Questions regarding trailer hitch & module for 2015 RTS

[billybovine]

Here is a source for the square 4 connector. https://www.amazon.com/Hopkins-11147975-Pole-Square-Set/dp/B004BE60ZU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1484777405&sr=8-1&keywords=hopkins+4+pole+square+connector

White wire should be ground.
Brown wire should be tail/running lights
Green wire should be right turn/brake
Yellow wire should be left turn/brake

The red wire should not be used.

 

[JayD]

I just purchased a used trailer and now I have to findtrailer hitch & module. The trailer which is an Aluma Motorcycle trailer, 2004 year model and has a 4 prong plug, I believe he said. I don't have the trailer in my procession as yet or I would try to describe it. Which is best, BRP, Show Chrome, etc? I read several posts that the BRP module got fried for whatever reason, specifically not properly grounded. Are there other modules out there that are better and less likely to get fried? All suggestions welcome. Let the suggestions begin. Thanks to all

I have same trailer. Go with BRP hitch and Show Chrome wiring harness. You can easily install wiring harness. The BRP harness doesn't like trailers other than theirs. Show Chrome wires direct to battery so you aren't messing with nanny.

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

I have same trailer. Go with BRP hitch and Show Chrome wiring harness. You can easily install wiring harness. The BRP harness doesn't like trailers other than theirs. Show Chrome wires direct to battery so you aren't messing with nanny.

BRP harness has nothing to do with nanny. In fact, it draws power for the trailer lights direct from the battery just like the Show Chrome one does. The difference is the wire from the battery is already in the connector for the trailer adapter and is fed by a 10 amp fuse in the fuse box.

 

[Ex-Rocket]

Here is a source for the square 4 connector. https://www.amazon.com/Hopkins-11147975-Pole-Square-Set/dp/B004BE60ZU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1484777405&sr=8-1&keywords=hopkins+4+pole+square+connector

White wire should be ground.
Brown wire should be tail/running lights
Green wire should be right turn/brake
Yellow wire should be left turn/brake

The red wire should not be used.

Thanks Billy

 

[Ex-Rocket]

Does anybody know what pins are what , on the square 4 pole connector of the trailer hitch? One is a male and the other 3 are female.

 

[JayD]

BRP harness has nothing to do with nanny. In fact, it draws power for the trailer lights direct from the battery just like the Show Chrome one does. The difference is the wire from the battery is already in the connector for the trailer adapter and is fed by a 10 amp fuse in the fuse box.

You are correct about the nanny. It is the BRP control module that doesn't like other trailers. I know I went through two of them before I switched to Show Chrome. No problems since.

 

[billybovine]

Does anybody know what pins are what , on the square 4 pole connector of the trailer hitch? One is a male and the other 3 are female.

.

Wire colors are the same as I explain above.

White is ground. Female socket.
Brown is tail/running lights.
Green right turn/brake
Yellow left turn/brake.

So if your trailer was wired correctly to wire color standard. You would attach the white to white. Brown to brown. Green to green. Yellow to yellow.

 

[Hatter]

I have the same issue. A 2016 F3-T with the BRP hitch and wire harness (4 pin square connection) and an Aluma MCT trailer with the same 5 pin round connection.
I have checked with three sources, including an Aluma dealer service department. All three agree there is no adapter available to simply convert the connections.
I have attempted to contact electrical connection through its website but never got a response. It appears the trailer may have to be rewired and a couple lights switched out

 

[Ex-Rocket]

I have the same issue. A 2016 F3-T with the BRP hitch and wire harness (4 pin square connection) and an Aluma MCT trailer with the same 5 pin round connection.
I have checked with three sources, including an Aluma dealer service department. All three agree there is no adapter available to simply convert the connections.
I have attempted to contact electrical connection through its website but never got a response. It appears the trailer may have to be rewired and a couple lights switched out

You're going to have to cut the 5 pin round connector off and then splice in a new 4 pole square connector into the existing wiring. I bought mine on Ebay and its a Hopkins 11147975 4 pole square set. Just do a search on Ebay and several will come up. Mine cost $7.90 with free shipping.

What year is your Aluma MCT trailer? Mine is a 2004 and the color of the wires in the tongue are White, Yellow, Green, Brown and Red. As per Billybovine the red wire is not used. Billy said just to match up the colors with the new Hopkins 4 pole connector and you should be good to go. I just ordered the new connectors today and won't have them till next Tuesday. I will report back when I get it wired and let you know if it worked or not.

 

[Hatter]

My MCT is a 2008. The connection is buried in factory shrink wrap so I can't see the color of the wires.
If this is of interest, you can get an MCT wiring schematic from the Aluma website. Click the drop down menu from 'Customer Support' on the
Home page. Then click on FAQ. #7 of FAQ will have a link to the schematic.
Please keep us advised on your progress.

 

[billybovine]

My MCT is a 2008. The connection is buried in factory shrink wrap so I can't see the color of the wires.
If this is of interest, you can get an MCT wiring schematic from the Aluma website. Click the drop down menu from 'Customer Support' on the
Home page. Then click on FAQ. #7 of FAQ will have a link to the schematic.
Please keep us advised on your progress.

.

According to the wiring diagram you pointed out. The Aluma trailer has amber turn signals. Then the red wire is used for brake lights. Ex-Rocket says his does not have amber turn signals. That would make the red wire in his trailer obsolete.

So the question is and it is very important. Does your trailer have amber turn signal lights?

 

[Ex-Rocket]

.

Wire colors are the same as I explain above.

White is ground. Female socket.
Brown is tail/running lights.
Green right turn/brake
Yellow left turn/brake.

So if your trailer was wired correctly to wire color standard. You would attach the white to white. Brown to brown. Green to green. Yellow to yellow.

Ok Update: Billy I finally got around and did a temporary wiring of the BRP module which is the Hopkins square 4 wire plug. I matched white to white, brown to brown, yellow to yellow and green to green. All the lights work, turn signals, running lights etc. except the brake lights. I did not use the red wire from the trailer. I looked at how the rear brake lights are wired and I only have 3 wires going to the rear lights. On the right rear light, I have a Brown, Green and White wires. On the left side, I have Brown, Yellow and White. And printed on the exterior of the rear lights is, Tail, signal and ground. Does the whole trailer need to be rewired or do the rear lights need to be changed out? I'm kind of lost now. Anyone with help?

 

[billybovine]

Ok Update: Billy I finally got around and did a temporary wiring of the BRP module which is the Hopkins square 4 wire plug. I matched white to white, brown to brown, yellow to yellow and green to green. All the lights work, turn signals, running lights etc. except the brake lights. I did not use the red wire from the trailer. I looked at how the rear brake lights are wired and I only have 3 wires going to the rear lights. On the right rear light, I have a Brown, Green and White wires. On the left side, I have Brown, Yellow and White. And printed on the exterior of the rear lights is, Tail, signal and ground. Does the whole trailer need to be rewired or do the rear lights need to be changed out? I'm kind of lost now. Anyone with help?

.

3 wires into each rear light and 1 of them is ground (white), 2nd is running lights (brown), the other is either green or yellow depending on the side. That's perfect.

Since the brake is combined with with the turn signals. Same wires and same bulbs. If the turn signals work the brake lights must work. How are you testing the brake lights?

PS Brake lights will flash on one side if signal light is on.

 

[Ex-Rocket]

.

3 wires into each rear light and 1 of them is ground (white), 2nd is running lights (brown), the other is either green or yellow depending on the side. That's perfect.

Since the brake is combined with with the turn signals. Same wires and same bulbs. If the turn signals work the brake lights must work. How are you testing the brake lights?

PS Brake lights will flash on one side if signal light is on.

The way I'm testing them is with the ignition switch just turned on but bike is not running. With no turn signals on and just the running lights lite up, I press on the brake pedal and the brake lights on the bike come on but the brake lights on the trailer do not. Should I be testing some other way?

 

[Ex-Rocket]

I forgot to mention one thing in the way I'm checking the system out. I don't have the trailer sitting on the hitch ball. Would that make any difference? I don't see how it would except for the grounding of the trailer through the hitch ball. Anybody know?

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

I forgot to mention one thing in the way I'm checking the system out. I don't have the trailer sitting on the hitch ball. Would that make any difference? I don't see how it would except for the grounding of the trailer through the hitch ball. Anybody know?

No, the trailer does not need to be on the ball. Did you get the BRP trailer hitch kit? If so, how did you connect the module into the bike wiring? The bike wiring is 5 wire which means the turn signals are separate from the brake lights. The module should have six wires coming into it, five to connect to the bike light wires and one to go to battery. Then there are 4 wires coming out of it. It looks to me like the bike brake light signal isn't going into the module. If the module you got has only 5 wires going into it, you got the wrong module.

 

[billybovine]

The way I'm testing them is with the ignition switch just turned on but bike is not running. With no turn signals on and just the running lights lite up, I press on the brake pedal and the brake lights on the bike come on but the brake lights on the trailer do not. Should I be testing some other way?

There must be something wrong with the trailer harness wiring in the Spyder. If you have a 12v test light or a DC voltage tester. Test the output at the plug. The green wire and the yellow wire should be 12V when the brakes are applied. If you can't test it yourself. Take it back to whoever installed the harness and tell them to test it and fix it. They should have tested it before leaving the shop in the first place.

 

[Ex-Rocket]

I had my dealer install the module and trailer hitch. Yes it is a BRP trailer hitch kit. So I'm not sure how it is wired. It took them about 2 hours to complete the work. I do have a DVM and that how I checked the square 4 pin connector that is coming from the bike. But all I checked was the running lights and turn signals as I was by myself and it was impossible to check as DVM leads were to short to check the 12 VDC when the brake pedal is depressed. I guess a trip back to the dealer is do, but I will check to see if there is 12 VDC when the brake pedal is pressed when I can get someone to help with the checking. Thanks for everybody's help. It is much appreciated. I will get back when I either check the voltage or take the bike back to the dealer.

 

[Ex-Rocket]

UPDATE: Today I checked to make sure that I had 12VDC at the 4 pin square connector coming from the BRP module and it turned out I did. I was checking from the ground lug to either the green or the yellow wires and I had 12 volts when either the turn signal was turn on or if I hit the brake pedal. But when I hook everything it up to the trailer via the 4 pin square connector everything works except the brake lights. Running lights works, both turn signals work but no brake lights when the brake pedal is pushed.
Question: Remember my trailer was wired using 5 wires which included a red wire for the brakes. My question is just where is that red wire taped into on the trailer? What I can't understand is if the turn signals work, why don't the brake lights work because the same 2 wires, green and yellow are used for the signals and the brakes. So I'm guessing that somewhere in the trailer wiring the red wire is taped into some other wire I guess. I am loss on this folks. Need HELP.

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

Do you have red or amber turn signals?

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