I have a 1996 F-150 5.0 that has the tow package. It came with the 4 flat and I want to know if there a whole new harness for the 7 way. I want trailer brakes and a reverse light would be nice, but not necessary. Also, the current 4 flat has working turn signals and brake lights, but the regular tail lights won't work. Any help on either problem would be extremely appreciated, thank you.

 

Kind of a lot of ground to cover here, but basically determine which wire does what and transfer them to your new seven pin. You will need to add a brake controller and add the lead from that to the seven pin. Finally, reverse is off the center pin of the seven pin. There are few trailers that have reverse lights on the rear, so I let that one go, but if you want, you are going to have to pick up a lead off the reverse lights and wire it to the seven pin. You can get the standard seven pin wiring diagram on eTailer online. The seven pin is standard for most trailers.

None of this is hard, it just takes some time and patience.

Steve

 

For a brake controller, the prodigy by Tokensha is what most consider the best you can get.

 

For the non working lights check the fuse box under the hood there should be one for the trailer marker lights. On the seven way there should be extra wires for trailer brakes, reverse lights and a charge wire to charge the battery for the brake away. If you run a wire for the charge wire it is a good idea to connect it to a wire that is only hot when the key switch is on, Have seen campers with lights on drain the batterys on the tow vehicle.

 

I'm gonna give you two links that should help. The bad news is if you want trailer brakes you are going to need more than just a harness anyway..you'll need to get a trailer brake controller. It's necessary anyway but also lets you adjust the trailer's brakes from inside the cab according to the load you're hauling. You can get away with a 6 pin connector for that but if you prefer the 7 then fine. The back up lights may be an issue that will take a little more rigging. If you want those...go with the 7 pin and use the extra slot to wire into your backup lights. And does you're trailer have a "breakaway" on it?...if not...then that frees up the pin that would normally charge the battery on the trailer.
As far as your 4 pin problem with the marker lights. Take a test light or multimeter and check "with your light on" between the white wire pin which is ground and the brown wire pin which is parking/marker/tag light. If no power...then trace the brown wire back to see where the break is.

Hope this helps.. Brake Controller Installation on a Full-Size Ford Truck or SUV | etrailer.com and one more link Tow Ready Wiring Adapter for Electric Brake Controllers - Ford, Land Rover, Lincoln, Mercury Draw-Tite Accessories and Parts 20260

Good Luck

 

If a trailer is of a weight that requires service brakes, a breakaway switch is not an option, it is mandatory. The breakaway is fed by the trailer battery, not by the seven pin. If it depended on the seven pin and the trailer broke free, the breakaway would be of no benefit as it would immediately lose power.

Steve

Steve

 

The brake box isn't an issue. It has the quick connect in the cab and I definitely need the seven pin. The main problem is that the wiring run up beside the body panel without access. It doesn't run along the frame like the newer trucks. I watched a video of the installation of the 7 way that used the flat four and spliced the power and brake wires in and connected the ground to the frame. The thing is that was on the 97-03 model. Can that be done on the 96 model?

 

As long as you have functional wiring on your four pin, it should all be the same. You will add a lead from the brake controller, a charge lead to the trailer battery, and you will need to be sure to catch the ground pin on the new seven pin. I am sure you know not to try to ground depending on the trailer ball.

Steve

 

That's right Steve....the 7 pin does not supply power to the breakaway circuit, that would be kind of ignorant. What I said was that one of the pins on the 7 pin keeps the battery on the trailer charged so that it can activate the brakes when needed. Read.

 

The entire focus of this discussion was on the OP's desire for trailer brakes. As such, the question as to whether there is a break-away makes no sense. if a trailer has electric brakes, it has to have a break away switch and thus a charge lead to the battery. Why on earth ask someone if their trailer will have a break away when the discussion is about what was necessary to have electric brakes? I did read and reread.

Steve

 

Not necessarily. Some trailers are equipped with electric brakes, even though they aren't required. State laws vary on requirements as well. Your average electric brake equipped 16'-18' car trailer sold here in Missouri doesn't come with a breakaway switch, though it is an option.

To the OP: You'll need to run a few wires as already pointed out.

 

Thanks for updating me. Although it is not a state law, it sure looks to me like it is a Federal Law. How are they getting around this? I don't see any exceptions and this is the clause I always see inserted in state laws. This is also the way the RV industry interpretes the law.

This is what the Missouri Highway Patrol says:

Break-Away Switch

– No Missouri law requirement:
However, Federal
Motor Carrier Safety
Regulations 393.43
paragraph (d) states
every trailer required to
be equipped with brakes
shall be equipped with
brakes of such character as
to be applied automatically
and promptly upon breakaway
from the towing vehicle. Brakes
must maintain application on the

trailer in such case for 15 minutes.

Thanks,

Steve

 

Because...

If the trailer isn't required to have trailer brakes, but it is equipped with electric trailer brakes, it is not required to have a breakaway switch. Like I said, it's a common occurrence around here.

 

Not arguing, just wanting to make sure I understand. I know here in Tennessee any trailer over 1,500 pounds has to have brakes. I know some states have a higher weight limit. In Missouri it is 3,000 pounds. If I remember correctly one state has no trailer brake requirement at all, so nothing there would ever need a break-away switch. Interesting point!

Steve

 

Straight from Missouri Highway Patrol's website:

So even though it isn't required by law to run trailer brakes on your average car hauler, many opt to add them, yet skip adding a breakaway switch.