Checking Trailer lights when you are alone???

[TXBobcat]

I was just wondering, if you are by yourself and you want to take your trailer somewhere how do you check to see if your trailer lights are working.


BC

 

[jimtoo]

Turn your lights on and also turn on the emergency flashers... that will tell you the bulbs are working or not. But your gonna need some one or a mirror to tell for sure the brake lights and are working.

 

[olcoon]

I'll check the turn signals, 4-way flashers & tail lights by turning them on & walking back to check them, then use one of my leveling blocks & lay it on the brake pedal to check the brake lights. A little walking, but I know they are working.

BTW, Bob I talked to a guy at the IA rally that has the Garmin RV GPS, & he said it works great & he really likes it. Has a really big screen also.

 

[rfournelle]

Ditto here.

Bob

I'll check the turn signals, 4-way flashers & tail lights by turning them on & walking back to check them, then use one of my leveling blocks & lay it on the brake pedal to check the brake lights. A little walking, but I know they are working.

BTW, Bob I talked to a guy at the IA rally that has the Garmin RV GPS, & he said it works great & he really likes it. Has a really big screen also.

 

[dave10a]

One should always check their lights for safety and courteous reasons. I don't understand why one would ask this obvious question.

 

[codycarver]

One should always check their lights for safety and courteous reasons. I don't understand why one would ask this obvious question.

The question was when alone "how" not "if" to check the lights. Seems like a reasonable question to me.

 

[bighorn3370]

I was thought some time ago that if the four ways are working you are good to go on the brake light. Ernie


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[Lynn1130]

Me too. I think you misunderstood the question Dave.

 

[TXBobcat]

The question was when alone "how" not "if" to check the lights. Seems like a reasonable question to me.

Thanks Dave. Yes the question was "if alone" how do you check your trailer lights.

I understand using flashers and signals by walking back. I was wondering how others went about doing this. As with Roy I could use a board to press the brake pedal. I could do that.... Also if your signal light blinker flashes very fast it usually means one of your truck lights are not working. I don't think this works with the trailer lights.

I have also checked my truck lights by backing up to a store front window and looking in the rear view mirror to see if they are reflecting in the window. Would be a bit harder with a large trailer, but who knows a large window might be available.

Something else, when in an RV park most RVers are eager to assist others you might ask some one near by to take a look for you, or even someone in the campground office...

Any other ideas??

BC

 

[whp4262]

I was thought some time ago that if the four ways are working you are good to go on the brake light. Ernie


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I haven't kept up with the newer cars but the emergency flasher was part of the brake light system on most of the older vehicles. You could check the brake light bulbs and integrity of the wiring using the flashers. What it didn't check was the brake pedal switch.


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[jmgratz]

If I am correct, the clearance lights on the trailer are on the same circuit as the trailer taillights and the hazard flashers are on the same circuit as the brake lights. So if you clearance lights work you tail lights should too unless you have a tail light burnt out, and if the hazard flashers work you brake lights should too. Turn lights use the same circuit as the brake lights I think. BTW just as a matter of additional knowledge the dash lights on the tow vehicle are on the same circuit as the tail lights, so if you do not have dash lights you will not have tail lights.

 

[caissiel]

I haven't kept up with the newer cars but the emergency flasher was part of the brake light system on most of the older vehicles. You could check the brake light bulbs and integrity of the wiring using the flashers. What it didn't check was the brake pedal switch.


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I use the flasher and park
The brake light reflection is seen on the trailer, at least on our unit. If flasher works then brake light on trailer works because they share same circuit and wires.

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[Willym]

I do the same as Laurent. Turn on the truck lights, and 4-way flashers. Walk around check all bulbs. Turn off flashers and lights, press brake pedal and confirm that truck brake lights work using reflection on trailer.

 

[porthole]

Bob, your question certainly is valid, especially on the newest trucks.

Just because your flashers work does not necessarly mean your brake lights are working.

An example would be the newer Super Duty's. There is a circuit, fuse and a relay for just about everything in the truck. Including separate relays for left, right, run and brake lights for the trailer connection.

For the most part, if you can see your brake lights and hazards from the truck reflecting at the front of the trailer, the possibility is that if the hazards work at the back of the trailer the brake lights work too.

But, that is not 100%, so the only way to really tell is to have the back of the trailer close enough to an object to see the lights reflect.

And as was mentioned, if you have a dash indicator that is blinking faster then normal that is an indication you have a bulb out.

The caveat to that is the "fast blink" is set off by a resistance change in the circuit, e.g. one bulb out, less resistance, fast blink.
If you are connected to your trailer and the truck has a bad bulb, you may not get the fast blink because of the added load the trialer supplies.
Same goes with if you have a bad bulb in the trailer. The system already has sufficient resistance so the fast blink does not activate.


LED's are now a game changer. Because they are so low in resistance, body computers have to be modified to operate the lights correctly.

My motorcyle for example has to have a "load equalizer" in the system to allow my lights to work correctly. Not only will my lights not work correctly, but the anti theft portion of the PCM will not work with the alarm with straight LEDs

 

[dave10a]

If the flasher work and the tail lights work you are good to go at least that is the way my Ford truck works. If there is a problem in the circuit the Ford message center will warn me of that. Also be sure to use dialectic grease on the connectors because if the connections have any resistance the Ford message center will tell you bad things are going on.

 

[jnbhobe]

Duane, I think you can turn off the fast blink in the body control computer, its off on the C & C models. I did mine when I went to all LED lights on the truck and trailers.

 

[traveler44]

I prop a windshield scraper on a stick against the brake pedal and run the seat forward enough to depress the brake pedal and check the lights on all of the trailers I tow that way. The windshield scrapper has a sponge on the other end that keeps from doing damage to the front of the seat.

 

[dbylinski]

Check out a product called Brake Buddy. Really nice for checking lights on your own.


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