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Wiring flush mount trailer lights

barillms

NAXJA Forum User
Ok, I'm installing flush mount trailer lights, the oval kind with the rubber grommet. They're not LED, regular 3 wire lights - brake, tail, turn trailer lights.

My cluster of wires running to the back of my Jeep consists of 5 wires.
I ditched all the OEM tail light wires, and am just working with the 5 main wires. Black, Brown, Blue, Grey w/ stripe, Brown w/ stripe.

I tested all the wires, and only ONE OF THE WIRES is lighting up my test light.
The other 4 wires do nothing.

Can anyone help me out?
I suck at wiring.
 
They need to be grounded before you get a read, or you may have blown a fuse. You may already have done this but to do mine I had to by a Uhaul stop, turn, tail trailer connector to make everything work. I also had to leave my turn signal bulbs plugged in so my stock flasher would work.
 
One, probably the black, is the ground. It'll never get hot.

The other four are brake, tail, turn, and reverse.

Sorting em out is easier with a helper, but you can do it yourself. Hit the headlights, and the wire that gets 12V is your taillight. Hit the brake, and note that wire, same with reverse and turn. Even if the turn signal won't flash, it should come on and stay on.

The thing you have to consider is that the XJ has a separate, amber signal. It doesn't just flash the brakelight like I think you're planning on.

I did mine with four, single filament lights. A clear backup, a red brake, a red tail, and an amber turn.

Eventually I decided I wanted both red dim for tail and bright for brake, so I upgraded them both to dual filament, like you have.

But you still need a separate turn signal, or you're going to need a diode kit like Wounded is talking about...

Hope this helped...

Robert
 
taillights12bn.jpg
 
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