Help wiring a trailer

[Barry1951]

Ok, dummy me and wiring a trailer pigtail are not working.

I bought the adapter with the pigtail but cannot get my trailer wiring working.

It is my small cargo trailer..

The pigtail adapter I got from one of our members has five (5) wires, my trailer has a 4 prong flat 4 with one prong having 2 wires to the same prong.........

I have tried every combination I can think of, , , , , , , , , , , ,

The trailer is a custom build from a guy in Shreveport that builds them from the rear end of gold wings that have been tricked.

I need help!!!!!!!!

After wiring this one I have to wire a new plug on my Kwik Kamp. It has a 6 hole round plug on it but only uses 5.

My thoughts are to change it to a flat plug like the cargo but am now wondering which would be easier. My onlyroblem with the 6 round I'd where to mount the receptacle on the bike, as big as the plug receiver is.

At suggestions??

By the way, I ride an 06 RSTD.

HELP!!!!!

Barry Higginbotham

barry.higginbotham@gmail.com

(903) 315-7756:confused24:

[Flyinfool]

There is no combination of just wiring that will work.

The bike is a 5 wire system and the trailer is a 4 wire system. The adapter that you got is correct.

You need to add in an isolator/converter that will convert the bikes 5 wire to work with the trailer 4 wire. OR you can convert the trailer to a 5 wire system. there are pros and cons to having an isolator, I have an isolator so that the power to the trailer is not having to be switched and carried by the skinny little wires on the bike.

 

Since you have another trailer that has a 5 wire system It might be easier to convert the first trailer to also be 5 wire.

 

The difference is.

On a 5 wire system the turn signals are separate from the brake lights.

On a 4 wire system the turn signals and brake lights use the same filament.

[Barry1951]

No problem converting, , , , how

[rstacy]

I went with the Hopkins 48845. Cheap and it works well.

http://www.hopkinstowingsolutions.com/products/vehicle-wiring-connectors/taillight-converters/tail_light_converter_12.html

[Guest tx2sturgis]

RTFM.

 

Seriously, there should have been a sheet of instructions that came with the adapter.

 

Or, there should be some kind of printing on the adapter that shows where each wire should be connected.

 

I have wired several different trailers to a few different bikes over the years, and its not that hard, but you do need to pay attention to the instructions.

 

I found it easier to have a 12v circuit tester, the kind that actually has a small incandescent bulb, when making the connections.

 

Check every connection with the tester as you go along, to make sure its working.

 

Good luck.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Condor]

Here's a webpage that I refer to occasionally for cars, and if you scroll down there are a few videos that might be helpfull on 4/5 wire connections.

 

http://www.etrailer.com/faq-wiring.aspx

[Flyinfool]

This is the converter that I have

 

It is rated for both incandescent and LED trailer lights. Not all converters can do both, some are incandescent only and some are LED only. Some don't mention it so you have to guess.

 

This one is also an isolator, this means there is one more wire to hook up, this wire goes to the battery so that all power for the trailer lights comes from the battery and not the bikes electrical system.