Big Tex follow up

[Soundguy]

I sure think a couple fet of rubber fuel line cut up and used as pass-thru grommets ont he fram members would go a long way to better wireing... just a couple inch piece at every place the wires pass thru or over a drilled or cut metal surface would be awesome...

soundguy

 

[WantedWolf]

i would have been up set my self with that you would think that they would use a sealed wiring system it is the most efficant way to wire a trailer and last the longest but in the market they are in they have to compete with 500 otheir builders and it looks like they choose the cheep way to keep their price down during the build they must not think that they can justify a good wiring system in their trailer cost myself i think that it would help them sell it would be a good sales point

I like what you say about CHOOSING the cheap way. Like: Dont choose to install conduit to protect the wiring, but instead pay your "very experienced" welding staff to hand paint little swirly decals all over the 30' sides

 

[flusher]

Well:
After rewiring most of this beast when I got it and Emailing my problems to the sales dept....with no response, I've ended up with another SNAFU that I had to repair from BIG TEX. After sitting most of the first winter in my yard, it became necessary for me to use my new trailer. Well some of the lights did not work. After troubleshooting ( my profession) I found the mess at the main harness splice that I care to exhibit. Poor splice job on all conductors, wires hanging out of splices, insulation that looks like it was stripped with a machete and a poor tape job. If this product went out the door at my employer, it would be a life safety issue and not tolerated. We all love our tractors and our equipment, but look at these pic's and ask you Big Tex Dealer if they have changed the quality of their product.

Sorry to hear about your Big Tex problems.

Lousy quality wiring shouldn't happen, but can be fixed pretty easily by the owner.

What about things like the quality of the welding and the electric brakes on Big Tex products?

 

[kennyd]

I have a BT 16' 10K pipe trailer and have NO wiring issues at all...All mine is tight and sealed. I wonder if that mess is the dealer's fault?

 

[mjncad]

KennyD echoes my post #7 on this thread. That looks more like a dealer hack job to me.

 

[Turbys_1700]

KennyD echoes my post #7 on this thread. That looks more like a dealer hack job to me.

You hit the nail on the head...

Probably the factory wiring was screwed up during transport and they "REPAIRED" the wiring on the dealer lot...

I guess we all need to go over any future trailer purchases with a pre-delivery **** inspection due to the great "QUALITY CONTROL" exhibited by the trailer industry...

At least it's an easy fix but certainly aggravating to say the least...

 

[bigdad]

Just bought new LED ($$$) Running and Tail lights for my 16 footer. Peterson brand. What did they send in the package to make the electrical connections? BUTT SPLICES.
Only one thing worse...."Scotch-Loks".

Solder and heat shrink.

 

[JoelD]

Pictures of a good step by step solder job would be hugely helpfull to me. I have the equipment to solder but am not very good at it. I'll be freshening up my tri-axle over the next couple of weeks. I've used a junction box for the main 7 wire from the plug to the trailer. But I've used the clip on connectors for the wiring to the magnets. How do I best attach the brake wires from the magnets to the wires running from my junction box? Would I do home runs for each brake to the junction box? Seems like a lot of connects in the junction box?

Thanks guys,
Joel

 

[bigdad]

Joel,
For the larger stuff like trailer wiring, I like solder paste. Make sure to use resin paste.
It cleans the wires and the melted solder seems to wick into it better. When you twist the wires together avoid the wire nut twist method into a point. Take the skinned ends and start your twist like you would start a square knot twisting the ends away from each other all the way to the end. 9I left ends open in the picture to show how they twist) Dab a little paste on it then touch it with the gun/iron and solder. This is called a "Western Union Splice". Makes for a more streamlined splice that you can put your heatshrink over it easier. I like a product from 3M called Scotchcote. I paint the shrinks with it after they have cooled. Don't forget to put your shrink tube on first.

 

[Builder]

Joel,
For the larger stuff like trailer wiring, I like solder paste. Make sure to use resin paste.
It cleans the wires and the melted solder seems to wick into it better. When you twist the wires together avoid the wire nut twist method into a point. Take the skinned ends and start your twist like you would start a square knot twisting the ends away from each other all the way to the end. 9I left ends open in the picture to show how they twist) Dab a little paste on it then touch it with the gun/iron and solder. This is called a "Western Union Splice". Makes for a more streamlined splice that you can put your heatshrink over it easier. I like a product from 3M called Scotchcote. I paint the shrinks with it after they have cooled. Don't forget to put your shrink tube on first.

Excellent post by BigDad. That's the way I did my dumptruck body a few years ago and no problems.

I have bought several pieces of equipment over the last 10 years and I'm really disgusted with the wiring workmanship. I can wire circles around most "mechanics" that wire these trailers, dump bodies, trailer brake controllers, etc.

 

[bigdad]

Thank you Builder....... I thought that I may have been rambling a bit too much.

 

[WantedWolf]

Joel,
Don't forget to put your shrink tube on first.

Best piece of advice... Maybe ever

Its fresh in my mind, but I thought Id never forget again (last time I forgot)

 

[Soundguy]

One other tidbit... flux is your friend.. the more the better.. I like rosin paste flux in a tube for this type of application.

makes the solder flow and tin better after heating the joint.

soundguy

 

[WantedWolf]

One other tidbit... flux is your friend.. the more the better.. I like rosin paste flux in a tube for this type of application.

makes the solder flow and tin better after heating the joint.

soundguy

You guys arnt using Acid core solder are you?
The tin/lead rosin core I use works great without flux paste

I only use acid core and paste on pipe joints

 

[Soundguy]

Acid core.. yucky!

flux core solder is good.. extra flux is better.. helps clean the joint and get the solder flowing before it's own flux has migrated much.

soundguy

 

[Propjob]

Hi All:
Great replies. I will say that possibly the trailer could have been damaged at the dealer and repaired. It's amazing they (Big Tex never responded to my email.....Shame .
I will add that if you have to splice with Butts, fill them with a silicone dialectric, than tape, mastic and tape again.. Solder is, however, the best way. Get a few pieces of wire and Rosin core solder and a Proper GUN and practice. Most solder problems are because people use inadequate guna and irons for the job. A word of advice to new solderers, Heat the work before applying the flux and solder and allow the solder to flow into the splice. A good solder joint will be shiny, whereas a cold joint will be dull and grainy. Then tape, mastic and tape. Propjob

 

[CurlyDave]

Solder and heat shrink.

About 30 years ago, I worked on a project with Peterbuilt Truck on an electrical accessory. At that time their electrical engineers told me that their best practices involved never soldering stranded wiring. The same is true for Amtrak.

The reason is that solder wicks up the strands and creates a very rigid section, which abruptly transitions to the more flexible stranded wire at the end of the solder wick section. This means there is a stress concentration right at the end of the solder wick and the wire will always break there in a high vibration environment.

While butt splices are difficult to apply properly, the best splice for any high vibration environment is a properly applied, non-insulated splice with heat shrink over it both for insulation and for stress grading.

The only reason anyone gets away with soldering is that trailers are used for very low hours compared to trucks (a million miles) or trains (many million miles).

 

[Soundguy]

Ideally.. there are no unions in wires and that all contacts are made at wireing points like barrier strips.. etc. When you do have to make unions.. like repairs.. I DO reccomend solder over butt splices. solder makes an airless union.. butt splices let air and corrosion in.
A proper solder splice that is then sealed and strain reliefed will hold up MUCH better than a but splices...

soundguy

 

[bigdad]

CurlyDave.... speaks the truth. 100%

Considering the poor quality of wire/insulation, routing and ease of access, I still have to go with the solder/heatshrink program on my trailers. My luck has been holding with good strain relief.

Guns/Irons: High Wattage. Has anyone priced a Weller Gun lately? Gasp!

 

[Diamondpilot]

Ok, stayed out of it until now. If you ever get a chance to look into a commercial airliner with its guts out you will see 1000's of butt splices. I guess the difference is they are in a sealed environment where as a trailer is out in the muck.

I agree soldering is a much better way. Just kind of scary to think the butt splices are used in aviation. I have been flying commercially as my primary job since 1996 and have accrued about 7,000 hours in the air. 5,500 of these hours are in jet aircraft. I am sure many of the squawks I have given to the mechanics were due to the butt spice failures but can only think of one that was serious and lead to me shutting down the left engine. Anyway got feed back it was a bad connection in a wiring loom and the direct cause was a bad butt splice.

Chris