Need help with trailer light wiring

[Jakes-66-K10]

I am taking off a hitch from another truck, since this 3/4 ton will do alot better pulling now with front discs. Anyway, the couple of trailers I have use that 4 pin connector and they don't have trailer brakes.

How is the best way to hook this up correctly? I was thinking that I'd just crawl under and splice them into the white, green, yellow lines that run to my tail lights. Someone suggested not doing that though, because you have to use diodes or something to prevent the trailer lights from burning out.

I'm confused... and our trucks are old enough they don't make plug and play kits like new vehicles.

[LONGHAIR]

Your splicing idea should work fine. The only thing you will have to add is a heavier-duty flasher. When you put the extra bulbs in the mix your trun signals will not blink properly.
Also, be sure that the connector is wired correctly. The side of the plug that has only one bullet exposed belongs on the truck, and that is the ground wire. This way when there is no trailer attached, the exposed wire on the truck side of the connection is not hot....no short/blown fuses.

Yes I have seen it done backward, that's why I mentioned it.

[mrein3]

And by all means hook the truck side ground wire to a good ground on the truck.

All my buddys don't and just allow the ground to attempt to go through the trailer ball to the frame of the truck. Then they complain about flaky trailer wiring.

One more thing. Here in Minnesota where you are driving in salt 5 months out of the year, those blue 3M splice deals corrode and lose contact after a winter or two. If you want to do it right the first time solder all your connections and seal them up right the first time.

[truckdude239]

on my 71 when i rewired the brake lights where the plug is under the bed there was another plug pluged into it for my taoir lights the name one the side of the plug is hoppy lite mate #4110 u just unplug you harness under the bed plug this in and have a long enough wire to run to it and the talior and don't forget to plug you brake light harness back into the back of it i think its pretty cool

[truckdude239]

http://www.trailerwiring.com/ just enter what ever year and it will come up with what u need part number 41105

[truckdude239]

heres an ttt for u hope someone can asnwer better then me

[Longhorn Man]

As far as splicing... I would say screw the solder... it is good in a \n ideal envirnoment...but under the bumper is far from ideal. Do with the crimp on butt connectors that have heat shrink on them. They cost a bit, but they are top notch. (this is what GM has on there harness repair kits too)
But...with that said...screw that idea. Run down to NAPA and order P/N 755 1554, that'll get you the plug and play as you described, and no searching for the hoppy dealers or anything.

[Robert1970C20rstbukt]

I have two different connectors wired up on the truck right now. The new(to my truck) step bumper has a big 7 way round connecter set up for trailer brakes mounted on it, I just don't have the brake controller, gotta go back to the junkyard and get it. I also installed a 4 way flat connector, I just wrap the cable around the bumper bracket when I'm not using it. I would've just bought the adapter that plugs into the 7 way and converts it to 4, but I already had the wire harness. When I wired 'em up I used regular splice connectors, but I wrapped 'em in the 3M electrical tape that costs about 5 bucks a roll. When I hooked up the white ground wire I put a ring terminal on the end and used a small hole that was already drilled in the frame to mount it. I just got the grinder and cleaned the rust off before connecting it. Also, both connectors are spliced into the factory wire harness on my truck, and I never had a problem with bulbs blowing out.

[Jakes-66-K10]

Well, I tried doing wiring this myself and had nothing but problems splicing into the right wires etc. This time of year it's really cold and not as easy or fun to work under the truck. I finally just broke down and took the part number to NAPA that Longhorn Man suggested.

WOW! That was almost too easy, I could have saved alot of time if I did that in the first place. I thought it would be more expensive than making my own kit, but it was only $6.00! Thank you Andy!

Anyone wanting to add trailer wiring, GO THIS ROUTE! Works like a charm, it's cheap, and saves ALOT of time doing it yourself!

[Longhorn Man]

wow...i had no idea it was only 6 bucks. Cool
Robert, in most parts of texas, you can splice all day long. Get to areas where it snows, and you start having problems. Road salt, and even worse now, brine, gets ionto the splice and kills the wires. The brine gets into everything, it'll get under the heads of rivits and start to corrode the melat... so it'll get through the tape with no problems.

[Robert1970C20rstbukt]

Yeah I was told that it's a bad idea to cut and splice the wires, especially if you use those scotchlock connectors.

[Classic Heartbeat]

M&H has just come out with a new trailer wiring plug. It is a lot better than the adapter that is on the market now. The one that is on the market now will not hold the plugs together, nor is it weathertight. The new M&H ones are. They also come with a lenth of wire to wire your trailer plug. These plugs haven't been releiced yet, but I will have some on the shelf next weak. The price is $29.95 for them, but after fighting with the adapter that is on the market now and wiretyeing the one I have now. They will be well worth the money. And yes!! USA made!! WES www.ClassicHeartbeat.com

[sdkid]

Personally I prefer solder and heat shrink. The hoppy is quicker, but they can have connection issues after they have been installed awhile. I learned that the hard way.

[Classic Heartbeat]

That is because they are not weather tight. The terminals carode from the weather and the terminals come loose under it's own weight. M&H's new kit will be completely weather tight and plug in just like your original taillight harnesses plug. They will even be housed in a rubber connector just like the originals. WES www.ClassicHeartbeat.com