Thankyou retired Master GM tech. Because I mainly did brakes, steering, suspension, and anything else they could throw at me, trailer wiring I was the go to person. I hated it because of the scotch locks, poor grounds, connectors full of mud and corrosion. Most of the time I did the same as you, throw it all out and rewire. Many of the new vehicles use the LED lights which are fine, but the circuits will not allow the extra load of a trailer. If you have done a video on this problem, great. I installed an "isolation module" which put no load on vehicle circuits. Fixing the wiring on a farm truck with trailer brakes was no fun. Great Job. Don
30 yrs ago I built a trailer. Soldered, liquid taped, heat shrunk ALL connections and ran an actual ground wire from every light to the plug. I have never had any issues other than the occasional burnt out bulb.
bro, your comedic sarcasm is priceless. For that reason alone I subscribed. Thanks for the entertainment. Look forward to watching more of your content.
3M Scotchkote FD coating is designed for underground burial electrical splices . It’s expensive but works well ! I do use heat shrink connectors but always place another heat shrink tube over it . The shrink tube with adhesive !
I appreciate your work and speaking about trailers wiring connections. Been working on trailers for over 60 years. Butt connectors, wire nuts what ever you choose all fail in the salt water environments. Hauling up and down highways on salt covered roads the only thing that defeats salt corrosion in your connections is soldering the joints and heat shrink. Good lock to you.
About to refloor my trailer for the second time and redo the wiring while there this round and thought why not use the crimp connectors on it, to me that seems to be better
I prefer solder and heat shrink! Guaranteed good connection unless a wire breaks. For a quick and temporary fix I may use a butt connector or wire nut just to get by till I’m able to fix it right. I also only work oh my own trailers. Occasionally someone else’s but when that’s the case solder 100%.
Actually, a quality environmental butt connector is better than solder. Vibration can cause solder joints to crack. It's why whenever we splice wire on an aircraft, it's a butt connector. Repairing an internal component like a stereo? Solder all day....
Soldering the joint essentially turns the stranded wire into a solid wire and it will fail from vibrations. That's why any connections in aircraft are forbidden to be soldered...unless they are properly supported and vibration isolated. I will use a butt crimp connector that I FILL WITH DIELECTRIC GREASE before I insert the wire, crimped and then covered with a silicone grease-filled heat shrink. Use this method for the off-road vehicle and never a single problem or failure.
can you do a video on rewiring a stock trailer? Or how do you connect the running lights on the top side of the trailer? I have wire running from front to rear, but how do you connect to a T intersection.
I prefer to use uninsulated connectors and separate glue lined shrink tube. You get a better crimp that way and can inspect it better before covering with shrink tube. It might take just a little more time and you have to remember to install the shrink tube before crimping, but makes a nicer splice that is more reliable and more compact generally than the insulated butt connectors.
Just curious have you tried those self solder wire connectors that heat shrink and solder with heat? I tried them a couple years ago on a lightbar and so far so good. But it maybe luck or the fact I went over them with dielectric grease and heat shrink to make sure they were water tight.
Phoenix Aridzona has the record temps most of the times., not the humidity. They got these magnet type wire holders. I epoxy them into place. Then a small zip tie holds the wire in place, They run about a buck each with the epoxy, installs in less then one minute.
Phoenix temps are no joke! We have 3M adhesive back that holds up most of the time, but we usually end up using high quality silicone as an added insurance on them. Thanks for watching!
Scotch Locks are a mistake you only make once. Made that mistake putting LEDs in my tailights on my pickup. Ended up going to LED lamps with integrated resistors after fixing what the scotch locks ruined. You'd be surprised how many folks just mash down crimp-on butt connectors with regular pliers. I've had to fix so many LE upfits because the original installer didn't have the proper crimping pliers.
If you are going to use butt splice connectors, it's a good practice to apply a test tug on the connection after the crimp. The extra second it takes to perform this task will save you a fortune not having to feed the swear jar later.
My 67 Shelby came with those blue clips adding the high bems onto the Mustang wiring harness 😢 At about 60.the wind coming thru the grill would turn off your headlights 😢
Today’s forecast on beautiful Whidbey Island, Washington is cloudy this morning becoming mostly sunny, high near 66, afternoon winds SE at 6 mph. Come and see!
Ground side is the number 1 screw up, I find. Some think you ground thru the hitch ball. Best way to test wiring is to ONLY connect the umbilical and trailer is isolated from the vehicle. I prefer non-insulated connectors and terminals and use shrink wrap. You get a better look at your work that way. Most people are poor at crimping and don't use the correct tooling. If you can pull it apart, it ain't right. Can't leave out the twist and tape guys, right?
Couldn’t agree more. However, believe it or not, we have a manufacturer that has been twisting & taping since the 60s and we have the least amount of wiring issues with that manufacturer. But they do it very. I personally don’t prefer it, though. Thanks for the comment and for watching!
Personally I run everything in 1/2" EMT, solder and shrink all connections. Yes it's more labor intensive but pays off in the long run. Solder and shrink only for all brake connections. Tape pro tip. The back wrap trick. First wrap of tape sticky side up. When you get to the other end of your connection spin the tape 180 deg. Wrap back over that connection overlapping the first wrap on both ends. You should have sticky side of the first layer to sticky side of second layer of tape. This way when you cut off the tape it doesn't leave that sticky residue on the wires and it seals just as well. If you just need to hold a wire in place. A quarter size dab of silicone. Push the wire into the silicone and tape on either side. Let dry and now your wire is out of the way. And its completely removeable from both wire and frame. Usually handy for marker light wiring.
Triple thumbs up on that process. the road salts they use on the roads in KommieRado goes right through tape and crimp on connections. Have you used any harness tape? It has no adhesive and sticks to itself and not the wires allowing you to bend the bundle however you need it. Another good conduit is pex tubing..
I would say that the majority of manufacturers don't use wire loom or grommets. We use grommets, wire loom, and we solder upon customer request. This also depends on the customer's budget, as well. Thanks for watching!
I do I ordered the grommets in a kit various sizes. I worked aircraft for years, and the grommets were used for electrical, and hydraulic lines. That or what they call chicken track epoxied into place,
I would add that it is best to just not use guillotine style Scotchlocks or 3m connectors period (even the Chinese have a version!). The guillotine is pot metal and will rust breaking the circuitry in short order. For road work I would highly recommend marine crimps with sealant included in the fitting and heat shrink as well, or cold solder splices if you don't want to go old school and solder/heat shrink your own. Electrical tape (you can get underground rated which is much better but more expensive) is a pain as it rarely stays unless it is put on properly while heat shrink is pretty foolproof. Heatshrink with good wall thickness and included sealant is the best. The crimps should be done with proper crimp tools so they are not over or under crimped. Same with wire strippers especially down on the small sizes of stranded conductors. The newer style lever locks and push to connects that are approved for stranded wire might be an option if fully coated in a good electrical silicone sealer. The good ones have a stainless metal clamp inside of them. Conductors should be marine grade with solder coatings on them to prevent the dreaded 'green' corrosion from road salts and moisture which will wick up the insulation eventually eating through copper or aluminum conductors without the coating. Done right it should last for decades and not fail in critical situations.
I live in central New York, it is a marine environment. Say wahhhhtt, you're 200 miles from the ocean!!! Well, when they put down one million tons of salt every winter on the roads, it is a marine environment. That said, go Harbor Freight and buy the heat shrink butt splices SKU: 66729 AND SUPER LUBE 3 Oz Synthetic Grease SKU: 93744. After the wire is stripped 'dunk' the wire into the tube of grease 3/4", insert into the splice, crimp properly then shrink the tubing to seal. These connection Never Fail due to corrosion. There should be a bit of grease that comes out the end upon completion. A yellow splice will accommodate 2 -14ga wires.
Where's your split loom or tech flex to protect the wiring? You can also zip tie the wires to the framing cause stapling it to the floor is a hack. Lastly electrical tape is for buildings. They use tesa tape in the automotive environment.
If you must use electrical tape ANYWHERE on a car, truck, or trailer, use the self-bonding silicone type. Once it is on, it's waterproof until you take it off. Also, when you do remove it, there is no adhesive residue to worry about. The vinyl tape is a useless as a screen door on a submarine.
There isn't any electrical reason to run two wires to the brakes. Run a single 12ga wire, then extend the other wire from the magnet. Put a marine grade eyelet on the wire and just bolt it to the frame. It's best to use the two wire system on a trailer with a bolt together frame. One wire system reduces the length of the wire by half.
Trailer brakes will connect to the brake wire in your 7 wire harness. Which is a blue wire. Other brake wire is your ground wire. A junction box makes wiring alot easier. Brown wire is your running lights.
As a trailer wire enthusiast, i always soldier and heat shrink every connection !! It's a pain in the butt to use such tactics, but it is even more a pain to be pulling a trailer at night to have been pulled over by the local police and getting a ticket scotch locks are the #1 cause of wiring problems and in my opinion need to be banned for use in trailer wire lighting
the wiring on that trailer makes me wonder if any of the lights works. Bottom line; I solder and do not not use butt connectors. If butt connectors work for you, then great, use them
Great point! If you are able to get a few years out of them, you’re doing better than me. That’s why I advise AGAINST using Scotch Locks. Thanks for watching!
Cheap electrical tape is a big no for us, but I always recommend that people buy what they can reasonably afford. Quality is always better, but something is better than nothing in most cases. We don't usually find the need to use a lot of electrical tape, but when we do, as seen in this video, we use 3M 1776, made in the USA.
I had to give you a thumbs down, the reason why that if you have the trailer exposed, then tack weld conduit and run wires through it. Clips are just as bad as scotch locks.
Appreciate the thumbs down. We will always do what our customers ask us to do and what their budgets allow, which is what we did on this trailer. If you have the budget to run conduit on your unit, more power to you. Unfortunately, labor & parts costs for that would be cost prohibitive for many people. If this were your trailer & your budget we would have run the conduit for you.
You are on target! And use butt connectors crimping them with the proper crimping tool and then use heat shrink tubing with dia electric grease inside the connections. Scotch locks are guarantee troublemakers down the road.
Thanks for including links to the tools you used. Really appreciate people who post such informative videos on TH-cam.
Thankyou retired Master GM tech. Because I mainly did brakes, steering, suspension, and anything else they could throw at me, trailer wiring I was the go to person. I hated it because of the scotch locks, poor grounds, connectors full of mud and corrosion. Most of the time I did the same as you, throw it all out and rewire. Many of the new vehicles use the LED lights which are fine, but the circuits will not allow the extra load of a trailer. If you have done a video on this problem, great. I installed an "isolation module" which put no load on vehicle circuits. Fixing the wiring on a farm truck with trailer brakes was no fun. Great Job. Don
Have not done a video on that, yet. Thanks for watching!
I built a car trailer in 1997 used soder butt connecters. Never had one problem.
30 yrs ago I built a trailer. Soldered, liquid taped, heat shrunk ALL connections and ran an actual ground wire from every light to the plug. I have never had any issues other than the occasional burnt out bulb.
bro, your comedic sarcasm is priceless. For that reason alone I subscribed. Thanks for the entertainment. Look forward to watching more of your content.
Thanks for the sub! And thanks for watching!
3M Scotchkote FD coating is designed for underground burial electrical splices . It’s expensive but works well ! I do use heat shrink connectors but always place another heat shrink tube over it . The shrink tube with adhesive !
Your mockery is awesome, sir! Every word was EARNED
I soldered my boat trailer connections and sealed them with heat shrink. No more stopping along the road to fix the lights!
I appreciate your work and speaking about trailers wiring connections. Been working on trailers for over 60 years. Butt connectors, wire nuts what ever you choose all fail in the salt water environments. Hauling up and down highways on salt covered roads the only thing that defeats salt corrosion in your connections is soldering the joints and heat shrink. Good lock to you.
I used butt connectors and I checked my lug nuts!👍
Yeah, buddy! That’ll do!
oh boy, I'll have to check my trailer brake wiring tomorrow.
Who doesn"t love trailer wiring? Lol. Great job sir...
Nice work! I also avoid using electrical tape when possible… west Texas gets so hot it ends up melting 🤦🏻♂️
I have used them connecters twice in 50 yrs. Once before I knew better and once hooking back up lamps on a yard only snowplow.
@1:24 cold front ??? Lmao 105 dang 😂😂😂😂😂 was not expecting that
What is recommended when you are splicing in another wire, when you have 3 ends to connect?
It's -42F here today. The ol' K30 wasn't real happy about starting even though she was plugged in with nearly 3kw of heaters.
Should the ground (white) go from pin connector straight to trailer? then from there just ground lights and brakes to frame as well?
About to refloor my trailer for the second time and redo the wiring while there this round and thought why not use the crimp connectors on it, to me that seems to be better
I liked the positaps when they were available.
I prefer solder and heat shrink! Guaranteed good connection unless a wire breaks. For a quick and temporary fix I may use a butt connector or wire nut just to get by till I’m able to fix it right. I also only work oh my own trailers. Occasionally someone else’s but when that’s the case solder 100%.
👍
Yep. Soldering is best, most don’t have the budget for that or the time to get it done themselves.
Actually, a quality environmental butt connector is better than solder. Vibration can cause solder joints to crack. It's why whenever we splice wire on an aircraft, it's a butt connector. Repairing an internal component like a stereo? Solder all day....
Soldering the joint essentially turns the stranded wire into a solid wire and it will fail from vibrations. That's why any connections in aircraft are forbidden to be soldered...unless they are properly supported and vibration isolated. I will use a butt crimp connector that I FILL WITH DIELECTRIC GREASE before I insert the wire, crimped and then covered with a silicone grease-filled heat shrink. Use this method for the off-road vehicle and never a single problem or failure.
can you do a video on rewiring a stock trailer? Or how do you connect the running lights on the top side of the trailer? I have wire running from front to rear, but how do you connect to a T intersection.
I prefer to use uninsulated connectors and separate glue lined shrink tube. You get a better crimp that way and can inspect it better before covering with shrink tube. It might take just a little more time and you have to remember to install the shrink tube before crimping, but makes a nicer splice that is more reliable and more compact generally than the insulated butt connectors.
Yeah, I just found the same nightmare on my boat trailer after buying it. Great video.
Oh man! Sorry to hear that!
Thanks for watching!
Just curious have you tried those self solder wire connectors that heat shrink and solder with heat? I tried them a couple years ago on a lightbar and so far so good. But it maybe luck or the fact I went over them with dielectric grease and heat shrink to make sure they were water tight.
Phoenix Aridzona has the record temps most of the times., not the humidity. They got these magnet type wire holders. I epoxy them into place. Then a small zip tie holds the wire in place, They run about a buck each with the epoxy, installs in less then one minute.
Phoenix temps are no joke! We have 3M adhesive back that holds up most of the time, but we usually end up using high quality silicone as an added insurance on them. Thanks for watching!
Scotch Locks are a mistake you only make once. Made that mistake putting LEDs in my tailights on my pickup. Ended up going to LED lamps with integrated resistors after fixing what the scotch locks ruined.
You'd be surprised how many folks just mash down crimp-on butt connectors with regular pliers. I've had to fix so many LE upfits because the original installer didn't have the proper crimping pliers.
If you are going to use butt splice connectors, it's a good practice to apply a test tug on the connection after the crimp. The extra second it takes to perform this task will save you a fortune not having to feed the swear jar later.
I have used inline crimp connectors and found they can cut into the wiring and the crimp and in no time the wire breaks off. Suggestions please?
My 67 Shelby came with those blue clips adding the high bems onto the Mustang wiring harness 😢
At about 60.the wind coming thru the grill would turn off your headlights 😢
Wich gauge wire is recomented for electric brake?
And for lights ,thanks?
about 100 in the tx panhandle today,how about solder and heat shrink
Its only 75% here in Pennsylvania. With Rain on the way!!!
That sounds like a dream!
Today’s forecast on beautiful Whidbey Island, Washington is cloudy this morning becoming mostly sunny, high near 66, afternoon winds SE at 6 mph. Come and see!
24 degrees Colorado!
110+ heat index today in Texas
Yes! We are in Texas, too! 🥵🥵
Ground side is the number 1 screw up, I find. Some think you ground thru the hitch ball. Best way to test wiring is to ONLY connect the umbilical and trailer is isolated from the vehicle. I prefer non-insulated connectors and terminals and use shrink wrap. You get a better look at your work that way. Most people are poor at crimping and don't use the correct tooling. If you can pull it apart, it ain't right. Can't leave out the twist and tape guys, right?
Couldn’t agree more. However, believe it or not, we have a manufacturer that has been twisting & taping since the 60s and we have the least amount of wiring issues with that manufacturer. But they do it very. I personally don’t prefer it, though.
Thanks for the comment and for watching!
On the odd occasion that I'm forced to use a scotch lock, I'll fill it full of RTV first so it's more weather tight.
Personally I run everything in 1/2" EMT, solder and shrink all connections. Yes it's more labor intensive but pays off in the long run. Solder and shrink only for all brake connections.
Tape pro tip. The back wrap trick. First wrap of tape sticky side up. When you get to the other end of your connection spin the tape 180 deg. Wrap back over that connection overlapping the first wrap on both ends. You should have sticky side of the first layer to sticky side of second layer of tape. This way when you cut off the tape it doesn't leave that sticky residue on the wires and it seals just as well.
If you just need to hold a wire in place. A quarter size dab of silicone. Push the wire into the silicone and tape on either side. Let dry and now your wire is out of the way. And its completely removeable from both wire and frame. Usually handy for marker light wiring.
Great points! Thanks for watching!
Triple thumbs up on that process. the road salts they use on the roads in KommieRado goes right through tape and crimp on connections. Have you used any harness tape? It has no adhesive and sticks to itself and not the wires allowing you to bend the bundle however you need it.
Another good conduit is pex tubing..
@@SegoMan Yes, 3M 130c tape works good for that.
You run conduit for trailer lights? You're a different kind of crazy buddy
Does anyone use wire loom and grommets?
I would say that the majority of manufacturers don't use wire loom or grommets. We use grommets, wire loom, and we solder upon customer request. This also depends on the customer's budget, as well. Thanks for watching!
I do I ordered the grommets in a kit various sizes. I worked aircraft for years, and the grommets were used for electrical, and hydraulic lines. That or what they call chicken track epoxied into place,
I would add that it is best to just not use guillotine style Scotchlocks or 3m connectors period (even the Chinese have a version!). The guillotine is pot metal and will rust breaking the circuitry in short order. For road work I would highly recommend marine crimps with sealant included in the fitting and heat shrink as well, or cold solder splices if you don't want to go old school and solder/heat shrink your own. Electrical tape (you can get underground rated which is much better but more expensive) is a pain as it rarely stays unless it is put on properly while heat shrink is pretty foolproof. Heatshrink with good wall thickness and included sealant is the best. The crimps should be done with proper crimp tools so they are not over or under crimped. Same with wire strippers especially down on the small sizes of stranded conductors. The newer style lever locks and push to connects that are approved for stranded wire might be an option if fully coated in a good electrical silicone sealer. The good ones have a stainless metal clamp inside of them. Conductors should be marine grade with solder coatings on them to prevent the dreaded 'green' corrosion from road salts and moisture which will wick up the insulation eventually eating through copper or aluminum conductors without the coating. Done right it should last for decades and not fail in critical situations.
I live in central New York, it is a marine environment. Say wahhhhtt, you're 200 miles from the ocean!!! Well, when they put down one million tons of salt every winter on the roads, it is a marine environment. That said, go Harbor Freight and buy the heat shrink butt splices SKU: 66729 AND SUPER LUBE 3 Oz Synthetic Grease SKU: 93744. After the wire is stripped 'dunk' the wire into the tube of grease 3/4", insert into the splice, crimp properly then shrink the tubing to seal. These connection Never Fail due to corrosion. There should be a bit of grease that comes out the end upon completion. A yellow splice will accommodate 2 -14ga wires.
Just saying 85° at 9:30 in Florida this morning is bad. Guess I’ll jump in the river or ocean.
That’s rough! Stay cool, my friend!
Where's your split loom or tech flex to protect the wiring? You can also zip tie the wires to the framing cause stapling it to the floor is a hack. Lastly electrical tape is for buildings. They use tesa tape in the automotive environment.
I use a 15$ junction box on all of my trailers, flatbeds, dump trucks, it's cleaner, minimizes the number of splices and easier in my opinion.
If you must use electrical tape ANYWHERE on a car, truck, or trailer, use the self-bonding silicone type. Once it is on, it's waterproof until you take it off. Also, when you do remove it, there is no adhesive residue to worry about. The vinyl tape is a useless as a screen door on a submarine.
There isn't any electrical reason to run two wires to the brakes. Run a single 12ga wire, then extend the other wire from the magnet. Put a marine grade eyelet on the wire and just bolt it to the frame. It's best to use the two wire system on a trailer with a bolt together frame. One wire system reduces the length of the wire by half.
Those axles brake wires go connected to the light wires?
Trailer brakes will connect to the brake wire in your 7 wire harness. Which is a blue wire. Other brake wire is your ground wire. A junction box makes wiring alot easier. Brown wire is your running lights.
@@tomahawksteak6672 About the time you think you got the color code figured out you buy a molded plug & cable and they have their own colors LoL
Go with heavy jacket wire cable
If your budget allows, absolutely! For your single strand just use a high quality copper insulated cable like we do.
As a trailer wire enthusiast, i always soldier and heat shrink every connection !! It's a pain in the butt to use such tactics, but it is even more a pain to be pulling a trailer at night to have been pulled over by the local police and getting a ticket scotch locks are the #1 cause of wiring problems and in my opinion need to be banned for use in trailer wire lighting
the wiring on that trailer makes me wonder if any of the lights works. Bottom line; I solder and do not not use butt connectors. If butt connectors work for you, then great, use them
Scotch blocks are only good for a few years. You'll have to find and re-do them eventually.
Great point! If you are able to get a few years out of them, you’re doing better than me. That’s why I advise AGAINST using Scotch Locks.
Thanks for watching!
Also, with Schotch-Locks, use genuine 3M and the ones with the gel in them that makes them waterproof. The ones in this video are junk.
Just an idea here take it or leave it. I welded washers on my u-bolts by the brake so I can tie the brake wire to it .
Liquid electrical tape , the solution !
Cheap Chinese electrical tape…nooooooooo! Use Scotch brand 😊
Cheap electrical tape is a big no for us, but I always recommend that people buy what they can reasonably afford. Quality is always better, but something is better than nothing in most cases. We don't usually find the need to use a lot of electrical tape, but when we do, as seen in this video, we use 3M 1776, made in the USA.
@@TheTrailerSmith
3M stands for: Money-Money-Money
They use those cheap connectors on boat trailers also! Horrible. We use shrink connectors.
Yes, they do! I really really don’t like them at all!
rewire they whole dang trailer, labor is always more expensive than parts
Video is speed up where it is most informative. Poor editing.
Scotch locks are a joke for sure
I had to give you a thumbs down, the reason why that if you have the trailer exposed, then tack weld conduit and run wires through it.
Clips are just as bad as scotch locks.
Appreciate the thumbs down.
We will always do what our customers ask us to do and what their budgets allow, which is what we did on this trailer. If you have the budget to run conduit on your unit, more power to you. Unfortunately, labor & parts costs for that would be cost prohibitive for many people. If this were your trailer & your budget we would have run the conduit for you.
Scotch locks are utter garbage
You are on target! And use butt connectors crimping them with the proper crimping tool and then use heat shrink tubing with dia electric grease inside the connections. Scotch locks are guarantee troublemakers down the road.
For sure! Thank you for watching!
That is my way too. Helps keep the salt out.