Trailer connector wiring

[leathermaneod]

Hi all,

So I want to replace my trailer connector plug and clean up this wiring.

Now just throwing on a new plug would be no big deal, but I want to figure all this out and clean it up. I know that whole bunch of wires thats hanging on the right was installed to run up to the bed for a gooseneck connector. Im planning to leave that as is because I may pull a gooseneck in the future, unless someone can suggest a better way of wiring that?

What I don't know is, what is that short white wire up at the top thats capped off, and what should I do with it?

What is the long black wire thats capped off?

What is the lighter gauge wire with the red one attached and capped off in the center of the picture? And why would someone have put that red one on there? I believe the main wire is blue with a black tracer.

My truck does have a trailer tow package from the factory.

Also, would you guys use crimp on eyelets like that? or just strip the wires and put them in between the two little plates and crush them with the screw as designed? 

I spent a little time looking at the fsm, but I'm not real good at interpreting schematics like that and it didn't make much sense...

Thank in advance all!

 

EDIT:

Well this fsm is making a little more sense now, still haven't found the answers to any of my questions though. 

I also think I will remove those huge crimp on connectors for the gooseneck wiring, and solder and heatshrink them in. Question on that though, shouldn't the wiring for the gooseneck have 7 wires? It only has 6 now so I'm thinking one is missing. Maybe thats originally where the red one went thats on the blue wire?

 

EDIT 2: So it sounds like the black wire is probably a second ground, but I still can't find anything on that short white wire. The only white one I see in the FSM is further up with the brakes, but it doesn't seem like that could be the one here...

Edited September 9, 2016 by leathermaneod

[IBMobile]

First off get rid of all the wire that's Scotch lock connected to the main set of wires.  Those wires were used for a  4 pin flat connector.  With a volt/ohmmeter or test light test each wire as to its function and record what it is: 12v power, left turn/brake light, right turn/brake light, power for trailer brakes, run lights, ground and aux pin.

  

If the wire that's left is bad splice in some new with solder and heat shrink connections in truck and a new plug installed where you need it.  I would use eye connectors soldered to the new wire and dielectric grease. 

I have two female connectors in the bed of my truck on the left side.  One in front of the wheel well and one behind it along with the factory plug on the rear trailer hitch.  To install a plug connector in the bed find the spot that will work for you and with a hole saw slightly bigger than the connector and cut the hole run the wires to the connector  and install.

    

[leathermaneod]

Sounds good. I need my main plug mounted back at my hitch receiver. Is there any reason not to solder splice in those other wires to go up to the bed in future? I don't want to be redoing all this in a few years lol Also, any ideas what that white wire could be? Also how do I differentiate between the trailer brake power and the regular brakes?

Edited September 9, 2016 by leathermaneod

[IBMobile]

5 minutes ago, leathermaneod said:

 Is there any reason not to solder splice in those other wires to go up to the bed in future? I don't want to be redoing all this in a few years lol

No reason not too.  If they are soldered there won't be any corrosion to worry about just make sure the wires are long enough to go where you thing you'll be putting the new plug and covered so as not to short out. 

 

26 minutes ago, leathermaneod said:

Also, any ideas what that white wire could be?

A white wire on a trailer is a ground but in the truck I have no idea.  You're just going to have to test it and see what if anything powers it up or ohm test it for ground.

 

26 minutes ago, leathermaneod said:

Also how do I differentiate between the trailer brake power and the regular brakes?

Do you have a brake controller in the cab?  If so have a helper move the manual slider on the controller while you check, with a test light or voltmeter, which wire has power.  With the controller off have the helper or use a cut off broom handle stuck between the driver's seat and brake peddle and test which wire has power that's your brake lights. 

  

[Me78569]

Use a multimeter to test the wires.  I think white is ground typically and black is 12v supply for the trailer

 

 

[leathermaneod]

Thanks for the input guys :-) sounds like I have lots of testing ahead. The weird thing is that everything worked when I towed the tractor last weekend. So I don't get what the white or black wires could be unless the black is a ground and maybe the white is nothing for my truck. How would I ohm test the white wire for ground? Sorry I am not too god with a multimeter yet. I do have a brake controller so that won't be an issue. I also have a friend coming over tomorrow who is way more experienced with this stuff than me. Just trying to get some questions answered a while. If the black or white are grounds, should I do anything with them? 

[Wild and Free]

I would not go by wire colors alone, always double check because different wire suppliers have different color wires in them a lot of the time especially if the trailer plug end wire was ever replaced. Always confirm with test light what function is working and go from there. White and black can be different a lot of times and 12v power supply and backup wires can be different as well the only basics that are usually common are the yellow and green and brown but I have seen the brown one be for different things too.

 

Get rid of all the scotch locks and get the shrink wrap butt connectors with solder right in the connector as well, it melts the solder at about the same temp as the shrink wrap once things are all crimped together.

 

[Me78569]

http://www.delcity.net/store/Heat-Shrink,-Solder-&-Crimp-Butt-Connectors/p_805407.h_801820.t_1

 

Dunno if you have used those, but it makes life nice

 

 

[Wild and Free]

There are numerous brands and styles but that is all I ever use for any wiring job.

[notlimah]

Might as well throw some reverse lights in there while you're foolin around with all that wiring!

[leathermaneod]

9 hours ago, Me78569 said:

http://www.delcity.net/store/Heat-Shrink,-Solder-&-Crimp-Butt-Connectors/p_805407.h_801820.t_1

 

Dunno if you have used those, but it makes life nice

 

 

Those are awesome!! Unfortunately I don't have a clue where I could find them around here :-( I've searched high and low for various wiring connectors before and never seen anything like that. I've used the ones that heatshrink, but I don't think they have solder in them....I was planning to just make the connections the old fashioned way on this, hold the wires together, solder then, heat shrink them.

 

5 hours ago, notlimah said:

Might as well throw some reverse lights in there while you're foolin around with all that wiring!

 

I guess I could but I don't really know how and I don't have the lights. Maybe I could just hook up and coil up a few feet of wire so it's "plug and play" if I ever want to add them? Would they need a seperate fuse though? Or just power from the reverse lights in that harness?

Edited September 10, 2016 by leathermaneod

[dripley]

I have used the heat shrink but connectors but never knew they came solder. I will have to order some to have on hand for the future.

[Wild and Free]

I use the Pico brand crimp and solder connectors, I like to know it will not easily pull apart being both crimped and soldered together.

My local parts house carries them.

https://www.amazon.com/Pico-Electrical-Wiring-Connectors-Package/dp/B001R6GFAK

[leathermaneod]

Holy $$$$! Does your local place charge $1 a piece too??

[Wild and Free]

To be honest I don't even look at the prices, just grab em when I need them and go about my job cause I want it done right not cheap so I never have to worry about it again.

For a few bucks the last guy could have spent to do it right the last time on the project you are into would have just paid for itself and then some in the long run of not having to be redoing it now.

 

Over the close to 20 years of pulling wrenches for a paycheck repairing the after affects of folks using scotch locks have made me a lot of money over the years and cost a lot of others a ton of money to repair the after effects of the "Cheap and Fast" way of doing it.

Edited September 10, 2016 by Wild and Free

[leathermaneod]

Oh I totally agree. I just think there may be a cheaper way of accomplishing the same thing. I'll post my idea with pics if it works 

[Wild and Free]

It can be done Just as good and Cheaper but not as fast I bet. I am all about doing it right and as quick as I can because my time is my most valuable asset and spending most of it fixing stuff especially my own stuff is not what I consider fun, the older I get I want to spend more time experiencing other things and places around the country other than underneath my equipment lol.

Hey that reminds me I need to get hold of Johnfak as I will be in his neck of the world down in Florida in a couple months again. I was literally only a few blocks from his house last time I was there this spring and he didn't have time to get together with me as he was deep into his now sold cummins engine.

[leathermaneod]

16awg should be heavy enough for all those right? I was debating between that and 14 but I decided on 16. Thinknim safenor should I do 14?

[Wild and Free]

Depends on how many lights are on the trailer and if they are LED or standard bulbs and what size the pickup wiring is, I would stay with what size is on the pickup wiring at minimum..

[leathermaneod]

Yes that's what I figured too. I just don't know what size it is on the truck and thought maybe someone here would lol it's not all the same size either. I'm out and about now so I can't go check.