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Old 05-02-2017, 02:56 PM   #1
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Toad lights and thoughts

So we have a 2010 Hyundai Tucson that will ride on a dolly behind our 2017 F53 Sunstar LX. The "driving" force behind this was not wanting to spend the cash on another car at this point. While I actually fit into a Mini Cooper even though I am 6'4" at 235 we elected to hang on to the Tucson. With it's automatic xmission the dolly was the only alternative.
Enter lighting. The dolly has lights but as we all know they are well forward of the back end of the toad. Pulling apart all of the fixtures it became obvious that late model cars do not leave much room or wire to work with. Tapping into circuits for signals, brake lights and running lights on this car, would have me pulling down all sorts of interior panels that probably will never go back in correctly.
But, I was able to get a set of connectors that insert between the lamps on both sides and the harness and pull a pigtail down into the spare tire compartment.
The bad part of this is that the brake lamps are separated from the signals. That means a 4 wire plug is not going to cut it. It also means that if I want the upper brake light on the hatch back (tied to the driver side brake lite) I need a 5th wire to keep the signals out of the loop. I cannot have the signals illuminating all of the brake lights.

So, the question is this;

Why not use the 7 pin electric brake line to drive the brake lights? At the electric brake controller connector under the dash, I can jumper the "stop lamp feed to brake controller" to the "electric brake feed" and pick this up for the brake lamps at the 7 pin with another wire into the toad.

The dolly has surge brakes.

Any comments?
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Old 05-02-2017, 03:33 PM   #2
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I think you're over thinking this. You have lights on the dolly. A trailer lighting kit from Harbor Freight or Walmart is under $20, the wiring kit comes with wire, plugs, connectors, and lights to wire a boat or utility trailer. Mount the lights inside the Toad so they are visible out the back window. run the wires out a window and use the 4 pin plug to plug into the kit supplied 4 pin pigtail that is to be wiredin the rear of the tow car. Instead splice it into the dolly wiring. Run the car up on the dolly, unfurl the light wires out a window and plug it into your dolly. I've used these kits to wire many a trailer over the years, after all, your Toad on a dolly is just a trailer.
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Old 05-02-2017, 03:35 PM   #3
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Toad lights and thoughts

This likely doesn't help with your situation but we went the easy (not cheap) route and I ordered this directly from the manufacturer in the RV-pin configuration. http://www.amazingmagictable.com/tray.htm
No cutting or splicing of any wires. Calling directly to the manufacturer they made the wireless plug to my asking. They handle most of the standard type plugs and I just told them what one I wanted.
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Old 05-02-2017, 03:41 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BFlinn181 View Post
I think you're over thinking this. You have lights on the dolly. A trailer lighting kit from Harbor Freight or Walmart is under $20, the wiring kit comes with wire, plugs, connectors, and lights to wire a boat or utility trailer. Mount the lights inside the Toad so they are visible out the back window. run the wires out a window and use the 4 pin plug to plug into the kit supplied 4 pin pigtail that is to be wiredin the rear of the tow car. Instead splice it into the dolly wiring. Run the car up on the dolly, unfurl the light wires out a window and plug it into your dolly. I've used these kits to wire many a trailer over the years, after all, your Toad on a dolly is just a trailer.
Agreed that is a method but in this case a few wires here or there is easier than building a mount that I can trust to keep the lights stuck to the inside of the window.

I have brake lights and signals now with what I have. All of the bases are covered with a 4 wire connector since the tow drives signal and brake over the same wire.

I was thinking I'd like to include the normal brake lights as well which are substantially brighter. The dolly lights will be in use as well as the toad lights.

Edit:

Some states require license plate lights on the trailer and that would not be covered by the above approach IMHO. So after looking over all of the requirements I figured on the side of caution and decided to go whole hog.
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Old 05-02-2017, 06:46 PM   #5
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This likely doesn't help with your situation but we went the easy (not cheap) route and I ordered this directly from the manufacturer in the RV-pin configuration. Miller's Amazing Magic Table - Computer Tray
No cutting or splicing of any wires. Calling directly to the manufacturer they made the wireless plug to my asking. They handle most of the standard type plugs and I just told them what one I wanted.
Are you sure you posted the correct website? I don't see anything on this site that has to do with wiring.
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Old 05-02-2017, 07:23 PM   #6
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The trailer is the dolly.
It's should have a plate
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Old 05-02-2017, 07:29 PM   #7
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I have used a set of magnetic lights for many years. Keep wanting to wire into the toads lights, but the magnetic lights works and it o ly takes 30 seconds to put them on/off and plug them in.
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Old 05-02-2017, 07:32 PM   #8
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Originally Posted by jrwitt View Post
Are you sure you posted the correct website? I don't see anything on this site that has to do with wiring.


Yea, that's not what I should have posted... This should work better.

Towmate TM22G 22" Wireless Tow Light https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DIDAZZG..._tltczb7VK7HWP
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Old 05-02-2017, 07:40 PM   #9
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The trailer is the dolly.
It's should have a plate
Not in the state of Florida. Perhaps without the car, but with the car loaded no plate is required.
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Old 05-03-2017, 09:44 AM   #10
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Originally Posted by ThomB View Post
Yea, that's not what I should have posted... This should work better.

Towmate TM22G 22" Wireless Tow Light https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DIDAZZG..._tltczb7VK7HWP
MUCH BETTER! Thanks for the correction.
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Old 05-03-2017, 10:44 AM   #11
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Just finished helping a buddy set up a new TOAD - easiest way was to use his magnetic temp rear lights that had a flat 4 plug - we ran flat 4 wire from under hood / inside grill down and found hollow uni-body frame sections we could snake the wire thru most of the way to the rear hatch / spare tire area and was able to find a rubber plu to poke a hole in a feed the 4 wire thru -
The beauty is the whole light set-up is independent of the TOAD wiring & lights.
Some vehicles are problematic if you tie into the factory system.
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