another wiring ?:

[blue_healer_guy]

Redid the inside of the ice house. Knew where the wires for the trailer lights were and thought I missed them with the brads. Hook up and only got both left and right blinkers at the same time when using only one blinker. So I fiquired I shorted them out with a nail. Everything is enclosed so I fiquire I will just run a whole new set under the carpet. Did that and hook up and the same thing happened, just both blinkers going and no clearance or brake lights. Before I did all of this I checked fuses in truck and checked it on the boat and everything worked great. Sounds like a ground or a short but everything is new. Any thoughts?:

[jeffreyd]

sounds like a bad ground to me.

[Shane May]

Agree...

[crappiekid]

i agree how did you ground your lights in back?? Sometimes just into siding will not work. I had to run seperate ground to each light from truck.

I also had a short in my 12 volt system. I have spray foam insulation. Tested everything before i put paneling on. all good. Install panelling and test ligths, pop goes fuse. Pis-ed off and confused... I took my OHM meter and hooked one side to the battery connection then touched all screw heads / staples with the other connection. The 5th staple i touched pegged the meter. Bingo. Got lucky i think. I hit a knot in the wood and staple changed course hitting my wires! good luck

[blue_healer_guy]

I grounded it to the tounge, new hole new self tapper new everything. Took a sander and its down to bare metal so a good ground should be in order. On the lights itself there is 1 white wire that is there, but its hooked to to within and was not connected in any way to the the other 2 (running lights and blinkers). Like others have said, lights seem to give you trouble when you dont have time or a trip planned.

[crappiekid]

I grounded it to the tounge, new hole new self tapper new everything. Took a sander and its down to bare metal so a good ground should be in order. On the lights itself there is 1 white wire that is there, but its hooked to to within and was not connected in any way to the the other 2 (running lights and blinkers). Like others have said, lights seem to give you trouble when you dont have time or a trip planned.

sometimes the bolt / to the nut is the ground. look for a copper / brass loop around the bolt. if so ground that to frame. worked for me on utility trailer.

[Pooh]

check the ground on your truck too, my not be just a fish house problem.

[Macgyver55]

The quickest way to track down a ground problem (which is likely your problem) is to turn on the lights. Then, connect a long separate jumper wire to the truck to a (known)good ground. I like to use a wire long enough to go all the way to the tail lights if necessary. First, touch it to the tongue, this will eliminate both the truck and trailer ground connections as the problem. If this is not the problem, then continue back to the next possible place. Often, on snowmobile trailers, it is the tilt point where trailers lose their ground connection. Assuming you dont have a tilt on your trailer, move back to your tail lights and do the same thing. Pull off a lens and touch the ground directly to the bulb socket. You should have lights if your other wiring is ok.

The fact that none of your other clearance lights work, tells me it should be the main ground to the frame. The clearance lights ground independently not just the tail lights, so if it were a just tail light problem the clearance lights would still work normally.

Isnt wiring fun?

[blue_healer_guy]

Hey, making some progress. Ran a ground line from the ground on the tongue back to the lights. I now have blinkers and brakes but no clearance. You guys have been great, hoping to close the deal, any ideas?:

[jeffreyd]

might end up replacing the whole light fixture. especially if it is the plastic one with the clearance light on the side and a licese plate light under. they loose the connection pretty quick with rust and crud.

[Macgyver55]

If you have brake and turn lights, but still have no tail lights with the socket grounded, you also have a problem with the tail light circuit. If you have a test light, ground it to the long wire you used, then check the terminal that the brown wire goes to inside the tail light socket for current. If it is dead, check for current at the truck connector. If no current there, recheck the fuse and wiring on the truck.

[blue_healer_guy]

Hooray! It's finally solved. Most if not all of the problem ended up being very corroded wiring and connectors in the socket assembly on the truck. 2 wires were basically gone due to corrosion. It was hard to pinpoint until we took all the electrical tape off from underneath the truck. Thanks to all who helped!