Trailer light issues

[mucho wano]

I have an 06 RSV. Does it require a 5 pin trailer plug? I let the dealer install a 4 pin flat plug and when I went to pick it up, they told me I had to settle for either tial lights or stop lights. Can't figure out why they didn't call me before they installed it.

[IH Truck Guy]

I have an 06 RSV. Does it require a 5 pin trailer plug? I let the dealer install a 4 pin flat plug and when I went to pick it up, they told me I had to settle for either tial lights or stop lights. Can't figure out why they didn't call me before they installed it.

 

That's very poor customer service IMHO...They have alot of guts to send out a bike that only half the lights work...

 

Did they install a trailer light modulater??????????????????????????

Sounds like they didn't and this is what you need to correct the problem......

[sarges46]

Well most of us have a isolator/converter that changes the harness from a 5 wire (bike) to a 4 wire (most trailers).

 

So, as mentioned the stealer did you wrong..hope he charge you much for that wasted effort.

[RedRider]

Why will a 4 pin not provide both? I have a 4 pin on a MC trailer, a boat trailer, and a utility trailer. They all have running lights, brake lights, and turn signals. There is a modulator in the MC trailer wiring (on the bike).

 

Am I missing something here?

 

RR

[V7Goose]

A four wire plug only gives you three wires for lights and signals, since one wire MUST be ground (never Never NEVER rely on the ball to give acceptable ground to a trailer). The trailer must have:

 

1. Running lights
   
2. Brake lights
   
3. Left Turn light
   
4. Right Turn light
   
5. ground
   

OR:

 

1. Running lights
   
2. Left brake/turn light
   
3. Right brake/turn light
   
4. ground
   

Notice that the first option, which is used by our motorcycle, is one more wire than the three remaining wires in a 4-wire plug; therefore, either a 5-wire plug is needed or some way to convert the 5-wire system to a 4-wire system common on pickups and some cars. Of course, with a 5-wire plug, you ALSO need separate turn and brake lamps on each side of the trailer.

 

Any place that sells tow hitches will also sell adapters to convert a 5-wire vehicle to a 4-wire trailer - you just need to mount this somewhere under the trunk.

Goose

[RedRider]

Goose,

 

Thanks for the update. My bike was pre-wired for a trailer when I got it. There is a module in the battery box area that must be the convertor you mentioned. I never really paid too much attention to it since it just worked.

 

RR

[sarges46]

Cause our bikes have a 5 wire system for the tail lights etc we must add on a convertor of some sort to move the wiring to the 4 wire system that most small trailers have.

 

The isolater part makes the power supplied to the trailer lights run off the battery and not the bikes wiring....it (isolater/modulater) is basically a bunch of relays that trip when the brakes are applied or signals lights activated.

 

Now I must stand back and wait to be corrected...cause the good Lord knows I have been wrong before!

 

 

And Goose just explained it much better than I could have! Thanks Goose!

Edited May 11, 2009 by sarges46
Added the last sentence

[mucho wano]

Thanks for the feedback guys. I will be having a little talk with the service mgr. and be looking of the converter that I seem to be needing. Riding is a blast but riding safely is the the very best.

[Dano]

So if the trailer I just bought is a 5 wire, and if I change the bulbs to LEDs, can I just wire it into the harness back under the trunk?

 

Dan