Donkey lights

So let me get this straight , you have a jack ### attached to the back of your trailer ?

Sorry , I couldn't help myself ..

 

Far as i knew of its on the truck it HAS to work. Take chicken lights, not required to have 800 but if you do all 800 need to work

 

Pull screw out of p/tail cover on lift side an slide back CK. for wires off or broken, trade with other to see what is bad, ask for raise!(if all lights work)

 

Several things:

1. Circuit tester. If you don't have one, get one. It will help you take a lot of the guesswork out. You are getting power to the forklift, just the signal lights and brake lights aren't working. Have you tried the flathead screwdriver trick to spread the prongs out? Usually that fixes the problem of why some of the lights work and some don't.
2. Did you know that having bad tires will give you more points on a CSA inspection than hitting and killing someone with a commercial vehicle?
3. If your boss is half as bad as you say, why are you waiting 60 days to jump ship? Two bad days at the weigh station, and you're done.

 

You definitely have a broke or loose wire at the pigtail or in the connector box. You need a 12V tester. Being the pigtail gets the most abuse the wire is probably broke where it goes in the connector. If it has an access cover get inside it. It's possible the wire come loose at the mount screw. But check for a flashing 12V at the trailer connection first with your flashers on. It's possible the wire come loose on that side.

A picture would help a lot.

 

Grab a pig tale off a buddys truck, plug it in. You will know right away if its in the cord or the truck.

 

I recall one evening going north of I-5, when I turned on my trailer lights they did not work. I believe it was a 76 Truck Stop that I stopped at several miles south of Bakersfield. They did not have a mechanic present, he had gone out of a road call, but let me pull my truck trailer into their shop so that I could repair it myself.


I did the work because it would save me time, & I could get going & be at the place I was loading at the next morning north of Bakersfield.

I had to replace the trailer light cord that went through the fifth wheel plate, & being as it was in such bad shape I replace it all the way to the back of the trailer along with all the leads. It took me about 3 to 4 hours but it was well worth it, for I got going, got to the place I would load & even got some sleep & had all of my trailer lights working & knew I would not get stopped because I had some trailer lights that were not working. That was in my cross country trucking days.

During my cross country driving time I always carreid a tool box, along with a light tester, a roll of wire, wire connectors, plastic tape, bulbs, & a few other items that might come in handy.



Later on I drove local, & two times when the shop would not fix something that had to do with safety I parked the truck, told the boss I was going home, & if they fixed the problem give me a call, if not get someone else to drive this truck. Both times they fixed the truck & called me saying it was repaired & ready to go. If they had not I would have gotten another job.


Anything that is not working properly to do with safety I will not drive it on the highway, for if it causes a wreck that makes me responsible.

 

Chances of both left and right turn signal wires breaking at the same time in the pigtail are slim. Usually indicates a malfunction in the signal stat (turn signal switch on the steering column).

 

He said the truck is fine, well sort of...

So it has to be at the back. Them screw connections are popular for coming loose and one wire touch the next wire. Like streetbeater said a pigtail swap would be a quick check but it sounds like he has a cheap boss that cares less about safety and probably doesn't have another truck. Them type people will screw you any chance they get. I think he's doing best by finding another job.

If you want to be ugly OSHA would set him straight.