Problem:
When I hook up something to tow behind my Jeep, the turn signal lights flicker rather than flash. Just the turn signal lights....

Not a problem:
running lights are fine, bright as can be, same for brake lights - they are about the same as the 4-ways, they work fine as well

Thoughts:
I have a Super HD flasher and a 15 amp fuse.
Towing wiring harness ground on Jeep is connected to the neg term of battery.
Other wires are solder spliced to the origional wiring harness for the tail lights.
All trailers towed have grounded light fixtures, hardwired into the ground lead on the harness.
All trailers towed don't have this problem when towed behind (SHUDDER) the ford ranger, explorer or the buick.

I have tried:
Verifying ground is good
used several different light set-ups (mounted, unmounted, magnetic mount)
upgraded flasher from stock to HD and even tried a Super HD one....
Tried different trailers

Surely someone has a simple answer for this one....

yeah I have a suggestion Vidette! Just keep using the RANGER. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/nana.gif" alt="" />
The little suckers do have a strange metheod of blinking the tail lights don't they? I have only encountered this one time. As I remember I had to tie into the harness under the dash or just against the firewall under the hood. Prolly Sunder will look it up in one of his school books or ask one of his professors. So I am pretty sure there will be a real answer here pretty quickly.
Big Jim <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/pfft.gif" alt="" />

see if you actually have 12 volts at the plug on the jeep with your voltmeter. it's wierd that it's both sides. maybe the wires are chewed if they go all the way up front. my trailer lights are wired to the tail lights directly, and the ground comes off the frame. i run a 7 pole plug and have electric brakes as well as accessory power for reverse lights. i use copious amounts of dielectric grease to avoid flickering. don't let someone else install a new harness, do it yourself. you know where the wiring has to go to keep it in one piece, they don't care.

Turn signal flashers are depedant on current goin through them, the more current the faster they flash. the HD flashers you are putting in are probably the normal flashers with a different cover. See if you can rig a hazard light flasher in or try a different brand of flasher. A true HD flasher is the same thing as a hazard flasher. Hazard flashers are more like relays, one switch turning a different bigger switch on, that way they are non dependant on current.

going to take all the left over shells and my shotgun outside and use that damn Ranger as target practice from the back steps, then will take Sunder's idea of using a Hazzard flasher as a turn signal flasher. I don't really see how this is going to make a big difference, but will give it a try, just for the heck of it, then will take the ranger wiring harness from the turn signals and make something out of it on the Jeep.

They aren't flickering like a candle, they are flashing really fast and for short duration. Can't really explain it any better than that....

Cool they flash like a ricers light. You are too cool. If they flash bright who cares how fast they flash. Maybe you could add a couple relays from the jeeps turn sig. to the trailer lights. That would effectivley reduce the load on the circuit and possibly return the flashing to normal.

Cheers,
RJ <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />

It was made in Canada by an American company... don't want the rice car thing.... What do you mean by installing relays to get more current... that sounds like a lot of work. Looking for a practical fix for a reasonable price, not replacing the computer with one out of a dang Freightliner or something!

I was saying you could use two $5.00 relays. You could power the switch side for each relay from the hot wire of the jeeps rear turn signals. The relays are powered straight from the battery. And then you use the out power from the relay to the trailer harness. Does that make sence.

RJ

Sure does, but that would require rewiring everything and having a wee jumble of electric "stuff" back on top of my wheelwell. I haven't done anything like this before, haven't had the need for it, but could do it.

Not going to pounce on this one right away, any other suggestions? Other than towing with the Ranger? I've towed the ranger behind the Jeep more than I have towed trailers.... Don't feel that would the the best option, Mr BigJim....

Vidette what sunder was saying is the stock flasher is flashing from a heat source! When the lights are ON the heatstrip in the flasher heats up and when hot enough the lights are turned OFF then when OFF the heat strip cools and when cool enough it turns the lights back on! So when the lights blink really fast it usually means there is too much heat too quickly..(too many bulbs!) So the real HD ones have a more reluctant heat strip. Get a better one.
Now the hazzard lights do not opeate on the same principal because they are expected by the goverment to act in a certain way.. no matter if lights are crashed or not.
Big Jim <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/pfft.gif" alt="" />