What is this strange wire inside boat trailer axle?

carnut asked:

I found a 16 or18 ga. pair of wires coming from inside a hole of the tube/axle of a 2 axle boat trailer. What could they be there for? The trailer has surge brakes.

5 Responses

  1. Firebird Says:

    On electric brakes, there is a fusible wire inside the axle that’ll melt and shut the brakes off at some temperature. So that’s what it sounds like. I know your trailer doesn’t have electric brakes, though. Maybe there’s some reason that’s there anyway.

  2. tzimmer44 Says:

    so it couldve been used either way, depended on how they used the axle, most are made in a production line, so they can use them on several types of trailers.

  3. paul h Says:

    Probably goes to the brakes—what color and where do the wires go on the harness? Brakes are usually blue wire.

  4. bigleybill Says:

    It sounds like a previous owner may have added a new light package and just left old wires inside the axle.

  5. smittybo20 Says:

    Most dual axle trailers were built to accomodate electric brakes. Those are the wires that run up to a break controller inside the vehicle for the electric brakes.

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