Wiring M101A2 - Electrical Novice

[cs0430]

I have zero electrical experience, but I do want to learn and I'm committed to going about this slowly and doing it the right way. Looking for some help/confirmation from someone who knows what they are doing. I'm ready to order materials I just don't know what lengths of wire I need. My main confusion comes from how to ground everything. What I have in front of me:

Re-wiring part of an M101A2

1. 7 pin from 4Runner into junction box using: https://www.etrailer.com/p-H20046.html
2. Remove military plug from trailer side.
3. Change tail light/running light bulbs in M101A2
4. Tie appropriate OEM trailer tail light/running light wires into junction box using this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhHz_tW-_BQ

Here's where I get a little lost. All of the below items involve a ground. My 7 pole junction box has a ground pole. Does everything need to be (or should be) grounded to that pole, or can I ground things locally on the trailer using the 6-8" of pigtail these parts come with?

5. License plate light - 2 wire assembly. I should be able to tie one wire into the OEM running light wire. Can the ground wire from the license plate light be grounded locally or should I run it all the way back to the junction box?
6. Side marker lights - 2 lights front and 2 on the rear. Same question. Tie power into running light circuit. Can they be grounded locally? Instead of splicing into the running light circuit 4 times, should I instead put these 4 side marker lights on their own circuit and connect them using a ring terminal to the same pole as the trailer running light circuit?
7. New axle - brake wire. 10 gauge wire. Each drum has 2 wire pigtails. Using this video: http://www.etrailer.com/tv-demo_trailer_brakes_and_wiring.aspx I can see how to connect to the first side. When it comes to the second side, can the new brake wire be connected at the end or does it need to run back to the front of the trailer for some reason? Essentially, once you get to the second drum, does the circuit end, or does it go somewhere else? Starting at about 6:50 in the video, he splits the wire and grounds it to the frame. Because I'm going into a junction box with it's own ground wire, this isn't needed, correct?

I hope this makes sense.

Thank you in advance.

 

[brian90744]

Bad wiring info

Don't wire your unit like=LOL

 

[dwh]

Those are all small loads. You can ground them locally.

You can run the brake wire first to one side, then just jump from there to the other side and dead-end it at the second brake.

You'll need to ground the junction box to the frame and also make sure the bed is well grounded to the frame.

 

[dwh]

Don't wire your unit like=LOL

That first one could possibly be fixed by adding a couple of 4-0 extension rings to bring down the wire count:

The second one looks like a construction site temp setup. After a while, those can end up pretty crazy, but it all gets removed at the end anyway so no one cares.


That third one, someone converted a sub-panel to a pull-box. Probably done when the service was upgraded. Where they screwed up, was not blocking off the unused breaker knockouts with plugs:

 

[cs0430]

Those are all small loads. You can ground them locally.

You can run the brake wire first to one side, then just jump from there to the other side and dead-end it at the second brake.

You'll need to ground the junction box to the frame and also make sure the bed is well grounded to the frame.

Thank you very much.

 

[Mark Harley]

Always grease the roller bearings on install. Never trust the EZ lube spindles like in the video.

I went with a 7 pin connector on my M101A2 but do not have brakes.

 

[cs0430]

Ok, new questions. I've decided to replace the OE tail lights with aftermarket LED Lights so I'm going to be re-wiring the whole trailer in the process to also add the side marker lights. I don't know why I'm having so much trouble figuring this stuff out, but I am.

1. Should the gauge wire I use after my junction box match the gauge going into the junction box from the Hopkins 7 way plug? 14 Gauge - red, brown, green, and yellow --- 12 Gauge - Blue --- 10 Gauge - White and Black. I've found bonded wire for trailer lights, but the gauge is 16.

2. I see that some companies like etrailer sell jacketed wire assemblies I like the idea of having the wires protected from the elements, but wouldn't I only use 2 wires out of the 4 on either side of the trailer? Brown/Yellow on Driver, Brown/Green on Passenger. Am I missing something? Why would they sell this with 4 wires? Their own website says the red wire which should go to breakaway or battery charger should be 12 gauge. Would I be better off buying individual spools of 14 gauge wire and using wire looms to protect the wires?

 

[brian90744]

I would use from etrailer=Hopkins 7-Way Molded Trailer Wire Connector - 11' Long. which would get you half way down the trailer, buy 8ft of each color wire from home depot to complete. to change to LED rear lights good from harbor freight.
Hopkins Wiring
code: HM20048
Price:$34.91
just FYI=brian

 

[cs0430]

I would use from etrailer=Hopkins 7-Way Molded Trailer Wire Connector - 11' Long. which would get you half way down the trailer, buy 8ft of each color wire from home depot to complete. to change to LED rear lights good from harbor freight.
Hopkins Wiring
code: HM20048
Price:$34.91
just FYI=brian

Thanks Brian. I already bought the 7-way molded and have that squared away. I'm leaning towards getting individual wires to complete the rest of the assembly. I should be able to zip-tie them together and cover them with wire loom to protect them.

 

[RagnarD]

I buy jacketed 7 wire by the foot and put my own plug on. It's cheaper and you have control of each wire's function.

I separate the 7 wire to make jumpers from lights to junction box. Also ground everything to the junction box.

 

[cs0430]

I buy jacketed 7 wire by the foot and put my own plug on. It's cheaper and you have control of each wire's function.

I separate the 7 wire to make jumpers from lights to junction box. Also ground everything to the junction box.

Thanks. So you buy the jacketed 7 wire just to remove the jacket when you make jumpers?

 

[RagnarD]

Yes. I run the intact 7 wire as far as I can though. Could also just use 7 wire as is for jumpers but only use three wire. Wires would be protected and you would only need one size of wire clamps.

 

[dwh]

1. Should the gauge wire I use after my junction box match the gauge going into the junction box from the Hopkins 7 way plug? 14 Gauge - red, brown, green, and yellow --- 12 Gauge - Blue --- 10 Gauge - White and Black. I've found bonded wire for trailer lights, but the gauge is 16.

You can go from larger wire to smaller as long as the fuse is sized to protect the smaller wire.