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Firstly, you will need an uprated flasher unit.

Secondly, you will need the buzzer relay that sounds when the trailer indicators are working. I know we had one left over when I finished Alun's towbar on his 166 but I'm not sure whether I've got it or Al has.

Thirdly, there's nothing wrong with Scotchloks when used correctly, its only numpty nob-heads that take a supply for their billion watt spotlamps or magawatt amplifiers from the interior light circuit that start fires. Scotchloks are used throughout the towbar industry and have been for many years.

Fourthly, I would consider adding a relay to your brake light circuit, the only Dollies I've seen with knackered brake light switches have been cars with towbars on..... Seeing as you'll be switching twice the wattage through the same switch it would make sense.

Happy sparkin'

Jod

Guess my three years in the towbar game was wasted then, huh?

Without a better flasher unit the indicators will still flash at a steady rate but will 'strobe', i.e be illuminated for 5% of the cycle and out for the remaining 95%. The 8FL unit is not up to the job due to the bi-metallic strip design. It takes a fraction of a second to heat up and break the circuit, then ages to cool down enough to remake the circuit and start the whole cycle again. You DO need either a visual warning on the dashboard or an audile warning inside the car that the trailer indicators are working, its the law.

I saw literally hundreds of towbars fitted in the short months I was at Towequipe in Nuneaton and not once did they have an installation come back due to faulty wiring. Scotchloks, whilst not ideal, are simple and quick and do not necessitate actually cutting a wire in half. They are also fully insulated. Strain relief? Are you sure? no part of the loom should be under strain or you'll derate even an unmodified cable. I would prefer to use the piggy back connectors (in the correct size) as mentioned above as long as they're fitted with a proper crimp tool, not one of those things that also cuts bolts and strips wires. They're as much the right tool as using normal pliers.

The brake light switch is designed to switch 42 watts in total reliability, almost 4 amps. With a trailer connected the load doubles and the switch may get pissed off. It happened to my car and various Ford vans I've used. The fuse doesn't really have much to do with it and neither does fault condition, as hitching-on a trailer seldom constiutes a fault. Hitching on a caravan however, now thats ALWAYS a fault.

'Happy sparkin'' is not a reference to arcing in the wiring, more to wish you enjoyable fiddling with electrical stuff.

Jod