Aiming

1. Park the vehicle on level ground, so it is perpendicular to and, facing a flat wall about 25 ft. (7.6m) away
2. Remove any stone shields, if equipped, and switch ON the lights
3. Loosen the mounting hardware of the lights so you can aim them as follows:
   • The horizontal distance between the light beams on the wall should be the same as between the lights themselves
   • The vertical height of the light beams above the ground should be 4 in. (10cm) less than the distance between the ground and the center of the lamp lenses for fog lights. For driving lights, the vertical height should be even with the distance between the ground and the center of the lamp
4. Tighten the mounting hardware
5. Test to make sure the lights work correctly, and the light pattern is even

Trailer Wiring

Wiring a vehicle for towing is fairly easy. There are a number of good wiring kits available and these should be used rather than trying to design your own.

All trailers need brake lights and turn signals. They also require taillights and side-marker lights. Most states require extra marker lights for oversized trailers. Also, most states have recently required back-up lights for trailers. Most trailer manufacturers have been building trailers with back-up lights for several years.

Additionally, some Class I, most Class II and just about all Class III and IV are equipped with electric brakes. Add any wiring to power any accessories and to operate trailer internal equipment or to charge the trailer's battery, and there can be as many as seven wires in the harness.

Determine the equipment on your trailer and buy the wiring kit required for your application. The kit will contain all the wires needed, plus a plug adapter set that includes the female plug (mounted on the bumper or hitch) and the male plug (wired into, or plugged into the trailer harness).

When installing the kit, follow the manufacturer's instructions. The color coding of the wires is usually standard throughout the industry. One point to note: some domestic vehicles, and most imported vehicles, have separate turn signals. On most domestic vehicles, the brake lights and rear turn signals operate with the same bulb. For those vehicles without separate turn signals, you can purchase an isolation unit so that the brake lights won't blink whenever the turn signals are operated.

One, final point, the best kits are those with a spring loaded cover on the vehicle mounted socket. This cover prevents dirt and moisture from corroding the terminals. Never let the vehicle socket hang loosely; always mount it securely to the bumper or hitch.

NOTE: To protect the trailer plug terminals from corrosion, coat them with silicon dielectric grease. This grease promotes good electrical connection and places a water barrier on the terminals.