wariosport

iTrader: (46)

So far I have figured:

On Evo side - Left side
Green w/ yellow line = lights
Solid Green = brakes
White w/blue line = left turn signal

- Right side
Solid Yellow = right turn signal

On trailer side -
Yellow = left had turn & stop
Brown =lights
White = ground
Green = right turn signal & stop

So how do I make it all work? I've tried many combinations to get all of it to work.

fafaforza

iTrader: (3)

Did you ever finish the wiring? If so, I'd be interested to hear.

fafaforza

iTrader: (3)

Looking at this page:

http://carfixonline.blogspot.com/200...er-lights.html

So maybe one of these kits is necessary, as I don't see how -- with a separate cable for running lights, turn signals and brakes -- you're supposed to squeeze 4 wires (2 turn signals, running and brake) into a 4 point harness.

fafaforza

iTrader: (3)

Ordered one of these: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004EKW0DC

These are nice but expensive: http://www.wiringproducts.com/contents/en-us/d141.html

All the sites I've read claim that you need a 5-to-4 converter if brake and turn signal are on separate wires. So I'm going with this.

fafaforza

iTrader: (3)

So I'm gonna post info on my wiring for posterity. I'm using the 5-into-4 converter I linked to Amazon above.

Inline splice into the right turn signal (yellow wire). Ignore the fact that I'm using a white wire. You would splice in the long green cable from the 5-to-4 converter. I ran the white wire across the trunk before getting the converter, then connected it to the long green wire.



Before wrapping stuff with electrical tape. You can see the white ground wire bolted to the frame member.

On the bottom of the pic you see a small spool of cable (white and green): as described above, I ran the white wire to the right hand turn signal before getting the converter. The converter comes with its own length of green wire to reach the right turn signal. I connected them to eachother and trimmed the excess.



The instructions are pretty straight forward:



The other side of the splicing:
- green with silver spots is the brake light
- green with yellow stripe is the running/tail light
- white with blue stripe is the left turn signal



And a short vid.
http://youtu.be/Y6LmWrrDV10

Without the 5-to-4 converter, I guess one of the functions wouldn't work, as there are only 4 wires (1 ground, 2 turn signals, and the last remaining one). So you'd either have no running lights or no brake lights, and would have to get an additional set of lights for ~$40. This is cheaper and more convenient.

nine3shoof

I took a different approach with my Evo 10. I really don't like the idea of red lights pulling double duty as brake lights and indicators. Even less triple duty as running lights too. So I got a pair of amber motorcycle indicators from the local breakers - free, as it happens - and mounted them to the trailer. Bike lights have flexible mounts so are a bit less susceptible to damage. I used a 5 wire harness with provision for earth, right and left indicators, running lights, and a backup up wire which is normally used to disengage an electric brake, wired as follows...

Evo side:

Left turn - green with silver spots (using the same "wire across the back to the right side" technique)
Right turn - Red with white stripe
Running lights - Grey with silver spots
Brake - Red withSilver spots
I ran the white earth wire to one of the bolts holding the trunk latch.

On the trailer side I used the usual wires to the running lights, relocated the turn signal wires to the new amber lights, and ran additional blue wires to the original brake/turn signals. These blue wires are used ONLY for the brake lights, and are spliced into the single blue wire which came with the 5 wire harness. I also ran dedicated earth wires for the new amber lights straight to the trailer frame.

Brown - Running lights
Yellow - Left turn
Green - Right turn
White - Earth
Blue - Brake

I now have proper amber flashing indicators and real hazard lights. Yes, it sort of knackers the wiring for other trailers, but the Evo isn't going to be a general purpose tow vehicle. I will use it only for towing a 2 bike trailer. It won't be towing any U-Haul trailers.

I could have pressed the wife's van into service but, shallow as it may seem, I couldn't think of a cooler way to arrive at a track day than with the bikes behind an Evo :-)

Total cost about $15. Would be maybe another $20 if I had to pay for the bike lights.

ryanz31

i have a 2006 evo 9. i used your tutioral on how to splice into the wires and the lights turn on and the right turn signal worked. the left did nothing. i blew 2 fuses for the turn signals than the box on the 5 ta 4 connector that tells you what wires go where. it melted.like clean through i thought my car was going to go up in flames....... do you have any information on why this would happen?? i did the exact same thing as you ... have you had any problems with yours so far.. what do you think would cause this? thanks in advance Ryan

fafaforza

iTrader: (3)

Nope, haven't had that happen. Did you get the Amazon one? Maybe you got a faulty one. Was your ground good? Maybe you could try the more expensive one.

nine3shoof

Well after declaring that I would only be pulling bikes, I ended up pulling a UHaul trailer 670 miles to move my son from Alabama to Virginia. The Evo performed flawlessly, settling down to an 80MPH cruising speed fully loaded. No instability at all.

This is what I intended to do with my towbar...

EvoDuc

But this is what I used it for...

EvoHauler

Note my son's Scooby sticking out behind the UHaul. How to move house in true Autox style!

Average 64.4 MPH, 14.4 MPG. The return journey without UHaul attached averaged 70 MPH and 23.3 MPG

I did, however, have a small electrical problem. I bought a 5 to 4 convertor similar to that described above, from UHaul. Since I had already had 5 wires spliced in for my bike trailer, it just hooked right up via a 5 pin extension...

5To4Conversion

When I tested it, everything worked. However, after using the indicators once or twice, they stopped working, and stayed that way until I turned the car off and on again. It wasn't just the trailer indicators, it was the Evo indicators too. No dashboard light either. Everything else worked the whole way. Makes me think the trailer indicators drew too much current? Does the Evo have resettable circuit breakers rather than fuses that blow?

Jim M.

steeve

Is the wiring for the trailer plug already through to the boot, or do we have to start under the dash? I've got an 07 wagon.

fafaforza

iTrader: (3)

It's already there. You're splicing into the wires going into the tail lights.

Mitsubishlover

Hi I have the same problem did you ever figure out what the problem was.
Thanks Brian




QUOTE=nine3shoof;10200963]Well after declaring that I would only be pulling bikes, I ended up pulling a UHaul trailer 670 miles to move my son from Alabama to Virginia. The Evo performed flawlessly, settling down to an 80MPH cruising speed fully loaded. No instability at all.

This is what I intended to do with my towbar...

EvoDuc

But this is what I used it for...

EvoHauler

Note my son's Scooby sticking out behind the UHaul. How to move house in true Autox style!

Average 64.4 MPH, 14.4 MPG. The return journey without UHaul attached averaged 70 MPH and 23.3 MPG

I did, however, have a small electrical problem. I bought a 5 to 4 convertor similar to that described above, from UHaul. Since I had already had 5 wires spliced in for my bike trailer, it just hooked right up via a 5 pin extension...

5To4Conversion

When I tested it, everything worked. However, after using the indicators once or twice, they stopped working, and stayed that way until I turned the car off and on again. It wasn't just the trailer indicators, it was the Evo indicators too. No dashboard light either. Everything else worked the whole way. Makes me think the trailer indicators drew too much current? Does the Evo have resettable circuit breakers rather than fuses that blow?

Jim M.[/QUOTE]

nine3shoof

Sorry, I never did resolve this. I have since used the setup for its original purpose, towing my bike trailer with its custom wiring, and it worked flawlessly, indicators and all, so I know my wiring from car through to the five wire plug is fine. I would love to know why the convertor doesn't work.

[/QUOTE]

drewbird91

iTrader: (7)

Bringing up an oldy. Can someone clarify, for an evo do we need a 5 to 4 convert like the amazon one? fafaforza, do you still have that youtube video, the link was dead. Are all your trailer lights working properly? How did you route the 4 pin out the car? Just through the trunk? Do you have more pics?

I bought a four way trailer wiring connection kit (96658) from Harbor Freight but from the sounds of it it won't work with my mini trailer, or one feature won't work. I was just looking for some clarification (how-to) prior to splicing wires and possibly blowing fuses. Thanks

fafaforza

iTrader: (3)

Here's the video:


The way I remember it is this: there are 4 wires on he trailer harness. One is ground, so you have 3 left: 2 for turn signals and one to take care of two functions: running lights and brakes.

So, 4 is not enough. You need to squeeze 5 functions into it, and that's what that little box does.

You connect to it wires:
1. ground
2. right turn
3: left turn
4. running
5. brakes

The box will combine two of them into one wire. In this case, it will send the brake light through the same wire as each of the turn signals. So you'll end up with this on the 4 wire trailer side.

1. ground
2. right turn / brakes
3: left turn / brakes
4. running

(don't use these numbers for the wiring on the harnesses, they're just index numbers)

I haven't tested what would happen when you're braking and have your signal on, but I imagine the non-signaling side will illuminate steady, and the turning side will blink. This is an easier drop in than what nine3shoof described. And I trailer one bike, so people would see my amber turn signals anyway, though I do hate how many American cars use red lights for turn signals, and usually by reusing the brake lights.


Also, as mentioned in the first sentence, one of the functions is running lights. one thing you can do if you just want to use a 4-to-4 harness is attach a separate set of lights, (battery operated if must) that would just illuminate steady red when you have your headlights on, and wired separately from the harness. But that would be a pain in the butt, and would cost you just as much as this converter.


Hope this helps.


Edit: Should add that I think most trailer harnesses only have 4 wires because historically, American cars combine blinker and brake lights into a single wire. So you'd just tap into the relevant wire per side, plus ground and running lights on the stock wiring, for a total of 4 wires. This 5-into-4 adapter would be needed by most foreign cars then.