Troubleshooting trailer ground (weak brakes)

[RobertN]

They used wire nuts on it, like for house wiring?

 

[joshuabardwell]

They used wire nuts on it, like for house wiring?

There are two larger wires that run down the length of the trailer, carrying hot and ground. A jumper wire runs, via a clamp-down style splice, from the main wires to the brake leads. The jumper wires are connected to the brake leads with a wire nut that has been crimped down.

On one of the brakes, one of the wire nuts had come off. I didn't have any nuts handy, but I did have some left-over heat-shrink tubing from a previous project, so I split, straightened, and re-twisted the connections for that brake, then applied the heat-shrink. I didn't bother doing the other brakes because the nuts were still intact, and I figured if it ain't broke, don't fix it. I have a tendency to go hog-wild making every little thing "perfect," and I waste a lot of time and drive myself crazy if I succumb to it.

 

[RobertN]

Any pictures?

Attention to detail can be the difference between working vs not working brakes, especially after a few years of use.

A jumper wire runs, via a clamp-down style splice, from the main wires to the brake leads. The jumper wires are connected to the brake leads with a wire nut that has been crimped down.

I have a tendency to go hog-wild making every little thing "perfect," and I waste a lot of time and drive myself crazy if I succumb to it.

 

[jeffsw6]

There are two larger wires that run down the length of the trailer, carrying hot and ground. A jumper wire runs, via a clamp-down style splice, from the main wires to the brake leads. The jumper wires are connected to the brake leads with a wire nut that has been crimped down.

You'll end up replacing all of those eventually. They are called skotchlok connectors and you will never read anything good about them. Plan on re-wiring your whole trailer when you have free time to do it.

I have a new trailer that I've pulled maybe 400mi and already I have a weak right turn light, one of my trucks doesn't even supply enough voltage for you to be able to see it in the daytime (old truck old skotckloks on it too!) and the other one, the right turn light is way dimmer than all the other lights. I have no doubt it is a crappy skotchlok splice and I should probably be out repairing it right now, but I am waiting for cooler weather. I am going to replace all of them this winter if they last that long.

 

[joshuabardwell]

You'll end up replacing all of those eventually. They are called skotchlok connectors and you will never read anything good about them. Plan on re-wiring your whole trailer when you have free time to do it.

Well, it's always nice to know the next time I'm bored, I can come up with something to do. At least it's a job I have the skills for (wiring). What's the best way to do those splices? I can pull out a soldering iron if I need to.

 

[jeffsw6]

Solder + heat-shrink should last a long time, or until you run over a big chunk of re-tread.

I am thinking of using heavy rubberized junction boxes and SOOW or TRC cable on mine. It is more likely to survive big road debris impacts than the crap wire used on most trailers. It won't be cheap but I don't want to replace the wiring twice.

 

[BobRip]

I agree, Scotchlok connectors are junk.

 

[RobertN]

Interesting, the Dexter link I had posted, indicates to replace both magnets on an axle; replace in pairs.

 

[joshuabardwell]

Interesting. Maybe to keep the wear similar? Given how new the trailer is, of don't think I'll do that.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Interesting. Maybe to keep the wear similar? Given how new the trailer is, of don't think I'll do that.

I would not either.

Chris