Now that you have purchased your trailer, you are going to have to figure out the trailer light wiring. The lights on your trailer are just as important as the lights on your car, van, or truck. And even if they weren’t, the law says that they need to work properly. So it is crucial that you know how to hook everything up the right way.
It’s understandable that you want to get going, but it’s also important to take the time to do this. Can it be done by a professional? Yes, of course. But this way you will learn a new skill, learn a little bit more about your trailer and truck and how they work as one, and save the added cost of having a professional do it for you.
First of All, Find the Wiring Harness
To connect the vehicle and trailer lights together, what is needed is a little something called a wiring harness. Its location is normally at the back door of the truck. Occasionally it may be located by the vehicle’s hitch or by the back taillights. If you feel that you are having difficulty finding the wiring harness, be sure to check the owner’s manual which should give you its exact location.
It’s Time to Connect the Hitch
Now that you found the wiring harness it’s time to get it connected. Usually, harnesses utilize a connector because they are not made to be connected directly to the trailer itself. There are any number of ways to get this done but usually, truck drivers will either pick up a specially designed custom hardware kit for trucks, or they will use a T-One connector.
What Is a T-One Connector?
In a nutshell, T-One connectors are the simplest way to make the connection between the trailer and the wiring harness of the truck.
Hardware Kits Customized For Trailer Wiring
Between your basic civilian vehicle and a commercial truck, the more complicated of the two is a commercial truck. That is why owners will most frequently need to spend a little money on a hardware kit that is customized to get this particular wiring job done correctly and efficiently. The particular kits that are required to complete this attachment can most often be found at the vehicle’s manufacturer or custom vehicle shops.
You want to get the most out of your trailer and truck, and that’s going to mean making sure that both are safe to drive down the road together. If other drivers can’t figure out which way your truck and trailer are headed because those trailer lights weren’t hooked up the right way, it is not just illegal but extremely dangerous.
What’s going to happen is that you are going to experience inconvenient, costly, and unnecessary downtime while the problem gets remedied. Be sure that your truck and trailer can work safely together and that way you won’t end up spending down time playing the waiting game. Check frequently to see that lights are functioning properly and that connections have not shaken loose. Making sure that your lights are in working order will mean your continued travel on the open road in the safest most efficient way possible.