Trailer Brake Wiring
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Junior User
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 69
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From: S. ILL.
Trailer Brake Wiring
Hooking up trailer brakes in a 95 F-150. I found the plug under the dash & have the correct adapter. My question is: Is the wire for the trailer brakes already ran to the rear of the truck or does it terminate under the dash or hood? If it does go to the rear where does it end? I don't want to have to tear apart any more of the wiring harness than I have to.
TIA.
JIM.
TIA.
JIM.
Thread Starter
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Junior User
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 69
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From: S. ILL.
According to the owners manual, all the fuses & the relay are in the PDC. All are present. What color wiring will be at the rear of the truck. The PO had a flat four connector wired in & it works fine with the trailer hooked up. The only other wire in that bunch is black with a pink runner. Is this the brake wiring?
JIM.
JIM.
Lead Driver
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 8,180
Likes: 669
From: Scio, OR
I'm not as familiar with an F-150 as other trucks, but I recall from somewhere.
The F-150 only has the 4 pin wired clear to the back of the truck, but it has the wiring for the 7 pin plug under there somewhere. As I recall it, somewhere forward of the 4 pin wire is a connector where that 4 wire loom goes into the main rear wiring harness. In the same vicinity is a 3 pin plug with the other 3 wires necessary for the 7 way connector.
I'm dredging all that up from memory, so don't quote me on it.
However, if the truck has the trailer brake controller connector in the cab, you can be sure the wire for it is back there somewhere. You could have someone hold the TBC manual control over and test wires for power with a test light. Most factory wiring ends up at a factory connector, so I think that's where I'd look.
The F-150 only has the 4 pin wired clear to the back of the truck, but it has the wiring for the 7 pin plug under there somewhere. As I recall it, somewhere forward of the 4 pin wire is a connector where that 4 wire loom goes into the main rear wiring harness. In the same vicinity is a 3 pin plug with the other 3 wires necessary for the 7 way connector.
I'm dredging all that up from memory, so don't quote me on it.
However, if the truck has the trailer brake controller connector in the cab, you can be sure the wire for it is back there somewhere. You could have someone hold the TBC manual control over and test wires for power with a test light. Most factory wiring ends up at a factory connector, so I think that's where I'd look.
Postmaster
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 3,472
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From: Southern Cal
Your 4 wire connector can't be used for electrical brakes. It only has 1) ground 2) left turn signal/brake 3) right turn signal/brake and 4) running lights. No brake line. To David's point above, you must find or convert to a full 7 wire harness to use these brakes. Did it come with a "tow package"? If so, it will be an easy add on as all the wires go all the way back to the rear.
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Junior User
Joined: Jan 2009
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From: S. ILL.
Pretty sure it didn't come with the tow package. It didn't even have a hitch when I got it. The controller is one I am adding. What I am hoping to do is have the flat four for the lights, then a separate single wire for the brakes. I have my Jeep wired this way & it works fine.
JIM.
JIM.
