Trailer Indicators (Spitfire IV)

[NevSpit]

Hi,

Just fitted a tow bar and electricals to the car and tested each pin with a test lamp and all seemed to work ok. However, when I hook up the trailer board the indicators on the board are rather slow and dim. Do the good people of the forum know if I need to upgrade the 'flasher' unit or do I need to wire it in a different way (I have just tapped into the indicator feeds in the boot). Brake and tail lights are fine.

Any assistance gratefully received.

Thanks,

Paul.

[John Bonnett]

Paul, I think you will need to uprate your flasher unit to one that will cope with the extra load and designed with this purpose in mind. This one would do the job

 

http://www.vehicle-wiring-products.eu/product.php/627/12-volt-4-pin-electronic-flasher-relay

[Mike Crewes]

Paul

 

I had exactly the same problem many years ago, what you need is an upgraded flasher unit, one that is fitted to a car with repeater indicators on the wings.  It will then be powerful enough to light three indicators at a time.

 

Careful loading any trailer.  If it is too nose heavy it will destroy your ground clearance.  I still have memories of taking to exhaust off on a manhole cover in Wales.  If the trailer nose weight is too light it will snake at high speed.

 

I proved many years ago that Spitfires can tow small trailers (trailer tents), if you're careful.  I wrote a column called Tourers Talk in The Courier for a while, Bernie in the Studio might be able to help you with which ones.

 

Regards

Mike

[NevSpit]

Thanks guys, much appreciated. I will take note of the weight distribution too.

[Pete Lewis]

dont balance the nose weight by adding heavy bulk to the back ,

 

always heavy over the axle and fine tune the nose/balance with less energy storing bulk

 

ive seen many a  caravaner and trailer snake due to having a sledge hammer effect  due to weight on the back benches to get the nose lighter 

 

60lb used to be the std  nose , thats years ago,     just stops tail wagging dog.

 

Pete

[NevSpit]

Hi all, back again...

I have a 3 pin flasher unit now with a '+' '-' and 'L'connections. Anyone know which one goes where?

Thank you.

[Clive]

L goes to the lamps, - is the new earth connection, + is the 12v live feed

[NevSpit]

Super, thanks Clive.

[JohnD]

Hope your new flasher dos he job, but suspect that you will have to improve the earthing to the car's lamps.

Originally, Triumph earthed the lights to the lamp fitting, and relied on the contact between the fitting and gthe bodywork to complete the circuit.

Age and corrosion will have made that pathway more resistant, so a wire from the lamp to a central earth, or just to a convenient spot on the body will help.

Also, don't forget that by splicing into the wiring next to the lamps, and running the trailer board from that, you have doubled the current that the original wiring must carry.   If that is old and tired (aren't we all?) it may also have increased resistance that will limit the current.

 

Go around with a multimeter, measuring the voltage at the lamps and comparing it with battery volts.   There should only be a fraction lost between battery and lamp.  If there is more than the wiring may need attention.

 

John