Blue Ox BX8869 - Manual

© 2004, 05, 07, 08, 09 Blue Ox Division, Automatic Equipment Mfg. Co. • One Mill Road, Industrial Park • Pender,
Nebraska 68047 • Phone 402-385-3051 • Fax 402-385-3360 • www.blueox.com
Page 1 of 1 292-1815 Rev. E 6/10/09
BX8869 Installation Instructions
Bulb and Socket Tail Light Wiring Kit
NOTE: Some motorhomes have amber turn signals and red brake
lights which requires the use of a tail light converter to change from
a 5 wire to a 4 wire system. A tail light converter is not supplied with
the Tail Light Wiring Kit.
WARNING: Incorrect wiring may result in blown fuses, damaged wiring,
fire, or bodily injury. Blue Ox recommends installation of this kit by a
trained professional. Blue Ox will not be responsible for any personal
property damage, or bodily injury caused by incorrect wiring or misuse of
this product.
Tools Required
Wire Terminal Crimper Wire Stripper
Small Wire Cutter Phillip Screw Driver
Electrical Tape 1" Hole Saw and Drill
Parts List
Ref. Part
No. Qty. No. Description
1 1 294-0562 ..........................................................Wire Harness, 26 Ft., 4-Wire Loom
2 2 294-0774 ........................................................................3 Wire Automotive Socket
3 2 293-0244 ...................................................................................2357 Bulb, 40 Watt
4 6 294-0250 ..................................................Butt Connector, 16-14 Gauge. Insulated
5 2 201-0654 ....................................................................#10-16x1 Self Drilling Screw
6 2 294-0194 .....................................................Ring Terminal, 10 Std- 10 to 12 gauge
7 1 229-0540 ...........................................................................Brown 16 Ga. Wire, 8 ft.
8 1 229-0541 ...........................................................................Green 16 Ga. Wire, 8 ft.
Installation
1. Starting in the engine compartment of the towed vehicle, run the
26 ft. harness through the fire wall, under the driver's side door
sill plate, under the back seat, into the trunk area or run harness
through engine compartment and beside frame rail to the back of
vehicle. Depending on the motorhome set up, the wire at the front
of the engine compartment should be wired into either a 4-wire or
6-wire trailer plug that is mounted to the front of the towed vehicle.
2. The bulb and sockets are installed into the back of the vehicles tail
light assemblies. The location should be as flat as possible, with
enough clearance for the bulb on the inside and the socket on the
back side. Using a 1" hole saw, drill a hole into each housing at the
selected location.
3. The black wire is the brake/ turn signal wire and the brown is the
tail light wire. The white wire is used for the ground wire.
4. Insert the bulb and socket into the 1" holes by gently pushing them
into place. Seal socket to tail light housing with a good silicone
caulk.
5. Run the black and brown wires from the passenger's side socket to
the drivers side where the four wire loom is.
6. Crimp the three brown wires together. Now crimp the green (turn
signal/brake) wire from the four wire loom, the green 8 foot wire
and the black (brake/turn signal) wire from the passenger's side
together. The white (ground) wires should be grounded to the frame
with ring terminals and self tapping screws. The white wire from
the four wire loom should be connected with the white wire from the
driver's side socket then grounded. Refer to Figure 1.
7. At the driver's side socket connect the black (brake/turn signal) wire
and the yellow (brake/turn signal) wire from the four wire loom. See
Figure 1.
8. Place the wires out of the way. Test the system before attaching the
tail light assemblies back onto the vehicle. To test the system, a 4-
wire or 6-wire trailer plug must be installed on the front of the towed
vehicle using the 4-wire harness installed. Once installed, plug the
vehicles together with coach and test each turn signal and the brake
lights. If lights do not work properly, there must be a loose con-
nection, or a wiring error. Recheck to assure all connections were
made correctly, especially the ground connections.
NOTE: If the towing vehicle is equipped with separate amber turn signals
and red brake lights, a tail light converter (not included in wiring kit)
is needed to convert the amber/red 5-wire system to the standard
“red only” 4-wire system.
NOTE: A heavy duty flasher unit may be required in the towing vehicle to
power the added circuit load of a towed vehicle.
TROUBLE SHOOTING
PROBLEM - LIGHTS WORK CORRECTLY BUT DIM AND/OR ACTI-
VATES ANOTHER LIGHT .
POSSIBLE CAUSES/SOLUTIONS
A) Bad, loose or faulty ground on either or both vehicles.
B) Short circuit in the system on either or both vehicles.
C) Towing vehicle alternator too small.
D) Towing vehicle wiring is too light to handle extra power
requirements.
E) Towing vehicle may require a heavy duty flasher unit to
handle the extra load.
PROBLEM - DOESN'T WORK WHEN ACTIVATING BLINKER, TAIL
LIGHTS OR BRAKES.
POSSIBLE CAUSES/SOLUTIONS
A) Wiring error to the bulb and sockets.
B) Bad ground on either or both vehicles.
C) Fuse in towing vehicle is blown. Check continuity of all
wires to ground to assure harness is not short circuited.
D) Bad connection between female and male plugs. Check
for solid connection.
* Clean both four way connections.
FIGURE 1