Swithcing wires for trailer
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 236
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From: Whitewater, WI
Swithcing wires for trailer
Allright, my problem is I need to switch the 12v wire (black) & electric brakes wire (blue) for my truck to match my two trailer/dad's truck. How should I go about doing this?
my previous thread - https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/9...er-wiring.html
my previous thread - https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/9...er-wiring.html
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 26,966
Likes: 50
From: Texas
Unbolt the plug on your truck. As you take the plug apart, you'll see where each wire is held in place by a screw. Loosen the 2 screws for the appropriate wires, swap the location of the wires, and tighten the screws back down.
When you take the back of the plug cover off, it will look just like the picture Dan posted.
When you take the back of the plug cover off, it will look just like the picture Dan posted.
Butt-Head
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 9,437
Likes: 2,925
From: Reed Point, MT
Actually, if you are dealing with the factory 7-wire plug, the 12V and brake wire terminals are the same size in the back of the connector. You can pull the terminals out of the connector after you pull the gray lock out and release the terminal tab. Switch the orange and blue wires. Piece of cake.
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 193
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From: Van Alstyne, TX
I would ask how permanent you want it to be. If you are going to use the trailer once, it might be easier to just pull the receptacle out and swap the wires, then change it back when you are through. If you will be using the trailer periodically and using your own trailers between times, it might be worthwhile to build an adapter that would cross the wires for you. Then you could plug it in to your receptacle then plug your dads trailer into the receptacle on the adapter. It all depends on how often you will be using your dads trailer.
Postmaster
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 3,524
Likes: 2
From: CA Bay Area
If connecting #10 wires to 2 mm terminals while having 3 mm slag is easy, than I want to hire the person who does that.
I just dealt with it and even with my pretty flexible fingers it is not easy.
I think I had the same problem, where newly purchased trailer cable with molded plug had completely different color codes. I had to retest all the signals and do the right connections disregarding the colors.
Open the hitch receptacle and see how it is connected. Practically cutting the wires and crimping them outside the receptacle would be way faster.
I just dealt with it and even with my pretty flexible fingers it is not easy.
I think I had the same problem, where newly purchased trailer cable with molded plug had completely different color codes. I had to retest all the signals and do the right connections disregarding the colors.
Open the hitch receptacle and see how it is connected. Practically cutting the wires and crimping them outside the receptacle would be way faster.
Postmaster
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 3,524
Likes: 2
From: CA Bay Area
If his father is like mine -it would be easier to buy a new trailer.
still sounds like you might want to call proffesional for the job.
still sounds like you might want to call proffesional for the job.
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Senior User
Joined: Feb 2008
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From: Central Washington State
What he said. if you change your wires, it will only be compatible with that trailer, you will have to change it back to tow a properly wired unit. The adapter build would be my second choice.
Last edited by puller45; May 17, 2010 at 01:02 AM. Reason: punctuation
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Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2004
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From: Buckingham, IA
After having the same problem I did a search for trailer plug wiring on the web and found that there are two different wiring patterns. And I always thought that they were a single standard. So changing to one pattern will do if you are going to pull only those trailers. But you may hook to another trailer with the other pattern and have the problem all over again. I put a DPDT switch in my adapter which makes changing the connection easy. You could also make a pig tail with male and female plugs with the "wires crossed" and get the same result.
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Feb 2010
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From: Whitewater, WI
Sorry it took me a while to post my progress. Worked on this wiring problem sunday afternoon. I first took my dad's truck & trailer connections apart to see how they were wired. Looking at the diagram, I am 99% sure they are correct. Only my dad's truck has 6 wires, no one in the middle. Otherwise his truck matched the diagram below.
Now when I took my truck's connection apart, here was how it looked (going by the numbers on the diagram)
1-white
2-yellow
3-brown with white stripe
4-blue
5-green
6-orange
middle-black with green
I first swapped the orange & blue. That changed nothing.
Next I arranged them as follows
4-black
6-blue
middle-orange
Good Part
That combination kept the turn signals, brake lights, and running lights all working. Also the trailer brakes didn't come on and I was able to pull the trailer out normally.
Bad Part
However, now all the trailer brake controller shows is a little decimal point and no numbers appear on the screen (before it flashed 0.0 and the trailer brakes were on all the time). So, I hope the wiring at the truck/trailer connection is right, but what is wrong with my trailer brake controller?
THANKS FOR ALL THE HELP SO FAR
Now when I took my truck's connection apart, here was how it looked (going by the numbers on the diagram)
1-white
2-yellow
3-brown with white stripe
4-blue
5-green
6-orange
middle-black with green
I first swapped the orange & blue. That changed nothing.
Next I arranged them as follows
4-black
6-blue
middle-orange
Good Part
That combination kept the turn signals, brake lights, and running lights all working. Also the trailer brakes didn't come on and I was able to pull the trailer out normally.
Bad Part
However, now all the trailer brake controller shows is a little decimal point and no numbers appear on the screen (before it flashed 0.0 and the trailer brakes were on all the time). So, I hope the wiring at the truck/trailer connection is right, but what is wrong with my trailer brake controller?
THANKS FOR ALL THE HELP SO FAR
Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,777
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From: Buckingham, IA
You probably should check the wiring on each trailer to see if they are the same and, if not, wire the trailer plugs accordingly. I looked at a vehicle plug wiring diagram which stated that each auto manufacturer used their own color scheme on the wiring. You'll need to have the wiring diagram for the vehicle that you are using to know what color wire does what.
Cargo Master
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,712
Likes: 107
From: BoCoMo
Only my dad's truck has 6 wires, no one in the middle. Otherwise his truck matched the diagram below.
The center pin on my diogram ('01) is for back up lights. A lot of 'trailers do not have back-up lights and will not need this wire.