gt2003 Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 2007 Tahoe Q6i, currently has a 5 prong wiring system on it. The problem is, late last year all the lights stayed lit all the time, no turn signals etc. So, I'm going to replace the wiring since it's almost 10 years old anyway. It's looks like a straight forward job that I can tackle pretty easily. My question is, since my truck doesn't have surge brakes on it and since my receptacle on my truck is for a 4 prong harness, is that what I should go with? The 5 prong hooks up fine just wondering if there is an advantage/disadvantage to one or the other? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller eleeski Posted March 2, 2015 Baller Share Posted March 2, 2015 Just fix whatever is wrong with your truck wiring. Your truck is the Tahoe? If you are rewiring just the trailer, rewire to 4 wire and keep the 5 wire plug for the adapter you make. Most light kits have both male and female plugs so you will have all the needed parts for the adapter. One problem with the kits is the lack of a ground wire. This is a problem for my rusted trailers and corrosive water. I use an extension cord for the wire (3 wires per side) so my lights are grounded. I only wire the taillights and ignore running lights. Actually, I try to avoid trailering - boat lifts rock! Read The Grasshopper Trap by Patrick McManus for true insight into trailer lights. Eric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gt2003 Posted March 2, 2015 Author Share Posted March 2, 2015 No, the boat is an I/O runabout Tahoe. Ski boat possibly in my near future depending on how ski school goes in a couple of months! My truck is a 2011 Ford F150. Is that a book or a thread from Patrick McManus? Thanks Eric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller_ MISkier Posted March 2, 2015 Baller_ Share Posted March 2, 2015 If you are getting a tournament boat in the future, the trailer may have surge brakes. A 5 prong connector is used on those trailers to lock out the brakes, so you can back the trailer. You will eventually need 5 prong on your truck. Otherwise, the plunger on the trailer tongue will activate the brakes and prevent you from backing up. That extra prong takes a signal from the reverse lights on the truck. The worst slalom equipment I own is between my ears. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller_ MISkier Posted March 2, 2015 Baller_ Share Posted March 2, 2015 Also, you can typically plug a 4 prong trailer adapter into a 5 prong truck adapter just fine. The worst slalom equipment I own is between my ears. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller eleeski Posted March 2, 2015 Baller Share Posted March 2, 2015 It's a book by Patrick McManus but the relevant trailer short story does come up online. Required reading. Just teasing about the Tahoe. Probably a better trick boat than any of the new "ski" boats. Enjoy ski school. Eric @MISkier Stan's surge brake trailer (which I stole) needs a pin to disable the brakes to launch or back up. Strictly mechanical. I'm not sure about electric brakes for a boat trailer but with enough maintenence (WD 40 after each launch?) maybe useful. Especially if I'm going to tow with the converted Focus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller oldjeep Posted March 2, 2015 Baller Share Posted March 2, 2015 The 5 pin is typically for the reverse light circuit that actuates the brake lockout solenoid on the trailer. As for which is better - 4 or 5, neither ;) Most tow vehicles come with 7 pin, as does every newer trailer that I've seen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gt2003 Posted March 2, 2015 Author Share Posted March 2, 2015 My tow vehicle has the 7 pin connector. The guy I bought the boat from included a 7-pin to 4 pin connector. It works fine, the 5th prong is just left exposed. Here's my plan, see what you think. 1. Replace with the same 5 prong system that is on there now. 2. Get a 7-prong to 5 prong connector. Do they make these? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller_ MISkier Posted March 2, 2015 Baller_ Share Posted March 2, 2015 They do make 7 to 5 prong connectors and you can usually connect a 4 prong to it also. Get the 7 to 5. The worst slalom equipment I own is between my ears. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gt2003 Posted March 2, 2015 Author Share Posted March 2, 2015 By using the 5-wire harness and connecting it properly to a 5-prong receptacle, will that enable the brakes on the trailer to work? Or, would I need a seperate "surge brake" installed on my tow vehicle to take advantage of this? Thanks again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller oldjeep Posted March 2, 2015 Baller Share Posted March 2, 2015 You are confusing surge brakes and electric brakes. Electric brakes require a controller in the truck - few boat trailers have electric brakes. You need a 6 or 7 pin trailer harness with electric brakes. Surge brakes are actuated by the coupler on the tongue of the trailer. The only electric component is that SOME trailers have an electric solenoid that locks the brakes out when you are backing up. That solenoid is what is engaged by the 5th pin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gt2003 Posted March 2, 2015 Author Share Posted March 2, 2015 Ok, so if I get the 5-wire harness and the correct 7 prong to 5 prong reducer then the brakes will work it sounds like. That's worth it to me. I'll be ordering ASAP. I need to start working on this boat to help with the winter blues. Thanks @oldjeep Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller skierjp Posted March 3, 2015 Baller Share Posted March 3, 2015 WWW.ETRAILER.COM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller BrennanKMN Posted March 3, 2015 Baller Share Posted March 3, 2015 I got myself one of these guys: http://www.etrailer.com/Wiring/Pollak/PK12706.html I am not a fan of adapters; so I when I swapped disk brakes onto my trailer I just cut off the old 4 pin and went to a 7 pin. It is great. Another great benefit is that 7 pins lock into the receptacle on the truck so you don't really have to worry anymore about a loose light connection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gt2003 Posted March 4, 2015 Author Share Posted March 4, 2015 Ok, I went to the storage building today and checked. The connector on the boat is a 5-pin. My truck has a dual connection, either 5 pin or the round 7-pin/plug. Now I'm thoroughly confused. I'd like to take advantage of the brakes on the trailer if I can. Is my option to rewire with a 5 prong, cut off the 5 prong once wired and connect it to a 7 prong plug like @BrennanKMN used? Or is there a harness that comes with the 7 prong connector? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller oldjeep Posted March 4, 2015 Baller Share Posted March 4, 2015 Huh? Once again, your brakes have nothing to do with the electrical. The brake lockout(disable). Will work with either a 5 or 7 pin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller_ MISkier Posted March 4, 2015 Baller_ Share Posted March 4, 2015 @gt2003, if you have a 7 pin outlet on your truck, buy this and don't rewire the trailer. http://www.etrailer.com/Wiring/Hopkins/37385.html The worst slalom equipment I own is between my ears. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller oldjeep Posted March 4, 2015 Baller Share Posted March 4, 2015 @MISkier He is saying that he has to rewire the trailer because the wiring is all screwed up. Other than that I can't make much sense of what he is asking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller_ MISkier Posted March 4, 2015 Baller_ Share Posted March 4, 2015 What I really meant was don't rewire it to a 4 prong. Just replace the existing wiring as original to fix what is likely a ground issue. I've also had lighting issues when there has been some rust on the hitch ball that prevented the trailer from grounding to the vehicle. The worst slalom equipment I own is between my ears. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gt2003 Posted March 4, 2015 Author Share Posted March 4, 2015 @oldjeep , we are in the same boat. I don't even really know what I'm asking. I think once I get the harness and the diagram on where the blue wire actually connects then it will make much more sense to me. Obviously I haven't done much rewiring in the past and just trying to make som sense of it. Yes @MISkier , that's exactly what I will get. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gt2003 Posted March 8, 2015 Author Share Posted March 8, 2015 @oldjeep @MISkier , here is a picture of the current wiring. http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b256/gt2003/wiring_zps22abjx4h.png I crawled under the boat today and checked out how the wiring goes. It's pretty straight forward now that I've actually seen it. The lights are optronics LED's. I'm wondering where I can find a harness that has the ground wire incorporated in like what is on it right now. Any ideas? Thanks for bearing with me on this one. It's a project that was questionable for me at first but with your guidance (bearing with my ignorance of the whole subject) I'm quite confident I can get it done. Thanks again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller_ MISkier Posted March 9, 2015 Baller_ Share Posted March 9, 2015 Is this what you are looking for? http://www.pacifictrailers.com/25-ft-Flat-5-Vehicle-End-Trailer-Wiring-Harness-002275/ The worst slalom equipment I own is between my ears. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gt2003 Posted March 9, 2015 Author Share Posted March 9, 2015 I can't tell. I'm going to have to call etrailer in the morning and email them a pic if needed. The rear lights on the trailer use all 3 wires so I feel like I pretty much have to have them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gt2003 Posted March 10, 2015 Author Share Posted March 10, 2015 Question also posted on iBoats. I don't get why the pigtail coming from the LED rear lights has a ground wire on it. But, could I get a wiring harness with the green/brown and yellow/brown wires, run them to each side then ground the white wire from the LED light itself to the trailer frame and be ok? The harness will also have the ground wire that will be grounded to the trailer tongue. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller oldjeep Posted March 10, 2015 Baller Share Posted March 10, 2015 Typically trailer lights are grounded to the frame - same way most things are grounded in a car. If I'm re-wiring I prefer to run full ground wires to each light since the frame grounds always seem to corrode so easily. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gt2003 Posted March 10, 2015 Author Share Posted March 10, 2015 I guess what I'm trying to figure out is how would I do that? Would I just splice in 2 more ground wires to the one on the harness and run them to each side? I can't find a harness with the ground wire bonded to each side like in the picutre above. That's what is throwing me off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller oldjeep Posted March 10, 2015 Baller Share Posted March 10, 2015 Yes, if you wanted to run full ground wires then you splice them in and run one down each side. I never bought a wire kit for a trailer, just use multi conductor jacketed cable and a plug. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gt2003 Posted March 10, 2015 Author Share Posted March 10, 2015 Thank you. I believe I'm ready for the job now. I appreciate your patience and assistance. I'll report back once the job is complete. I appreciate it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.webp.a30f66e5f4553a0ea06e4fe12520951c.webp)
.webp.3cd841288e23e58f209509e0bce4937d.webp)
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now