Re-Wire a Stratos Trailer

[joebass000]

Any Trailer experts out there?

I would like to completely rewire my trailer. I have been dealing with an intermittent ground problem on the running lights and am opting for a complete rewire. If this is what I need.

The tail lights, break lights and turn signals are working fine because of their two wire ground. But the running lights (frame ground) come on and off depending on the bumps in the road... I have been trying everything to locate the problem... ugh!

The significant characteristic is the back-up lights... when the running lights are off (bump), the back-ups are on... when the running lights are on (a good bump) the back-ups are off and surge break function returns to normal.

I would love some help with this

[skinnywater]

I have the same problem and have considered rewiring as well.

One thing that I found, in my case, the driver's side rear brake light, was crushing one of the conductors. I replace the damaged part of the wire, and changed the ground to the frame with a tapped screw. Since I did that, I have only had them go out once. Every time they go out, mine would blow the same 5 amp fuse. I would only loose the running lights, thankfully, not the break lights. Very frustrating, you leave in the dark with working lights, and a few minutes later....... your running dark

If I ever do rewire, I'm thinking about going with LED's while I am at it.

[joebass000]

Yeah, me too on the LED's. After an exhaustive search, I believe to run the same configuration, I will have to use a complete harness on each side in order to have the ground wires and just splice one into the other at the hitch. Most of the wishbone 25' harnesses only have frame ground for the tail lights.

[Bugs]

Before you rewire, try this if your trailer has a fold-able tongue.

I have had a ground issue on my 2000 and 2006 trailer because of the fold-able tongue. Most likely the ground wire from the trailer harness is connected to the front part of the fold-able tongue. With time especially if you do not use the fold-able tongue the connection between the two tongue pieces gets rusty and you have a poor ground. The work around for this is to put a piece of ground wire between to two tongue pieces making a solid connection between the breakaway tongue and the rest of the trailer.
It drove me crazy for a while but once I added that ground wire all is well. And, it sure beat rewiring the whole trailer.

Good luck!

[Tpayneful]

Bugs is right about grounding issues with the swing away tongue. I have a 2009 trailer with road armor and a swing away tongue. Because of the road armor coating and rust, my swing away tongue is not connected "electrically" to the rest of the trailer. I figured it out when I plugged in the trailer lights and they didn't work. They worked when I attached the safety cables. I could see the spark of the cables closing and creating an electrical path. Once it warms up I will have to run a ground wire from the tongue to the trailer.

I have a LED tail light that that has an intermitten ground that is probably due to the road armor coating. Just need warmer weather so I can work on these issues!

[joebass000]

Bugs... Dude! I think you are on to something... Now I am excited. I have a 2005 201 PRO XL and I would bet you are right.

Can't wait to try it because I never fold my tongue.

Thanks and tight lines.

[Bugs]

Hey, it's worth a try! Sure beats rewiring the whole thing!

Keep us posted.