7pin wiring
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Elder User
Joined: Oct 2007
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From: PA
7pin wiring
I'm looking at a 2011 F-150, 4x2,. It has no receiver or wiring for a trailer. When I install the wire for trailer running lights is it ok to splice into the harness at the rear of the truck. Best, CB
Cross-Country
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 84
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I would venture to say that you could especially if you use LED trailer lights which you can buy in a kit. You're not going to be running any kind of amps to a trailer light kit. How else does Ford wire up the stock 4 pin harness unless they make a splice somewhere? Why would a 7 pin be any different?
Moderator
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 6,514
Likes: 669
From: Sioux Falls Area
here's what i would do:
LINK -->Ford<---
i would never splice any connection at the rear of a vehicle unless there was simply no other option. ive done it, and i got to do it again in a year when it corroded off. if you DO decide to splice, solder, dielectric grease, and heat shrink is the only way i have found that lasts.
there should be no need, hopkins has the kit above for trucks without the 7pin factory connection .... my advice? order it and be done with it ...
edit...
if you need the 7 blade RV plug at the rear of the vehicle, use the kit above and then install this behind it.
http://www.hopkinstowingsolutions.co...4_adapter.html
i did this on my explorer about 5 trouble free years ago. for the brake controler i soldered, greased, and shrink wraped. no troubles since. all i did for the 4 way to 4 way connection is tape it up real good.
thats what i did, and that's what id do again if ever needed.
LINK -->Ford<---
i would never splice any connection at the rear of a vehicle unless there was simply no other option. ive done it, and i got to do it again in a year when it corroded off. if you DO decide to splice, solder, dielectric grease, and heat shrink is the only way i have found that lasts.
there should be no need, hopkins has the kit above for trucks without the 7pin factory connection .... my advice? order it and be done with it ...
edit...
if you need the 7 blade RV plug at the rear of the vehicle, use the kit above and then install this behind it.
http://www.hopkinstowingsolutions.co...4_adapter.html
i did this on my explorer about 5 trouble free years ago. for the brake controler i soldered, greased, and shrink wraped. no troubles since. all i did for the 4 way to 4 way connection is tape it up real good.
thats what i did, and that's what id do again if ever needed.
Elder User
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 668
Likes: 6
From: Northfield, MI
The factory trailer lighting is all run through separate fuses and relays in the battery junction box, fed by signals from body control module. The truck lighting circuits see none of the trailer light loads.
Moderator
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 6,514
Likes: 669
From: Sioux Falls Area
i'm just asking the question, none of the manuals seem to specify. perhaps the trucks without the factory tow package just come with the 4-wire connector? (my old 99 at work came that way)
if ford is still providing the 4pin wire connector, then to get the 7pin, i'd just use the hoppy kit listed above. mine has worked perfectly since i put it in. total cost is about 30 bucks to get the 7 and 4 pin wire connector .... hard to beat.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 26,007
Likes: 575
From: Brentwood,CA
All the wiring is there, go buy the oem parts and just plug it in. The harness just needs the pigtails installed. The brake controller plug is under the dash and the rear harness is in the loom by the spare tire. Super easy then just install the relays and be done with it.
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New User
Joined: Jul 2012
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I don't know when they stopped running all the wires back to the connection at the spare tire but I have a 2012 and it is only wired for a 4pin from the cab to the back of the truck. You can go to etrailer and look up 4pin to 7 pin conversion and they have a video on how to hook it up.
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I don't know about that, my 09' came with a hitch and both connectors, but when I went to hook up the controlller, where you plug the the relay in, there was nothing. I scratched my head over that one. I took it back they had it for a day and had to call Ford for a solution. If you do a search in the trailer forum I wasn't the only one that happened to. I don't remember why exactly, but supposedly it had something to do if your truck didn't come wired with the tow pack, it wasn't wired for the controller, but mine did have a tow pkg. and both connectors, which made it wierd. Anyhow it's easy to figure out, under the hood, look where the relay would go, see if theres a corresponding plug and wire in the box, mine was blank. Good luck.
Charlie
Charlie
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