Trailer wiring/ How to? - Smart Car of America Forums : Smart Car Forum

forestacademy · 03-09-2010, 02:23 PM

Ok all you folks tossing hitches on your smarts, How did you wire up the trailer lights.

It's not like I can go pick a "smart" wiring kit off the racks at the store for $10.

Who has done it and do you have any advice?

Kermit · 03-09-2010, 02:35 PM

With wires SILLY!

Gosh!

Wire taps on the wires. LED's on my trailer so they don't draw much power eliminating the need for more power.

forestacademy · 03-09-2010, 03:52 PM

Details Buddy Details

What side did you Tap into?
Do you have to tap into both sides for the turn signals or does a wire pass through one side to the other?
Where do you run your wires to the hitch area or do you let them dangle out the tailgate?

Smartcaruniverse has a Kit for $70. Sounds a bit pricey to me

Smart Bob · 03-09-2010, 04:03 PM

One of the owners who tows his smart behind his motorhome picked up a wireless set of tailights. The towing vehicle has a transmitter that sends a signal to the tailights attached to the vehicle you are towing. He picked this set up at a RV or trailer supply house and didn't have to tap into his smarts wiring harness at all. I not sure how the transmitter picks up the signal from the towing vehicle but this set-up might simplify things for you.

forestacademy · 03-09-2010, 04:13 PM

I would still need to tap into the smarts wiring to do this, just not the trailer
Not ideal since the trailer will have wiring anyway.

Mister P · 03-09-2010, 04:43 PM

http://www.smartcaruniverse.com/stor...allationMa.pdf

last time I looked at this it describes the trailer wiring starting on page 5

forestacademy · 03-09-2010, 05:01 PM

Now that PDF Is useful
The wiring info will be very handy, I'm not sure it it looks all that professional in the end.

I guess we don't want wires running behind the panels because of the heat.

**SmartDigger** · 03-09-2010, 08:05 PM

I just used a standard 4 wire plug. hooked it up to the wires directly with wire taps. tail light is one R & L blinker is 2 & 3 , 4 is a ground that I hooked to a screw in the back. all wire run under the car zip tied to the hitch. I think I used a knock out to run wire from inside trunk to outside ( the same knock out the car light wires pass though )

Kermit · 03-10-2010, 05:36 AM

Sorry for the delay forest. Same as Digger said was my route. Can't give you pics as the car with the hitch is now my daughters. I will be welding up a hitch similar to ExonicJay's soon. (mostly my uncle will be directing me as my welding isn't too professional)

smartcar451 · 04-13-2010, 12:12 PM

For those of you who don't want to "tap" into your cars factory wiring for reasons of cutting the original wires try making an adapter. What I did on mine was unplugged the tail lights on both sides and put a volt meter to find out what did what. Then find some spade connectors (male/female) that fit nicely on plugs. Once that's done, make about 4" leads for each connection and just "y" off of the ones that you need to use for your trailer. I know this wont make sense to some people so if you want a diagram or pictures, just let me know.