Author Topic: Reminder - check your trailer plug socket!  (Read 3677 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Matto

  • Don't Follow Me - I Won't Make It
  • Hard Top Camper User
  • ******
  • Posts: 2322
  • Thanked: 9 times
Reminder - check your trailer plug socket!
« on: January 20, 2012, 01:39:37 PM »
Hi all,

Over the past 6 months, we've been having an intermittent issue with the trailer plug connection - the RHS indicator would only work if I cable-tied the plug up to the tailgate to put some upward tension on it, etc. I'd also noticed the electric brakes not working as well as they used to.

Being lazy, I started at the rear end and worked my way forward, checking trailer wiring, trailer plug internals, fuses, etc. Everything was perfect. Last spot to check was the trailer plug socket on the car. It's difficult for me to do this, because I thought I'd be tricky and recess the socket into the rear bumper. So much for that idea  :-[. Anyway, I'd inspected the socket and everything looked good on the outside. I was getting the right voltages on the pins, and was scratching my head. Since it was the last link in the chain to be checked, I pulled it out and opened it up anyway.

What I found was that *most* of the wires had broken off or were about to break off where they enter into the back of the socket  :o :-X. The indicator wire had severed completely, but had just enough bare strands sticking out the end so that when I tensioned the plug, it would touch the broken wire to the bits of wire left screwed down in the socket connection. Of the wires that hadn't broken off completely, some only had one or two strands left connected. All the little brass screws had worked themselves loose.

Cue a morning of trimming cable, cleaning out the back of the socket terminals and re-terminating all the wires into the socket terminals. All the little brass screws were tightened up hard with a liberal dose of blue Locktite to keep them done up. I believe in the past Symon has advocated crimping on little baby bullet connectors to the wire, and inserting the bullet into the socket terminal - I didn't do this (didn't have any bullet connectors to hand), but can easily see the reasoning behind it and would probably recommend it. I've also made sure to secure the cable where it comes out of the back of the socket tightly to the car, as I believe it was the main cable vibrating that has lead to all the wire cracking down inside the socket. Time will tell if I'm right.

SO - given that we're heading into summer, and all the public holidays are lining up in front of us, I thought I'd post about my morning's exercise as a warning to everyone else. It's a good excuse to pull your trailer plug socket apart and inspect it inside, to make sure you're all good to go for the year ahead. I was lucky, but if I'd left it go any longer I would have lost the trailer brakes and stop lights as well. Needless to say there would have been serious consequences if that happened. 

Good luck!
Matto :)
(Mods - if you feel this would be better served in Electrical, Mech or General Tech, please feel free to move. Figured I'd put it here to alert people who may not think to check the other subareas)
"I have a bunch of junk that is not any better than yours." - MoGas - ExPo member #226.

Offline D4D

  • Hard Top Camper User
  • ******
  • Posts: 16019
  • Thanked: 391 times
  • Are we there yet?
Re: Reminder - check your trailer plug socket!
« Reply #1 on: January 20, 2012, 01:48:35 PM »
This job is on my to-do list hence I bought this kit http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/140574493891

I owe, I owe, it’s off to work I go…

Work - Outback
Play - Prado

Offline Matto

  • Don't Follow Me - I Won't Make It
  • Hard Top Camper User
  • ******
  • Posts: 2322
  • Thanked: 9 times
Re: Reminder - check your trailer plug socket!
« Reply #2 on: January 20, 2012, 02:08:48 PM »
That's a good kit D4D. You're right too - its the bootlaces connectors that Symon had mentioned, not the bullet connectors as I originally said.

Looking at his other items, I might finally pull the plug on a set of proper big hex crimpers. I seem to find myself working with big cable regularly, and always end up fighting with the little ratchet crimpers I have. Then there's the big cable cutters, which would be so much easier than the side cutters I currently use, then...

Damn you, and my ever-dwindling bank account!!

Cheers!
Matto :)
"I have a bunch of junk that is not any better than yours." - MoGas - ExPo member #226.

Offline XJeepers

  • Sleeping Bag User
  • *
  • Posts: 45
Reminder - check your trailer plug socket!
« Reply #3 on: January 20, 2012, 05:27:07 PM »
Were they tinned?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Offline itchvet

  • Soft Floor Camper User
  • ****
  • Posts: 458
  • Thanked: 4 times
Re: Reminder - check your trailer plug socket!
« Reply #4 on: January 20, 2012, 07:32:43 PM »
Were they tinned?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Dead right, always tin them with solder, BUT that does not ensure the strands won't break. :D
I also use HEATSHRINK tubing over the cable AND plug, if done correctly, this tends to carry the stresses better then just the cable.
It also helps to prevent the cable just hanging there, always place it ON TOP of your draw gear, thus again relieving the stress imposed upon it.
The only problems I've had with these plugs, is the plastic ones MELTING from the pins getting too hot from the power going thru.  ;D

Offline Crazy Dog

  • Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity
  • Hard Floor Camper User
  • *****
  • Posts: 1160
  • Thanked: 2 times
  • Gender: Male
Re: Reminder - check your trailer plug socket!
« Reply #5 on: January 20, 2012, 07:42:25 PM »
Good pick Matto BUT it can get MUCH MUCH MUCH WORSE as I found out a couple of months back..Cost me just on $4000 - yes $4K including the insurance claim.

It started when I had a wee bit of trouble getting the van plug into the plug socket on the pimple end of the cruiser. One pin actually moved back inside the housing of the vehicle socket and slowly but surely cooked the BIG WIRING LOOM down the LHS of the 80 series. WILLIAMS auto elect here in Cairns said it was the biggest re wire they had ever done.

So be warned all you out there that have a UTILUX type socket on your vehicle that it can give grief so check and double check for problems.

Grrr!!! >:D >:D
Cairns FNQ - I love poor little defenseless animals, especially in gravy.

Offline XJeepers

  • Sleeping Bag User
  • *
  • Posts: 45
Reminder - check your trailer plug socket!
« Reply #6 on: January 20, 2012, 07:55:09 PM »
Dead right, always tin them with solder, BUT that does not ensure the strands won't break. :D

Wow! I would have thought tinning them would have been enough :o. Might have to keep an eye on that one. Maybe put it on my maintenance regime.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Offline Symon

  • Big sparks r us
  • Electrimagician
  • Hard Top Camper User
  • *****
  • Posts: 5691
  • Thanked: 173 times
  • Gender: Male
  • www.phased.com.au
    • Web Server in a Box Project
Re: Re: Reminder - check your trailer plug socket!
« Reply #7 on: January 20, 2012, 08:17:09 PM »
Were they tinned?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I would generally advise against soldering.  It makes the wire stiff so it doesn't deform properly under the screw resulting in a small contact area and thus a poor joint.  If you really must solder, put the wire in first, screw down, and then back off and take the wire out.  The wire is now deformed in the shape you want, so tin the wire and then put it back in.

Sent from my HTC Sensation Z710a using Tapatalk
Do not PM me for technical advice - start a thread.
HDJ79 Ute - 100 Series Sahara - 2002 Kimberley Kamper - No ATS yet - Survivor of 5 McGirr trips-Cape 09,11,12,14 & Gulf 13