School me on trailers

[mantree91]

I am looking at adding a trailer hitch to my sidecar rig. Looking at trailers it seems that most motorcycle trailers have separate turn and brake lights. Do they use a standard 4 pin trailer plug?

 

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[Flyinfool]

The trailers that have separate turn and brake lights use a 5 wire connector. The trailers that have combined turn and brake lights use a 4 wire connector.

 

The bike is wired as a 5 wire, you will need a converter to use 4 wire. It is recommended to use an isolating converter if you need a converter. It is also recommended to use an isolator even if you are going 5 wire. An isolator pulls its power direct from the battery so you are not taxing the bikes wiring and switches with the higher amp draw from the trailer.

Edited February 19, 2019 by Flyinfool

[mantree91]

So any powered trailer converter is fine? Cool I can find one pretty easy and wire it to a open fuse on the new fuse panel.

 

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[djh3]

Get in touch with Steve K MA1a61mech. He makes all kinds of plug and play harness for different bikes.

[Flyinfool]

So any powered trailer converter is fine? Cool I can find one pretty easy and wire it to a open fuse on the new fuse panel.

 

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Not ANY powered converter is fine. You still need to get either a 4 wire or a 5 wire to match your trailer.

[mantree91]

Not ANY powered converter is fine. You still need to get either a 4 wire or a 5 wire to match your trailer.

I'd rather just rewire the trailer so that if I needed to pull it with the truck or my wife's car it is the same wireing. I just wasn't sure if there was a law about turn signals on the trailer.

 

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[Flyinfool]

Either the 4 or 5 wire systems are perfectly legal in all states.

 

Some cars and/or trucks are natively 4 wire and some are 5 wire. Some vehicles have a built in 5 to 4 converter and some don't. You will have to check out what you have.

[cowpuc]

Either the 4 or 5 wire systems are perfectly legal in all states.

 

Some cars and/or trucks are natively 4 wire and some are 5 wire. Some vehicles have a built in 5 to 4 converter and some don't. You will have to check out what you have.

 

Sounds like some genius electronics guru needs to invent a wireless LED trailer lighting package that senses when the tow vehicles lights and on, and which ones, has a self contained battery pack and can easily be transferred from one trailer to another.. Someone genuis could make a million on that one!!

[RDawson]

Sounds like some genius electronics guru needs to invent a wireless LED trailer lighting package that senses when the tow vehicles lights and on, and which ones, has a self contained battery pack and can easily be transferred from one trailer to another.. Someone genuis could make a million on that one!!

Somebody beat you to it Puc

 

https://www.amazon.com/Blazer-C6304-Round-Wireless-Towing/dp/B00BJEICDS/ref=asc_df_B00BJEICDS/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312123707036&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=3075279633580212102&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9014666&hvtargid=pla-434880174929&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=58868508141&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=312123707036&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=3075279633580212102&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9014666&hvtargid=pla-434880174929

[Flyinfool]

Somebody beat you to it Puc

 

https://www.amazon.com/Blazer-C6304-Round-Wireless-Towing/dp/B00BJEICDS/ref=asc_df_B00BJEICDS/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312123707036&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=3075279633580212102&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9014666&hvtargid=pla-434880174929&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=58868508141&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=312123707036&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=3075279633580212102&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9014666&hvtargid=pla-434880174929

 

Yup, Tow truck drivers have had them for a long time. They do not have to hang wires down the towed vehicle, just hang their self contained light bar on the back.