open trailer tail/brake lights

Does anyone have a recommendation for a GOOD QUALITY set of trailer lights for an open 4x8?


The original harbor freight (bulb) setup lasted a few years. I replaced that with a cheap LED setup, then that stopped working and I replaced it with another $50 LED setup.

The latest stopped working after about 700 miles... (that's 2 long trips and some shorter in-town trips between my house and the race shop).

The only explanation I can come up with is that the LEDs are literally being bounced to the point that they're breaking away from the circuit board. It's a light trailer with stiff leaf springs and tires that run 50psi. They take some abuse.

So what's my best option here? Just go back to regular bulbs? Invest in higher-quality LEDs? In either case, who has had good luck with a particular brand?

(and before someone tells me to buy a van, our sponsor lets us use their diesel Sprinter for race weekends, but I still have to get my bike to and from their shop from time to time)

 

If they're not already switch over to the rubber mounted ones where there's a hole in the plate, rubber grommet goes in then the lite snaps into that.

 

Check a few out...

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_n...h-alias=aps&field-keywords=trailer+light+kits

 

Oh i'm aware of all the options - what's been hard to find is one where I trust the reviews.

The "Blazer" submersible LED setup I bought last time is what broke after a few uses. It had a 4+ star rating.

 

I used the tail lights from FZr 600's on my open trailer. I haven't replaced a bulb yet in at least 10k miles.

 

i'm seriously considering wiring my own bulbs into the crappy shells that are currently mounted...

Just use car brake/tail lights and hope the flasher relay works with them. Problem is that I installed lower gauge wiring when the LEDs went on.

 

Did you check the ground at the frame ?

 

I haven't this time, and that has been an issue before, but when I replaced the harness, I sanded the hell out of my frame rail, drilled a new hole, wrapped the ground wire securely around a solid and clean portion, then siliconed the whole thing to protect it from the elements.

The lights worked great Sunday morning, and then only the side-markers were working Tuesday morning, so I don't think the marker lights would have been working without a good ground. I drove ~400 miles between Sunday and Tuesday.

 

You are correct... It's not a ground issue between the tow vehicle and the trailer.

 

I had good luck with the HF LED kit (all lights and complete harness). Maybe try another with some additional rubber mounting as suggested above. As far as grounding, isn't that done thru the hitch ball contact with the trailer? And that connection is compromised with rust on the ball and receiver.

 

A lot of people depend on the ball & hitch to provide the ground. That's why a lot of trailer lights blink going down a bumpy road.

The white wire should be securely attached to both the trailer and the tow vehicle grounds.

 

Put a ring connector on the white wire on the harness and use a good self tapping screw to attach it to the frame after you grind the paint off.

If the lights have three wires, do the same to the white wire on them.

If they are two wire, stud mount, grind the mounting holes before you install them.

Always use heat shrink butt connectors to make the connections, or they will fail in short order.

Use a 12v battery to test the lights independent of the trailer and vehicle. If they work, then hook them up and test them independent of the vehicle with the battery. If they work, it's the vehicle's wiring.

 

I like the LED set I got from Tractor Supply. I ran 1/2" PVC under the trailer from the hitch to the lights to protect them. Been working for 3 year so far.

 

I'll have to try this. I keep my ball-hitch pretty well greased, which would cause the same issues as rust, I presume.

I just don't understand why it was fine Sunday, and bad by Tuesday...

 

NEVER, never, ever use the ball and hitch for the ground.........you are asking for lighting issues and 99.9% of the time, you'll get them.

 

This ^^^ I always run a ground wire into the tow vehicle plug.

 

Yes, any time you rely on the hitch for the ground, you are relying on a rusty shaft that is floating in a rusty sleeve, held in place by a rusty pin. Good luck with the odds of that being a consistant ground.

 

I rely on a rusty shaft more than I care to admit.