1971 trailer light-turn signal

[klwebb]

Hey y'all. I probably should have come here for advice first but oh well. My rear light harness is so jacked up. Everything in front of the rear gram crossmember seems fine, but everything from the tail lights to the crossmember plug has been spliced and cut so much it's ridiculous (by P.O) so I ordered a "trailer light harness" from Brothers that will plug into the harness at the crossmember and then I will be getting a 60" led light strip from autozone that serves as the brakes, running, and turn signal lights that will plug into the trailer harness. Any thoughts? I'm hoping this works. I will also be replacing the flashers and fuses, so everything is "fresh" in accounting w the blinkers.

[Lowenuf]

as always, start checking grounds....... grounds play hell on trailer wiring issues

I had to install actual housing ground wires on the rear tail lights to get a good ground

[klwebb]

Originally Posted by Lowenuf

as always, start checking grounds....... grounds play hell on trailer wiring issues

I had to install actual housing ground wires on the rear tail lights to get a good ground

Care to go into detail on how you did that? Pictures or diagrams?

[Lowenuf]

i drilled small holes into the removable inner pieces, used wire with eyelets on them..... joined the rear housing wires with the side marker housing ground wires, and self tapped screwed them into solid bed material....

[Lowenuf]

usually an indicator of a bad ground is when a turn signal from one side is activated, and it flashes both sides, and then when you activate the opposite side, nothing flashes..

[Andy4639]

If you get under the truck at the back drivers side about 2 feet from the bumper should be a connection. It's round. Inside the frame. This connection has all the wires from the cab in it. This is the only place they should come from. You can go to any good parts store and buy a trailer harness that pluggs into the plug and then plug your tail light plug into it and it will all work as it should.

Now to trouble shoot it take the plug apart and use a test light to check each wire that is coming from the cab. Have some one inside the cab put on the brakes and you touch each wire till you get the light.
Do this for everything, brakes, turn signales and running lights. It takes a little while but in the end you know what every wire is and does for you.

[VetteVet]

Here is the harness for the truck.

[snipescastle2]

I found a tail light rear harness from a 1973 to 1987 square body truck is almost indenticle to the ones on our trucks, but the lamp sockets are just a little different. If you find a decent one in a salvage yard, you only need to change (splice) the older style plugs onto that harness and your'e good to go. The main plug that it attaches to has the same connector on it as well! I think I paid $15 at pick n pull for mine.
Good luck!
Ben

[swamp rat]

Don't mess with that LED strip until you get all your lights working

[snipescastle2]

I agree on waiting until you get the wiring sorted out first before the LED's. You will have to splice those in just as you would stock lamps any way, more work in my opinion than you need.besides, you need to apply your budget where it's needed, instead of "Flashy" bling stuff... Kinda sounding like my stepfather, sorry...I have refurbished so many parts on my truck, no telling how much money I saved, if I couldn't salvage what I had, or find a good used part, then I spent the money on new or reproduction stuff. Besides, nothing fits better than original GM parts the General made! Now, I'm lucky as I have many resources at my disposal, where most people do not, that made my build so much easier.
If you know anyone with a decent air compressor and find a cheap sand blaster, even the cheap harbor freight siphon (Place the suction hose in a bucket) that will help you prepare a lot of small parts.
Ben

[klwebb]

I think everyone is confused. I'm looking to have the LED strip be my turn signals, because a $50 strip is cheaper than a $150 replacement rear harness. Eventually I'll go back to stock look but right now money is tight and I need blinkers

[Andy4639]

Originally Posted by klwebb

I think everyone is confused. I'm looking to have the LED strip be my turn signals, because a $50 strip is cheaper than a $150 replacement rear harness. Eventually I'll go back to stock look but right now money is tight and I need blinkers

Not confused: That's why I said get under the truck and find which wire is which. Then you can run the wires as needed.
Until you know which wire is which you can't do anything.
You could even take the round connection a part and the side that goes to the rear and cut the leads about 6" a way from it and tie your light bar into it. It will have the factory plug seal then. You will need to find the right wire for the right effect of the bar.

[snipescastle2]

Well,
I tried to steer you in a cheaper direction by modifying a '73 to '87 Chevy truck rear tail light harness from your local pick your part, probably $10-$15 and all you would have to do is splice in your lamp sockets....but, you can do as you wish, it's your truck.
Ben

[klwebb]

I'm not for sure doing anything guys! If I can find a 73-87 harness I'll definitely do that but I've been unable to find a pick a part close enough to me! I appreciate all the input

[swamp rat]

If it was me i would probably cut the wires as far from the plug as possible and before the tail lights where all the wire is still good and just splice in new wires and add or clean grounds where necessary. That would get rid of all the damaged wires. Follow the schematic, use shrink wrap, i prefer solder over crimp connectors.