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Trailer Wiring Harness


Disconnecting the trailer wiring harness  

279 members have voted

  1. 1. My trailer manual indicates that I should unhook the wiring harness before launching the boat. Just curious as to how many actually do this.

    • Always unhook trailers wiring harness.
      41
    • Never unhook trailers wiring harness.
      230
    • Only if the ramp is not busy.
      4
    • Boat stays on the water, thus I never trailer it.
      4


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The manual that came with my trailer (Dorsey) indicates that I should unhook the wiring harness when I launch my boat. I have never done this in the past and haven't really experienced any problems. I am just wondering if anyone else has experienced problems from not unhooking the wiring harness when launching and if so what kind of problems. I think I would have a more difficult time remembering to hook it back up and driving down the road without lights.....even more of a problem. Your thoughts would be appreciated.

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The manual that came with my trailer (Dorsey) indicates that I should unhook the wiring harness when I launch my boat. I have never done this in the past and haven't really experienced any problems. I am just wondering if anyone else has experienced problems from not unhooking the wiring harness when launching and if so what kind of problems. I think I would have a more difficult time remembering to hook it back up and driving down the road without lights.....even more of a problem. Your thoughts would be appreciated.

If you have sealed taillamps and clearance lights there is no reason to unplug the lights. Back when they used incandescent bulbs, the water would pop the hot bulbs when it hit them. Thats the only reason for doing it.

I've not unhooked a boat trailer in many many years, never had a problem.

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I'd have problems with the brakes if I unhooked.

Ditto... My trailer will lock the disc brakes if I unhook.

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Mine too...unless I use the mechanical lockout, even on level pavement.

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I unplug mine just as the trailer crestes down the ramp. Then I have to put my 7 to 5 adapter in the truck so it won't get stolen. On my Winner, I have removable lights because that is my salt water boat, but I still have to remove the 7 to 5. We even have to lock the spare tire in the truck too or that will be gone when you get back. That's why I luv Jersey.

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Unhooked them for years. At times had to leave them hooked up so I could see trailer at night when loading in the dark. It never caused problems, so I quit unhooking them, no problems in 2 years. I think this problem has been eliminated since all lights should be sealed now. Years ago they weren't.

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I did this growing up and was in the habit with my bu. But I stopped after reading info here and on WSR. So, when I have to trailer to a public site, I don't bother unhooking the wiring anymore. But 90% of my days are on the private pond in which case I don't even hook them up to begin with.

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I always unhook them, but won't anymore after I've read the above replies. Thanks! Now I know why I always have to use the mechanical lockout. Hey, I'm still brand new to this! Dontknow.gif

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I've never had to unhook the harness; also with the above statements you can't backup the trailer due to the brakes, but for the first time I just blew a fuse in my Navigator this last weekend and I was screwed on the way home if I needed to back up. It's a good thing I always keep my lockout for the tongue with me for just that reason if my brakes got screwed up I can always slip that in and backup.

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  • 2 weeks later...
The manual that came with my trailer (Dorsey) indicates that I should unhook the wiring harness when I launch my boat. I have never done this in the past and haven't really experienced any problems. I am just wondering if anyone else has experienced problems from not unhooking the wiring harness when launching and if so what kind of problems. I think I would have a more difficult time remembering to hook it back up and driving down the road without lights.....even more of a problem. Your thoughts would be appreciated.

I don't unhook, and I also don't read the manual! Biggrin.gif

(Ditto the comments on the brakes and sealed lights)

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  • 1 month later...

OK, so I trailer once in the spring and once in the fall. Otherwise the boat stays at the dock. I don't unplug on the occasions I do need the trailer, though.

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  • 5 months later...
OK, so I trailer once in the spring and once in the fall. Otherwise the boat stays at the dock. I don't unplug on the occasions I do need the trailer, though.

Partial hijack here.

If you mean "in the water" when you say "at the dock"..... you might want to be careful. Lots of folks talk of blistering/osmosis with prolonged in-water periods. One of my prior boats developed small blisters.... I too used to leave in the water all summer. Now that I have a (precious) Malibu, I pull it out every 2 ~ 3 weeks, wash it down, dry it off, and sometimes re-apply wax to the under-belly. Who wants a boat with ACNE? Not me.

Hijack over.

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  • 1 year later...
I've never had to unhook the harness; also with the above statements you can't backup the trailer due to the brakes, but for the first time I just blew a fuse in my Navigator this last weekend and I was screwed on the way home if I needed to back up. It's a good thing I always keep my lockout for the tongue with me for just that reason if my brakes got screwed up I can always slip that in and backup.

In an emergency you can unplug your trailer lights, plug just the last male prong into (I think) the 2nd female, turn on your running lights to activate the circuit and lock out the brake actuator. The last male is the circuit for the brake actuator, the 2nd female (or whichever it is, been a long time since I've had to do it) is the trailers running light circuit. Allows you to back up in a pinch without the manual lockout thingie. Of course you won't have any trailer lights. The brake actuator works off the backup light circuit on the vehicle; when you put the vehicle in reverse the circuit becomes live locking out the brakes. Plugging into the running light circuit and turning on the running lights energizes the circuit and accomplishes the same thing.

Ditto everyone who stated the light units are sealed, no reason to ever unplug them. I never do, never been a problem.

Ed

Edited by ed obermeier
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I'd have problems with the brakes if I unhooked.

Ditto... My trailer will lock the disc brakes if I unhook.

Plus1.gif

Mine too...unless I use the mechanical lockout, even on level pavement.

Plus1.gif

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  • 2 weeks later...

I like having the trailer lights on when I’m taking the boat out of the water because it’s usually well after dark. Even if the ramp if well lit, it helps having the lights on (even if underwater) to line up the boat on the trailer.

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I always leave them plugged in. On at night but only in parking light position. Just as a favor to the next person who may try to back down the ramp next to me. It in nearly impossible to see if the truck at the bottom of the ramp has their headlights glaring up the hill at you.

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