External Trailer Lighting

tlucier

tlucier

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 3, 2007
Location
Mebane, NC
So for those with a trailer...5’th wheel, gooseneck, travel trailer...did you add any external lighting so you can see where you’re going when you back into your spot after dark? Just curious. If you did, what did you choose and how did you wire the lights?
 
tlucier said:
So for those with a trailer...5’th wheel, gooseneck, travel trailer...did you add any external lighting so you can see where you’re going when you back into your spot after dark? Just curious. If you did, what did you choose and how did you wire the lights?
Click to expand...

Other than the backup lights?

My biggest complaint is that the backup lights on the truck reflect off the front of the trailer. Otherwise, I have backup lights on the back of the trailer, and I'll run the hazards, since they help throw some light to the sides.
 
tlucier said:
So for those with a trailer...5’th wheel, gooseneck, travel trailer...did you add any external lighting so you can see where you’re going when you back into your spot after dark? Just curious. If you did, what did you choose and how did you wire the lights?
Click to expand...

If you’re trailer is wired with a 7 pin harness AND the center pin isn’t deleted, you can run reverse lights off of that feed. Mount whatever lights you like and they’ll come on every time you shift into reverse. Problem is most manufacturers of utility trailers delete that connection and it’s just a plastic nub there.
 
shawn said:
New plug is only $10 or so. Just pull a wire to it.

Then buy a few of these: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01EJWB62U
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I have those exact lights under both my deckover trailer and dads regular drop deck car trailer. I mounted them up towards the tongue underneath aimed back towards the axles. They are bright as hell and I can see exactly where my tires are at night. Wired to the center pin too.

I also put a set on my f250s hitch and wired to an upfitter switch so I can turn them on when hitching or unhitching in the dark or I can turn them on too for even more light.

Sent from my HTC6545LVW using Tapatalk
 
Thanks for all of the replies. They were exactly what I was looking for and I appreciate the input. Just gathering info at this point but when I get it rigged up I'll post some pics.
 
I have a couple of rear facing pod lights on the back of the truck hooked to a switch on the bottom of my dash. (to help with trailer at night officer :cool:)

I decided that I wanted the same kind of light on the back of the trailer, so I tapped into that line and ran a connector along side the trailer plug. Then I bought (2) 6 pack's of rock lights for the trailer. And also an 8" wide bar and mounted it in the very middle of the back of the trailer. The rock lights came with a splitter, and I just wired them together, along with the bar light, and on up to the trailer plug.

4 rock lights were mounted on the underside of the deck at the 4 corners then a couple a little further up from the rear shining down, then I mounted one on the inner fender of the front side of each front wheel, so at night I could see the front tire on each side, then in the middle of the rear fender so I could see the rear tire , and then 2 on the top of the deck. One directly under the front axle, and the other under the rear axle, so I could load and unload the jeep at night without a flashlight.

Amazing amount of light for parking. And makes for clear checking of your tires at night on the road in the mirrors. Also...it's hell on tailgaters
 
After having backup lights (same as @shawn recommended) on my trailer for the past year, they are oh so nice!
I added a switch that will allow them to power off the trucks reverse circuit (default) or can manually fire them off trailer battery.

I have another set for the front of trailer (work lights), but have to devise mounting after replacing the winch... and another larger set for the back of the dually
 
shawn said:
I've had one or two crap out. But for the price, I didn't bother with warranty. I just ordered another set.
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Me too. One of my first ones mounted on the truck got water inside it from a bad seal I guess, I just ordered a second set and replaced the bad one.

I took it apart and dried it out resealed with rtv and it works again, so I put it on my trailer. Still going strong 3 years now.

I'm thinking of ordering another set for the trail rig for reverse lights.

Sent from my HTC6545LVW using Tapatalk
 
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Mine was likely a bad transistor.
 
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