redkow97 Posted April 15, 2015 Report Share Posted April 15, 2015 My third set just died on me after 2 uses. The original set was grounding poorly, so I replaced it with an LED setup. That worked great for about 10 minutes. As near as I can tell, the stiff suspension bounces the lights to death. every bump is like a death sentence as they shake to pieces. Does anyone else with the HF trailer or a similar sized open-trailer have this issue? What do I need to buy to make this shit work for more than a few uses? I did buy the $4 warranty on the walmart set I last purchased, so I have a walmart gift-card coming my way to replace the current broken setup, but at this point I would be fine with spending twice as much on something that will last longer. Suggestions? doesn't have to be LED, I just thought that would be brighter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gump Posted April 15, 2015 Report Share Posted April 15, 2015 Napa has the rubber mounted types. Circle or oval type. Led or traditional. I've never had lights fail that quick though. The rubber mounted ones last longer and you can just pop out a bad one, in and out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dustinsn3485 Posted April 16, 2015 Report Share Posted April 16, 2015 Mine have been good for going on two years and a couple thousand miles on my HF trailer. No help here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeavyDuty Posted April 16, 2015 Report Share Posted April 16, 2015 Post a few pictures of the light setup I do not know that trailer but have pulled a boat trailer for 40 years I might be able to help are the lights just falling apart? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helmutt Posted April 16, 2015 Report Share Posted April 16, 2015 Heard good things about superbright, may be worth checking out for the price https://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/truck-trailer-led-lights/led-trailer-light-kit-4in-square-led-trailer-stop-turn-tail-light-kit-with-17-high-output-leds-/612/1856/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tigerpaw Posted April 16, 2015 Report Share Posted April 16, 2015 My orange marker light went out on one side after about 3 years and 2000 miles. Confirmed its not the bulb, haven't troubleshot any further yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redkow97 Posted April 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 16, 2015 i'm wondering if LED's just aren't the best option for this application. I believe (I do not know for certain) that the diodes themselves are literally being shake out of their 'sockets' or breaking away from their soldered bases. My knowledge of LED construction is not sufficient to really be sure, and I am hesitant to open up the lights until my warranty claim goes through. But this happened with the last set as well. They worked great for a few trips, then slowly died, with more and more diodes going dark. I have used this set 2 times that I can think of, with the most recent being a trip down to Circleville and back and Sunday. I am 100% certain that the running lights and turn signals were functioning when I left Sunday morning. I didn't check brake light functionality, but it's the same set of diodes, so I presume they were. When I left Tuesday morning to take the bike back to JB's shop, only the side marker lights (not the rear-facing tail lights in the same unit) were working. Turn signals were also not functioning at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redkow97 Posted April 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 16, 2015 I just want a GOOD QUALITY lighting kit... At this point I am tempted to just use the existing lenses that I have, and buy regular car tail/brake lights, then solder in my own bulb socket. The wiring is all fine. I know because I replaced that when I replaced the lights last fall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gump Posted April 16, 2015 Report Share Posted April 16, 2015 I'm not 100% what you have but those square jobbers with a rectangular running light that contain brake, running, and side light, corrode a lot. Theyre the most common trailer light assemblies you find every where and I won't buy them again. Rubber mounted or marine class. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2talltim Posted April 16, 2015 Report Share Posted April 16, 2015 (edited) I can about bet its not the lights that are the problem it's the grounding. Run a dedicated ground to the light instead of using the trailers frame will solve most trailer light issues. You can buy the best light available and if the ground still sucks the lights still wont work. after that is solved id go with a led style if you want reliability, a bulb will blow due to vibrations before solder would let go. Edited April 16, 2015 by 2talltim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redkow97 Posted April 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 16, 2015 how do you suggest I ground the lights? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2talltim Posted April 16, 2015 Report Share Posted April 16, 2015 how do you suggest I ground the lights?On my TSC trailer i just ran a designated ground wire to each light to the wire harness at the tongue. Overkill but i never had a problem after that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gump Posted April 16, 2015 Report Share Posted April 16, 2015 (edited) On my TSC trailer i just ran a designated ground wire to each light to the wire harness at the tongue. Overkill but i never had a problem after that.Also, A lot of times the vehicles trailer plug doesn't have the ground (white wire) going anywhere although it looks like it does. Some plugs the ground terminates at the plug doing nothing. Ground is achieved thru The vehicle hitch to trailer tongue in that case. Edited April 16, 2015 by Gump Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redkow97 Posted April 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 16, 2015 so ground directly to the tow vehicle rather than the frame of the trailer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helmutt Posted April 17, 2015 Report Share Posted April 17, 2015 so ground directly to the tow vehicle rather than the frame of the trailer?That's how my truck is wired to my trailer. Grounded through the trucks harness connection, not at the trailer chassis. I've got a 7way cannon at my hitch converted to the standard 4way trailer harness connector Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gump Posted April 17, 2015 Report Share Posted April 17, 2015 (edited) so ground directly to the tow vehicle rather than the frame of the trailer?Yes or at least ground from trailer plug to trailer at the tongue. Considering your vehicle trailer harness from it's trailer plug has an actual ground wire and that ground wire is still connected. Lots of times people put the vehicle trailer plug ground wire to a ring terminal and a machine thread bolt under the vehicle somewhere and they corrode super fast. If your trailer was painted before assembly this could be why a good ground is not obtained near the back of the trailer, disregarding if the trailer is grounding thru the tongue and ball and/or the vehicle trailer plug. Edited April 17, 2015 by Gump Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ludwb675 Posted April 17, 2015 Report Share Posted April 17, 2015 On my TSC trailer i just ran a designated ground wire to each light to the wire harness at the tongue. Overkill but i never had a problem after that. I did the same thing. Dedicated ground to each light and never had a problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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