it passes through the frame washers. The brown color is The last layer of insulation before the wire is exposed. This wear occurred in one of the forward washers that was not zip tied and the trailer is less than a year old.

I'll be darned if I didn't go take a look at my wiring today and it shows wear on the insulation at about half the possible rub points. Another project!! And I don't trailer my boat but a couple of times each year (about 700 miles round trip each time).

[Bill Reynolds]

I'll be darned if I didn't go take a look at my wiring today and it shows wear on the insulation at about half the possible rub points. Another project!! And I don't trailer my boat but a couple of times each year (about 700 miles round trip each time).

I think the wear results from the fact that they zip tie the wire bundle at the back washer. When traveling, the wind blows the wire bundle around in the washers, and since it is attached at the back, it whips around. Also this whipping action causes accelerated wear at the washer where it is zip tied. This is where my backup light wire (blue wire on outside of bundle), wore through the insulation and shorted against the frame. I had a 2014 trailer for nearly 5 years that did not develop this problem, I think it started when Ranger contracted the RT188 and RT178 trailers to EZ-Loader.
I am not bashing EZ-Loader, they made some design changes that improved the strength and functionality of the trailer that I appreciate. Who would have thought that zip tying the wiring bundle at the back, would cause a problem? Of course, I could be wrong about what is causing the wear.