Substitute hazard flasher for turn signal flasher when pulling a trailer?

[Rimjam]

Opened my big mouth & bought a tow dolly. Not fond of pulling much with the '88 2.9. Hooked up the dolly lights & checked them out - everything works but turn signals blink waay too fast. A friend told me the turn signal flasher was not designed to power the extra bulbs on the dolly & I should substitute a hazard flasher instead since it powers four bulbs. Is he correct?

 

[sheep herder]

No.

 

[pjtoledo]

maybe try LED bulbs in the dolly? they shouldn't add much load.

 

[sgtsandman]

I have never experienced that with any of my vehicles with a trailer hooked too it. Incandescent bulbs or LED lights equipped. A hyper flash usually indicates a burnt out bulb or not enough of a load in the system, like when converting an incandescent bulb equipped vehicle to LED lights.

Are you sure all the turn signal bulbs are functioning?

 

[RonD]

Your 1988 would have a Thermal Flasher, so it heats up and cools off and that determines the speed of the "flash"

The heat comes from the current/amps that flow thru the Flasher when its ON

Adding an extra bulb can cause faster flashing, or a burned out bulb can as well depending on HOW it burned out, i.e. separated or shorted
If a bulb separates the remaining turn signal bulbs will come on but wont flash, because there is not enough current at the flasher
If a bulb shorts then too much current and fast flashing

The faster flashing does NOT hurt anything, so you can leave it as is

You can swap out your thermal flasher with an electronic flasher, used in newer vehicles, these tend to stay the same flash rhythm when trailer lights are added, and they will flash faster if a bulb burns out, to notify Driver

And yes if at some point down the road you change to LED bulbs then you should get a flasher made for lower current LED bulbs

 

[franklin2]

Besides the electronic flashers, they also make "heavy duty" flashers that will not be affected by the additional bulb load. The old thermal flasher is handy though. Once you figure out how it works it's an instant "hey I have a bulb out" indicator. They have it adjusted so close, that if you have a bulb burned out it will not flash, just come on solid.

 

[Dirtman]

Thermal flashers are SOOOOO 1982...

 

[RonD]

But if the heater breaks you can always turn on the THERMAL flasher to get extra heat in the cab

 

[Dirtman]

Thats what the cigarette lighter is for!

 

[don4331]

What's a cigarette lighter?

Or do you mean the 12V outlet plug?​

 

[Dirtman]

My 2009 ranger still has a cigarette lighter and an ash tray....

I use them everyday in a glorious protest to the fascist authoritarian regime that stole all the fun things in life from us.

 

[sheep herder]

My 2009 ranger still has a cigarette lighter and an ash tray....

I use them everyday in a glorious protest to the fascist authoritarian regime that stole all the fun things in life from us.

'11 kept the lighter but lost the ashtray.

 

[Dirtman]

The ashtray was just a peice that fits in the cup holder... no difference in an 09 vs a 11 interior wise. My ashtray also has the coin slots. But i also have an xl so no storage in the center console. I think even in 09 if i had an xlt i wouldn't get the little ash tray filler.

 

[sheep herder]

The ashtray was just a peice that fits in the cup holder... no difference in an 09 vs a 11 interior wise. My ashtray also has the coin slots. But i also have an xl so no storage in the center console. I think even in 09 if i had an xlt i wouldn't get the little ash tray filler.

Interesting. If an XLT did come with it, it was missing when I bought mine. (used)

 

[sgtsandman]

Yep, they came with the cup holder ash tray.