E-Z Built Hot Dog Cart builder Rod Walton told me about his trailer light tribulations and how he fixed the problem once and for all.
Rod writes…
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Hi Steve,
I received my plans last week and couldn’t be more pleased. The instructions are very clear and easy to follow. I purchased the trailer kit suggested, assembled it and hooked it up to my pre-wired car harness and that is where I ran into a significant problem.
The powder coat paint on the trailer kit is too good! It doesn’t allow for a ground through the trailer to either the tail lights or the side lights. The paint even covers the inside of the pre-drilled holes so well that even the self tapping screw on the white wire would not make a good connection.
There are two ways to solve this. One would be to grind away some paint to make connections at the points where the frame members meet and at the connection point of the white grounding wire and where the lights actually connect to the trailer. The easiest way to do this of course is before the trailer is assembled.
The other option (and in my view is far easier) is to run a 12 ga. ground wire from the white wire down both sides of the trailer and connect it at the side lights on the frame and to the bolts coming out of the taillights.
After figuring out why the lights weren’t working and researching online, this is the solution favored by other trailer bulders who had run into the same issue.
Other than this one problem, the trailer is an easy to assemble, inexpensive unit and seems the perfect base for the EZ Build Hot Dog Cart.
Have a great day,
Rod Walton
Canby Oregon
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Thanks Rod for once again proving that HDCN readers know their stuff!
-Steve
Now you tell me! LOL. I had to take mine and get it fixed at the local garage!
At least now we know what was wrong!
Dixie
My problem is that the lights tail lights dont work, but the brake and signal lights work when I first hook them up, and then they stop working the moment I drive away.
Stop driving Chappy! Just kidding… I hate electrical problems.
I had the same problem and my neighbor who is handy did what Rod described and finally resolved what had been a rather troubling problem. They work great with the solution Rod described.
Folks,
Even simpler – just drill a pre-drilled hole one size larger! Match to a self tapping screw and you are ready to go!
Good point!
Mark….I did just what you said and it solved nothing…for me at least.
Paul,
I had the same problem with my trailer lights not working but yet the brake lights and hazard flasher would work for a while. Everytime the lights quit working it would also affect my dashboard lights. See if you have any blown fuses when this happens. In my case it was moisture inside the trailer plug on my ‘U-Haul’ installed hitch. The plug was replaced and the problem went away.
Try grinding away some of the surrounding paint before over tapping. If you don’t the paint will still end up in the hole !! Powder coat is very durable. Even a small amount on the ground will give you problems.
1st mate Jim.
I went from one light to 3 dim lights to zero lights. The “floating ground” is really a bad idea on this trailer although it could be solved at the factory with a little masking before they shoot the paint.
I read somewhere that two out of three trailer wiring problems are due to a faulty ground.
You may get lucky and all the parts abrade just the right way to give you lights but I think the investment in 20 feet of wire and a few connectors is worth it for the extra security.
I had the same problem with my lights. I even went so far as to completely replace the wiring harness. Still no lights.
My fix? — I sanded the brackets where the tail lights attach with the nuts. Lights now work perfectly.
I did some grinding on the frame and ran the extra electrical line. A lot of the problem is in the bulb socket, If you ever had to replace a bulb, you know what i’m talking about. I went ahead and upgraded to the led lights, available at harbor freight as well. They work awsome. I also run a small inverter, and am/fm radio. Grounding is very important. Try putting a little dielectic grease on the grounding points and the base of the bulb. Dont forget about the grounding wire to the vehicle you pull it with.
These trailers are probably DIPPED into the paint, rather than sprayed. Spraying is very time consuming. Dipping is quick. This is why the paint is so thick in the frame of the trailer. Make sure to scrap the apint where the lights mount to the trailer and also the paint on the light itself. These must make contact to each other for a good ground. Not just drilling the paint out of the holes. Then, make sire you paint over the scrapped paint to seal it from rust. Bobbiexr@aol.com
Sorry for the typo’s, LOL. Oh, another thought, Try the lights BEFORE you assemble your hot dog cart and make sure they work. This will save frustration later. Otherwise you’ll end up on your back on the ground working upside down. Again, once all is up and working, gat a can of spray paint and cover all exposed metal LIGHTLY. This will seal the trailer as it was before grinding and/or sanding the paint away.
Bobbiexr@aol.com