Trailer help!?!
 

My Sanger '09 V230's trailer seems to have some issues. When I back up, the surge brakes lock up. It has some hokey thing to put in the tongue to keep it from compressing, but it just falls out when I go forward. Any suggestions, or fixes?

Thanks!

Do your reverse lights on the trailer light up? Does it have a swing away tongue? If it does, chances are a wire got pinched in the tongue. I think it's the blue wire. This happened to me a few weeks ago because I wasn't paying attention when I swung the tongue out to pull the boat out of the garage.

Ok...Here is a couple questions.

This is my first trailer with a flat connector with 5 wires. Nothing I have has 5 wires, only 4. The interesting part I believe the open wire is blue. Is that backup lights? I didn't know trailers had backup lights!?!

How does backup lights make my surge brakes lockup when backing up? Safety feature?

Thanks!

FLIP IT!

All of us have been in your shoes. Everything is fine, just flip it then TURN YOUR LIGHTS ON. When you flip it you are putting the reverse plug into the lights plug. Therefore when you turn on your lights, it sends signal to trailer as if you are backing up. Thus, allowing you to back up freely. Go try it, you will thank me. Oh, and thanks to whoever told me about this about 3 years ago!!

Just don't forget to turn your lights off after backing down the ramp! I always make sure it is the last thing I told my wife, prior to new boat. My last boat had the 5 flat going into my trucks 4 flat so we had to do this trick EVERY SINGLE TIME. Sucked but worked fine. Now we have the 5 circle on trailer and new truck. So much better!

The back up lights are just a bonus,the real reason for the blue wire is to activate the electronic master cylinder bypass solenoid.

http://www.etrailer.com/Wiring/Hopkins/47515.html --has a video showing how to install below product.

Quick fix that I did this weekend, these can be found at any car store and shouldn't cost much and you won't have to flip the wire harness around after retrieving the boat.

^^^What Nickolas posted would be your easiest fix.Just find a reverse light wire on the tow vehicle,tap in and you're good to go.

What kind of truck are you towing with? You might be able to just buy an adaptor

Mine doesn't have the reverse lock out (and thus only has 4 wires), but the "hokey" thing you mention is present on mine. The reason it falls out is because they don't want you to accidentally forget to remove it when you go forward because that will mean your surge brakes won't work (since it can't compress). An easy solution is to just put some tape on it to hold it in but you need to remember to remove it when you're done. Better solution for sure is to get your reverse lockout thing working (if indeed your trailer has that).

I have the same thing on my trailer. Some times I move my boat around the yard with my quad, what I did was I took an extra have moon piece that u put in the trailer to stop the brakes, and I drilled about a half inch hole in the middle of it and I gluded a small round magnet in the hole I drilled. Then I went and attached about 10 in of blaze orange strap to it, makes it obvious to see when u have it in. That way. When I pull up to the ramp, I unplug my lights and put the brake over ride in place. After we load up. I plug in the lights. Strap down the boat and I pull off the lock out and I just stick it on beside the winch.

Thanks for the help everyone!

I have a 2011 Dodge 2500 which has a plug in for a 4 flat and 7 way round (RV plug). Could I use this adapter? http://www.etrailer.com/Wiring/Optronics/A75TB.html

What would I have to do with the truck to make that work? I do pull a travel trailer and enclosed snowmobile trailer, so those connection needs to still work.

Yea that should work. That is what I used to use.

In the meantime put the fifth male pin in the fourth female slot and turn you lights on. Should work.

On your seven way plug on the truck, your center wire or lug needs to connect to the backup lights on the truck. If you get a wire from your reverse lights to that lug on your plug you will be set. If you gotta get under the truck and tap wiring, you may as well do it right.

That connector will work. Who knows, your trailer may even have a back-up warning like mine does. Other boaters are surprised to see back-up lights and hear the warning.

Thanks for the help everyone. Pick up a 5-flat to 7 round adapter at Napa, she works like a charm! No extra wiring, my Dodge is already set up for it.

Having to mess with that was a real pain. Thanks for the great help!