What do you know about trailers?

[HONK]

I bought a "new" 6x4 trailer.

It's in horrible condition but was fairly cheap compared to most others online for sale.

Dude has Toyota Corona tail lights on the rear bolted on... The wires from the lights at the rear to trailer connector are all screwed. It's a circle plug. I see a red wire cut and poking out of the back of the cable cover thing...

I wish to remove the Toyota trailer lights and fit some basic supercheap lights. I'll buy a new set of wires, a harness thing with a flat connector to fit the Fairmont.

Is the wiring for the trailer lights as simple as splicing the new flat connector wire harness thing to the new light sockets?

Not sure how the wire harnesses work but it seems like one end has the plug, and the other end is just bare wires, is that right? So I just splice them into the new tail lamps and off I go? (No fuses or other bs I must worry about?)

Going down to bunnings today to take a look... Not seen the harnesses in person yet, no idea what I'll end up with.

[Vesper Martini]

Autobarn seems to have the most Trailer options but I bought all my stuff off ebay when I replaced my old 6x4 lights with LED ones.
you'll need a 5 core wire, but it needs to split off left and right (green wire right & yellow left. either use a junction box or solder them with heaps of electrical tape
plenty of wiring diagrams online to help you

[arm79]

If you want to avoid the mess and time that goes with solder and electrical tape then consider some bits of shrink wrap. Will make any joins semi weather proof.

Supercrap also sells some sort of connector that is self soldering and sealing when heated. Insert bare wires into either end, heat it with a lighter and it solders the connection and shrinks around the wires making them supposedly weatherproof.

If you value your car don't buy the cheapest sh*t LED lights too. Some of them aren't particularly bright. I see it alot around here, so dull you can hardly see them activate. A tail ending waiting to happen. Buy something decent.

Dont forget plenty of cable ties to strap the loom to the frame.

[Toiler]

Buy a light bar from supercheap?
$100 or wait for specials (I paid $75 last one I bought)
Pick the connection required.
https://www.supercheapauto.com.au/se...bar&lang=en_AU
Saves a lot of heart ache.

[Franco Cozzo]

LED Autolamps stuff is good, you just want rear combination lamps, you just need stop/tail and indicators.

30M roll of 3mm/1.13mm2 5 core wire would do the trick with some left over.

I'm a fan of ye olde large 7 pin round trailer plug, the metal one, big contacts, will withstanding being outside.

Depends on what you got on the car though, if you got a flat on the car use a flat on the trailer, if you got the big round 7 pin like the legends do, then use that.

Depends on how much you can be ****ed doing it properly, both me and a mate are auto electricians by trade, both of us have separate opinions on how a trailer should be wired.

So when you have two tradespeople with differing opinions, we consulted the 'tradesman rule book' and looked at the 'conflict resolution' chapter, which specifically instructs you to never concede to the 'other guy'.

So on my trailer, we did one side of the trailer each, and did it OUR way, my light has a quick connector complete with crimp terminals with hot glue in the *** end of it for 'IP-FRANCO' spec weather proofing, and the light he did is all soldered

8 years later, both lights on the trailer still work after sitting in my front yard so I guess we're both right

[Citroënbender]

While it is basic, I suggest carrying a few extra spare fuses. The way trailers get abused, it may pop one or two before you discover where the harness is crushed or chafed.

[foxtrot3]

Hi. Led Autolamps do a plug and play system that is almost foolproof. https://ledautolamps.com/img/cms/LED...ge_2022_LR.pdf . Have a look at page 30 for the basic wiring and pick lights that fit with plugs attached from the previous pages. Cheers MD

[Vesper Martini]

$40 buck on ebay kit includes lights plug & Cable
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/16535510...frcectupt=true

[HONK]

Thanks everyone, I appreciate it.


I didn't end up getting to the store yesterday but I'm off today so I'll report back.


Good advice.

[BENT_8]

What do I know about trailers, well, they give me anxiety.

Every time I let it out of the garage it seems to follow me around, hiding in the blind spot behind me...

[HONK]

Originally Posted by Vesper Martini

$40 buck on ebay kit includes lights plug & Cable
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/16535510...frcectupt=true

I've ordered this, it is similar to the supercheap light bar which was going to be my second choice, and half price.

I'm a stinge though so like to save cash, and don't mind setting it up. I'll mount it to a thing of wood.

Thanks a lot.




In regards to the number plate light... How do I go about getting power to that?

Apparently you need a light for the number plate area which you display the car rego on, trailer being exempt.

What do I splice in for power there? Just the night time tail lights wire?

[Toiler]

Originally Posted by HONK

I've ordered this, it is similar to the supercheap light bar which was going to be my second choice, and half price.

I'm a stinge though so like to save cash, and don't mind setting it up. I'll mount it to a thing of wood.

Thanks a lot.




In regards to the number plate light... How do I go about getting power to that?

Apparently you need a light for the number plate area which you display the car rego on, trailer being exempt.

What do I splice in for power there? Just the night time tail lights wire?

You need something like this - the white “number plate” light integrated to one of the lights. Not saying this unit (connector might be wrong for you) but something similar.

Otherwise you will have to splice into the parking light circuit and add a separate white light - not impossible with modern epoxy sealed heat shrink.
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/265337135093

[Franco Cozzo]

Yep you just splice the number plate light into the tail light wire, that way it comes on with your car headlights.

[Vesper Martini]

Originally Posted by HONK

I've ordered this, it is similar to the supercheap light bar which was going to be my second choice, and half price.

I'm a stinge though so like to save cash, and don't mind setting it up. I'll mount it to a thing of wood.

Thanks a lot.




In regards to the number plate light... How do I go about getting power to that?

Apparently you need a light for the number plate area which you display the car rego on, trailer being exempt.

What do I splice in for power there? Just the night time tail lights wire?

For my one I don't run a number plate light as I often remove the tailgate.
6x4 trailer doesnt have a REGO so my crappy trailer only has my plate number written with a paint pen. at one stage I has written in smaller pen
"VICTORIA THE NANNY STATE"

Ive had the trailer for years, its not worth much now but has well and truly paid for its self with the amount of work its done.

[Tassie f100]

Originally Posted by Vesper Martini

For my one I don't run a number plate light as I often remove the tailgate.
6x4 trailer doesnt have a REGO so my crappy trailer only has my plate number written with a paint pen. at one stage I has written in smaller pen
"VICTORIA THE NANNY STATE"

Ive had the trailer for years, its not worth much now but has well and truly paid for its self with the amount of work its done.

Probably still supposed to have a light even for the handwritten numbers

[Tassie f100]

You could use the supercheap board just tied to the back of the trailer or if you wanted the lights more permanent,take the lights off and bolt to the trailer.you might have to tap a number plate light into the loom

[Vesper Martini]

Originally Posted by Tassie f100

Probably still supposed to have a light even for the handwritten numbers

Probably, but nobody does it

[Tassie f100]

You may or may not have to have it inspected to transfer rego.For RWC needs lights,red reflecors on rear corner#!white reflectors on front corners.rated safety chain,vin number,good tyres,bearings etc.tailgate should have a 150mm wide white strip

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by Tassie f100

You may or may not have to have it inspected to transfer rego.For RWC needs lights,red reflecors on rear corner#!white reflectors on front corners.rated safety chain,vin number,good tyres,bearings etc.tailgate should have a 150mm wide white strip

I believe that certain trailers in Vic do not need rego, so no roadworthy would be needed.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by GasoLane

I believe that certain trailers in Vic do not need rego, so no roadworthy would be needed.

6x4 trailer doesn't need rego

[.:4:.]

When i got a blue slip (nsw) on my boat trailer, the only iffy thing i had to sorta twist an arm for was the numberplate light. So factory incandecents. The tail, brake lights and indicators work. It has side running lights that arent needed but work. The numberplate light is just a clear section on the underside of the red diffuser of the rear tail lamp. The engineers concern is even though it was fine when the trailer was new, it only lights up the first of 6 characters of the number plate. He reluctantly passed it as it was not a modified trailer. The running lights, they're as it was factory so orange on the fron and rear of the wheel arches tapped into the tails so only on with the cars headlights. So boat on trailer, its not heaps long, maybe 7m. But it is wider then a car that tows it.

[Vesper Martini]

Actually looking at Vicroads I think you only need a RWC if the trailer is considered a Heavy Trailer of 4500 mass
that seems pretty heavy?

[Itsme]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

6x4 trailer doesn't need rego

Depends on what you are doing with it and if you happen to carry goods that could overhang a 6x4 then must be registered hence the reason why my one is registered.

[Tassie f100]

Originally Posted by Itsme

Depends on what you are doing with it and if you happen to carry goods that could overhang a 6x4 then must be registered hence the reason why my one is registered.

Yeah thats a bit contrradictory,because it is illegal to have anything extending behind the trailer

[foxtrot3]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

6x4 trailer doesn't need rego

Hi. It doesn't need rego FOR PRIVATE USE, It would need rego if you were using it for business use. Cheers MD

[Franco Cozzo]

How good is all the conflicting information in this thread from different rules in different states.

Imagine if we just had one set of rules that were national for all our road authorities

[prktkljokr]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

How good is all the conflicting information in this thread from different rules in different states.

Imagine if we just had one set of rules that were national for all our road authorities

LoL as if that would happen

[arm79]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

How good is all the conflicting information in this thread from different rules in different states.

Imagine if we just had one set of rules that were national for all our road authorities

Where would be the fun in that...

Friends of mine moved from Hoppers to Cairns maybe 10/11 years ago now. The sent the bulk of their stuff up in containers, but decided to drive their 2 cars one towing a 6x4 with the last of their personal items.

About 15 min over the Qld border the car with the trailer was pulled over by a cop who demanded the rego papers for the trailer. They explained they were moving to Cairns, didn't know Qld required rego and in Vic they don't.

Cop said tough sh*t and gave them a $500 fine.

I remember the FB posst. A pic of the fine with the caption "Welcome to f*cking Queensland".

$120 or $140 to rego a 6X4 here. Cant remember what I last paid.

[Vesper Martini]

Originally Posted by Tassie f100

Yeah thats a bit contradictory, because it is illegal to have anything extending behind the trailer

Yep - more likely to get pinged for overhangs than no licence plate light.