wiring a trailer to bike

[rondeputy]

Royalstar Midnight Venture / 2002 / wiring a trailer to the bike. I made the trailer ball the ground because the trailer only came with a four pin wire set up. any suggestions for a better job?

[Flyinfool]

NEVER, never, never rely on the ball for a ground.

I can guaranty you will have nothing but problems down the road.

 

Your bike is a 5 wire system. If the trailer has a 4 wire system then you need a 5 to 4 wire converter installed on the bike.

If the trailer is wired as a 5 wire, then get a set of 5 pin plugs so that you have a ground wire.

 

If the trailer uses the same bulb filaments for both brake lights and turn signals then it is a 4 wire trailer. If it has separate brake lights and turn signals then it is a 5 wire trailer.

 

The other big benefit to doing it right is that the trailer will work with the vehicles of others and/or you can use others trailers. You never know when you will have a problem on the road and need someone to pull your trailer for you, or you will want to help someone out by pulling their trailer.

Edited October 15, 2011 by Flyinfool

[wes0778]

Royalstar Midnight Venture / 2002 / wiring a trailer to the bike. I made the trailer ball the ground because the trailer only came with a four pin wire set up. any suggestions for a better job?

 

Also, the white wire on the trailer side is (or should be) connected directly to the trailer frame. So, trying to hook it to any one of the wires on the bike is gonna let some smoke out somewhere!

 

Unless you rewire the trailer for 5-wire, you MUST install a 5-wire to 4-wire converter

[FuzzyRSTD]

Thanks for this post. I myself have been educated here. I have been wondering about this, since I have a wish list for the future that might include a possible trailer. Some trailers that I have looked at where four and some five. Now I know that you could pull either, but probably be better off with the five wire set up. Is this converter a plug and go set up ? Or a wire in deal ? For those few of us whom do not know please. If the wiring is not simple, then it is beyond my doing it. I do not care to do anything to my bike, except, mess with the wiring. I did wire in a set of speakers and booster on my RSTD for music. I do not like this type work. If I ever have my bike wired for a trailer, then I will get one of these fine experts on this site to do it if possible.

 

Fuzzy

[wes0778]

Wiring is simple, it's the installation that may be difficult, Don't know where you would hide the converter on a TD, as you don't have a CB box...

 

Here's my

 

http://venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?p=568616&highlight=progress#post568616

[FuzzyRSTD]

Wiring is simple, it's the installation that may be difficult, Don't know where you would hide the converter on a TD, as you don't have a CB box...

 

Here's my

 

http://venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?p=568616&highlight=progress#post568616

 

Thanks ....

 

Fuzzy

[Flyinfool]

Yup, like Fuzzy said the wiring part is really simple. The controller box is about the size of 2 packs of cancer sticks side by side. You will have to find a place to hide it.

 

If you get a five wire trailer, then you do not "need" a box on the bike but one is still recommended, for isolation.

If you get a 4 wire trailer it is real easy to convert it to a 5 wire trailer.

 

Just ask us some questions when you are ready to make the plunge. Well give you all kinds of grief,,,,,,,,,I mean help.

[saddlebum]

Royalstar Midnight Venture / 2002 / wiring a trailer to the bike.set up. any suggestions for a better job?

Never wire a trailer to a bike.........After a while due to flexing wire tends to break and you will loose your trailer............Use a proper trailer hitch..

[Pegasus1300]

When I wired the socket on my RSTD I wired it 5 wire style.One of my trailers is 5 wire and the other is 4 wire.I mounted the 4 to 5 adapter on the trailer tongue so the lead coming from the trailer is 5 wire.