Ranger bed as trailer, wiring issues

[Roger]

Recently picked up this Ranger bed as a trailer. $150. Sold the tires and wheels for $100!

Sw

Swapped in Wrangler wheels and hub adapters, looks better. Added my bed rack off my Gladiator, to mount my Rooftop Tent.

Problem. Wiring and lights are way out of whack. I have read running lights. But my turn signals and brake lights are amber/yellow! Pink and white wire is license plate lights, black and pink is reverse lights. Technically, the 4 pin plug is wired "correctly." But my brake lights are the wrong color.

I believe I may need to dig into tbe harness closer to the taillights to get them to work properly. I'm very ok if I ONLY have red lights and no amber. But brake lights MUST be red...

Any idea what I'm doing wrong?

Also. No idea what the green/black wire is.

Going to swap to 7 way harness as I want reverse lights, will swap out the Ranger axle for a 3500lb or 4500lb axle with brakes. I want a constant hit for charging house batteries. Already have a charging controller and a solar panel.

Plans include towing behind my Hladiator, my 95 Grand Cherokee. My 2002 F150 Supercrew 4x2. And maybe, someday, behind my 1962 IH Scout 80 project.

 

[racsan]

Ive had so many issues with my ranger trailer & keeping the lights working that Ive resorted to L.E.D. magnet mount lights whenever it hits the highway. Granted thats rare for me, most of the time it has a cap on it now with no back door & a small fridge inside for extra eggs for sale.

 

[Roger]

I used some magnet LEDs to get it home. If I have to run new wire all tbe way to the lights, I will. I'm not going to chase bad wiring. Been there. Done that.

I had hoped it would be easier than chopping a 94 4 door Exporer harness down to work in our 90 Ranger project 13 years ago.

 

[Roger]

Ok. The green/black wire is to the rear axle ABS sensor. I do not need that wire.

I pulled the lamp housings from the bed, looked at the wiring harnesses. I'm going to buy a 7 wire cable to go from tbe new 7 way junction box, and out to the lights. Cut out the factory harness and splice in the new 7 wire set rather than futz with the factory chassis harness.

I hit upon this plan after chatting g with a buddy that has been a semi trailer mech. Just use new wire where I can. Make the lights do what I want...

Ok. I think I have a plan now.

 

[Roger]

Will finish the 7 blade RV plug, but will keep the 4 pin available as well.

I snipped and spliced the amber turn signal wire into the middle of the credit light socket. Now have red brakes, running turn signals.

 

[Shran]

I just built a pickup box trailer out of a 94 Mazda B4000 and ran into the same thing. My fix was to clip the green brake light wire on each side right at the bulb, leaving plenty of wire, and also clip the turn signal power wire off that bulb (orange/green and green/orange were the two power wires for the amber turn signals.) Connect those wires to the green wires on the upper red bulb - then at the front of the trailer you will only need to worry about O/G, G/O, black & brown - greatly simplifies things, all your trailer lights will be red and the amber turn signal ones simply don't do anything.