Towed vehicle lights

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over40pirate

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Aug 23, 2018
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I will be towing a 2500# car, on a dolley. I will be making a tail light bar to bolt to the bicycle rack in the car.
Question. How to route the wire from the MH to the lights, so it doesn't flap on the car, or drag on ground.
One idea, was to have the wires go in a front door, and out the hatch.
How do others do it?
Thanks for any help.
 
You could use a couple of 4-pin plug trailer wiring sets with one plug set at the front of the car where it can connect to the dolly wiring, and the other at the rear for the light bar. The wires in between could be permanently routed under or through the car for easy future hookups.
 
I would put the car up on a hoist. Rout along frame rails to a flat 4 (trailer light) connecter at/near the Bike rack connection point.. Just like a common trailer tow hook up.. In fact if you wanted to tow a trailer.. A  It could double duty (by running a short cable from under dash to the front of car and plugging in) (kind of a poor man's transfer switch)

But alternative is through fire wall. the wireing conduit is normally the driver's side rocker panel. goes all the way to the back seat and you pull the back seat to access the trunk.. Then out the trunk to the light bar.

Option two. Use rechargable battery operated wireless lights forget the wire.
 
I have a 2006 Mini Cooper wired like this, but I tow 4 down.  The coiled 6 pin cord from the RV goes to the 6 pin connection on the front of the Mini.  You can get one and mount it on the front of the dolly or go 6 Pin on RV to duel 4 pins on dolly and front of your car. 

Here is what you are interested in:  From the 6 pin on the front of car I ran standard 4 wire inside the front bumper, up top side of the passenger wheel well (under the hood), then down the firewall, under a plastic piece along the passenger floor board (under the car), up over the rear passenger wheel well, then up thru a rubber grommet for the taillight wires into a rear side compartment that is for allowing access to change the rear light bulbs.  There is where the 4 wire connection ends with a standard 4 pin connection. There are plenty of OEM wires and places to tie wrap the trailer wire too.  I rigged the light bar with the opposite 4 pin connection.  When I get ready to go down the road I mount the light bar, crack open the the hatch, pass the wire from the light bar into the car, open the compartment and make the connection, shut the hatch.
 
One tow rig we had for several years used a magnetic light bar on the back. I permanently installed wiring under the vehicle and put standard 4-pin connectors on each end, one at the back to plug in the light bar and one at the front to connect to the motorhome.

Lights may or may not be required on a dolly tow vehicle. Generally if the dolly lights are visible when underway, they are not required, but that visibility if subjective. Some states have specific regulations about when additional lights are required, while others just leave it as a judgment call for law enforcement.  Obviously, having additional lights ate the rear is the safest alternative.
 
Excellent advise on a permanent hookup.  If you are leaving tomorrow, and need something quick, run the wire from the MH, through the grill into the engine compartment, out the windshield edge of the hood (either side), into the car through the front door, through the trunk pass through, and terminate in the trunk.  Light bar plugs in to the wire in the trunk.
 
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