Trailer rewire

[harvey lee]

Well, after 6 years old, my new boat trailer had the wires on one side through the frame worn through. I guess when they use 16 gauge wire, thats what one gets.

So, I thought I have to rewire this much heavier than the factory or in 5 or so years, I will be doing this again.

I purchased some electric trailer brake wire for the brake, blinker and tail lights. This wire has so much more protective coating and of course the wire is a much heavier gauge wire.Then I used a extension cord for my ground wire. The ext cord has the extra thicker protection than the cheapo wire the factory puts in the trailer. Then if for some reason the ground goes bad, I have 2 other wires in the casing so I can just switch to a new wire and I am ready to go.

Hooked all the wires up and somehow it all lit up like it is suppose to.

Anyone else ever try this to have the wiring last longer? It cost about 2-2.5 times more to wire this way but my guess is, it will last alot longer than the cheapo wire from the factory.

Now I guess it's wait and see how long this wire job lasts.

In the grand scheme of things, I am not sure why the factory does not use a heavier wire with a better protective coating so the wire do not rub through so fast.

Then again, maybe I fish too much and put too many miles on the trailer.

[TruthWalleyes]

Then again, maybe I fish too much and put too many miles on the trailer.

Agreed, not many people fish as much as we do...We're lucky!

All the things i've added to my boat, such as rod storage for 10' rods and 15 of em, you won't find in a new boat either. LED lights - Why don't you see them in new boats? You can go on and on.

I rewired my trailer last year. The trailer wiring kit i used the wiring insulation seems sufficient. I do have a ground problem this year though, which i have not been able to isolate - need to spend a few minutes figuring that one. I like you extension cable idea.

[harvey lee]

When I purchased my last boat and trailer 5-6 years ago, the trailer did come with LED lighting and that was a great improvement. Now, get some better wire in the frame and all would be much better.

So many times one cannot see where the wire is broken as the wire coating is still in tact. The wires on the one side of my trailer, they were all 3 rubbed through the protective coating and it wore the wire stands to about nothing. All inside the frame tubing. Wouldn't think it would rub through there but it does and can.

[EBass]

That seems like a lot of work running wires instead of a new kit, but good project for the do it yourselfer. What I should do is use that flex tube on every inch of traier wire and zip tie it here and there to make it stay put. I bought a new LED kit last year. Very bright, but more than twice as much. And not much if of it is protected except the coating on the wire.

Let us know how long it lasts compared to normal.

[harvey lee]

NO more work than running a regular set of wires, just pull from one end to another. When the wires are broken inside the frame channel, there is no choice but to pull it all out and replace, I would not dream of splicing a bad spot in the wire inside the frame.

There is no doubt that this wire will outlast the factory by far as it is so much heavier and it is double protected with insulation. I believe the elec trailer brake wire has to be DOT approverd so it should be as good as any wire a guy can use.

The wireloom would work great if you have room to pull the wire from the front to the rear through the frame.

[TruthWalleyes]

If i ever do my trailer again, i'll run sealtite...But then, you got to worry about transfering AIS in your sealtite.

[harvey lee]

What's AIS?????

[EBass]

HA