Trailer wiring harness question

[Daniel Ward]

Hello to all & thanks again for your help in the past,

I have a trailer question. I just ordered the Show Chrome trailer hitch and wiring harness. According to what I have read, this harness terminates with 5 bare wires. I guess they expect you to wire on whatever plug you want. I have read that the Can Am OEM trailer uses a 4 wire system. I'm wondering why Show chrome would use a 5 wire system when the the OEM trailer uses 4 wires?
The trailer I have has a flat 4 wire. I need to put a round 5 pin plug on both the trailer and Spyder(that's just what my friends have and I want to be able to pull their trailers as well). I am assuming 1 wire for running lights, 1 for brakes, 1 for turn signals, and a ground. That makes 4 wires.? Is the 5th wire suppose to be hazards? Anyway, back to my original question as to why 5 wires when BRP uses a 4 wire system?? Thanks-----Dan

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

In short, the BRP trailer is inconsistent with the BRP Spyder! The Spyder taillight system is 5 wire: ground, left turn, right turn, brake, and tail. To do what you want is not a big deal. You need to buy a 5 to 4 wire converter and mount it on the trailer. Install a 5 wire socket on the bike and make a pigtail for the trailer with a 5 wire plug. Take the output of the convertor and connect a 4 wire flat plug and connect it to the existing 4 wire trailer plug. A 5 wire system cannot be directly connected to a 4 wire system because of the difference in turn and brake lights. With the 4 wire system the same bulb is used for brake and turn. On 5 wire you have separate turn signal wires and one brake light wire.

The early BRP trailers were 5 wire, as are most other motorcycle trailers. I think they went to 4 wire because that is what the long standing American usual configuration has been. Me, I prefer the 5 wire system with separate amber rear turn signals.

5 to 4 wire converters are readily available at auto supply and trailer supply stores.

[trikermutha]

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q...9CC9&FORM=VIRE

[Daniel Ward]

Thanks to idahomtnspyder !

That helps a lot! One more question. Can I just rewire the trailer to a 5 wire system and eliminate the converter all together?
I figure that would be one less thing to break or malfunction on a long trip. Thanks again

Dan

[billybovine]

Thanks to idahomtnspyder !

That helps a lot! One more question. Can I just rewire the trailer to a 5 wire system and eliminate the converter all together?
I figure that would be one less thing to break or malfunction on a long trip. Thanks again

Dan

Sure you can. Go buy a pair of amber lights to act as turn signals. Mount them to the rear of the trailer. Run the extra wires to them. Install the 5 wire round plug. There you are done!

Problem is it will cost you more. Be more work and not any simpler. I would recommend leaving the trailer alone. Build an adapter. 5 round Spyder end and 4 flat trailer end. With a 5 to 4 adapter inbetween. That way your plug matches your friends trailer. Your trailer will hook to your friends bike. Unplug the adapter and your trailer plug into a car or pickup.

[wd8ajj]

I just did my spider this weekend and took about 2 hours to do. The instructions are great if you go step by step. My trailer is a 5 wire and picked up the round di-cast plugs at Auto Zone. They also had the 5 to 4 converters.

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

Thanks to idahomtnspyder !

That helps a lot! One more question. Can I just rewire the trailer to a 5 wire system and eliminate the converter all together?
I figure that would be one less thing to break or malfunction on a long trip. Thanks again

Dan

Billybovine gave a good answer. I would add that if your taillight assemblies can be easily replaced by some with the built-in amber turn lights you ought to consider that. It mostly boils down to what you like the best and how it all fits into your budget.