How to wire a bus for trailer lights and brakes

[ThePawnMan]

I am trying to find the easiest and cheapest way to wire my bus to pull an enclosed trailer. I have contacted Bluebird about getting the wiring schematic and hope they will respond. In the meantime can anyone help me out.

[RavensOracle]

What type of plug are you planning on using. 4-plugs are relatively easy. Though you may need extra wire for the plug to reach where you can connect it. When you start adding pins for brakes and power like the 6 & 7 plugs it can get a lot more interesting.

[lornaschinske]

We just tapped into the rear lights. We use a 4 pin because we don't pull anything heavy enough to warrant electric brakes.

[RavensOracle]

That's the easiest way to to hook up a 4-pin. You can also just hook up a larger connector if you want to without the extra pins hooked up. Most of my trailers have 6-pin connectors even though they don't have brakes. It's just easier to use the same plugs on everything.

[Stuff]

i plan to put in a 7 pole plug someday. the basic 4 pin wires are near the back and easy to splice into. just need a brake controller installed and that constant power to the rear line.

[lornaschinske]

Originally Posted by RavensOracle

T... It's just easier to use the same plugs on everything.

Part of the reason we used the 4 wire setup is that the food cart is a 4 wire. My daughter has a "double pin" on her Jeep. She can plug in a round plug OR a 4wire flat plug. If I remember correctly, that is an "adapter" that she bought because she had to tow the food cart out here with her Jeep.

[RavensOracle]

I had everything 4-wire until I started hauling car trailers and my old travel trailer. Once I had brakes it was just easier to use the 6-pin. Of course finding a case of wiring kits on e-bay real cheap was also a deciding factor.

[sdwarf36]

1st question: Do you have seperate tail + brake lights? If you have single, its easy--but it gets more complicated if they are seperate. For a 7 wire You need a converter. Hopkins is a good brand. I bought one + it never worked right. I called tech support+ told him what I have. He said partials like buses can give issues-he told me to sent it back +they'd sent me one that would work right. It was a more expensive model-AND they next day aired it-all FREE! It now works perfect. The box also has a built in 4 way plug. Do it the way you want now-do it once.

[ThePawnMan]

Does anyone have a schematic or are you able to tell me by these pictures where to start? I am going to us a 4 pin.

[Stuff]

well this is a start for 4 pin.




need to get one of those 12v lightup wire testers and turn park lights on and find that wire then 4 ways for tail lights etc.

also you might be able to cheat to see what colour wire comes up to the tail lights at the back of the bus!

[Bumper]

How did you tap into the rest tail lights? I have a 1998 Thomas and it appears the tail light wires run on the inside. How did you do it?