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Tow / Trailer hitch wiring

I don't know of any plug and play for these old trucks- although it really isn't that hard to wire one in

I include this link below because it shows where some trucks have a female terminal for a brake controller in the under dash fuse panel near the e-brake pedal:


The most important thing when wiring in a tow harness is tapping into the brake light switch so that the trailer brakes are activated. If you don't have the NAT plug referenced in the link above, you find the brake light switch wire using a test light and splice in there. The rest is running wires from the brake controller to power, ground, and to the 7 pin connector at the hitch.

I have had good success with a basic Tekonsha brake controller unit. Biggest problem is terminals in the 7 way connector rotting out from living in the salt belt, something that shouldn't be an issue for you in CA
 
Actually they do make a plug and play..(AutoZone) sells them..plugs in, in back of the truck where the tail light harness plugs into the main harness that goes down the fr frame rail...if I remember right it's pretty much below the driverside tail light
 
Yeah the 4 pin plug is only for lights, does not include brakes (as far as I know). There is a plug and play adapter to connect a 7 way plug to the tail light circuit, but the remaining wires to control brakes have to be run yourself.
 
I have a 95 sierra that I'm rebuilding the motor. The wiring is thee same as my 98 suburban, so I'm going to unplug that wiring and use it on my burb. Does anyone see an issue doing that?
 
Rodd said:
I have a 95 sierra that I'm rebuilding the motor. The wiring is thee same as my 98 suburban, so I'm going to unplug that wiring and use it on my burb. Does anyone see an issue doing that?
Click to expand...
Should work good. You’ll unplug/disconnect the components You need and leave the wires in place ? At least that is the way I’d do it.
On My trucks, 1988 and newer, might have been the older ones too. Just get a Hoppy connector. At the back end of the truck/suburban, unplug the wire harness connector and plug the Hoppy connector into the harness and plug the rearward harness into the Hoppy connector. Then all thats required is the pigtail connector that plugs into the Hoppy connector and those wires goes intothe trailer light plug.
If there is a need for a trailer brake then its no big chore to run the extra wire for that. From inside of the cab to the trailer connector.
Be sure that when installing the trailer light plug that, the white wire from the hoppy connector the the trailer light plug is attached to a real good grounding source on the frame. Grind off the frame to bright and shiny and a light coating of some kind of a corrosion inhibitor smeared around the hole. If You have a welder, a handy way is to grind the scale/rust from a small section of the frame, then weld on a 1/4 or 5/16ths bolt and use that for a grounding lug.
 
MrMarty51 said:
Should work good. You’ll unplug/disconnect the components You need and leave the wires in place ? At least that is the way I’d do it.
On My trucks, 1988 and newer, might have been the older ones too. Just get a Hoppy connector. At the back end of the truck/suburban, unplug the wire harness connector and plug the Hoppy connector into the harness and plug the rearward harness into the Hoppy connector. Then all thats required is the pigtail connector that plugs into the Hoppy connector and those wires goes intothe trailer light plug.
If there is a need for a trailer brake then its no big chore to run the extra wire for that. From inside of the cab to the trailer connector.
Be sure that when installing the trailer light plug that, the white wire from the hoppy connector the the trailer light plug is attached to a real good grounding source on the frame. Grind off the frame to bright and shiny and a light coating of some kind of a corrosion inhibitor smeared around the hole. If You have a welder, a handy way is to grind the scale/rust from a small section of the frame, then weld on a 1/4 or 5/16ths bolt and use that for a grounding lug.
Click to expand...
Thanks!
 
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