trailer wiring help!

[HankHill]

so I never installed any trailer wiring on my truck cause I only pulled on jobs.

I don't have my brake controller hooked up either, I'm going to buy one of those 4 pin plugs that connect in a T between the brake lights, then connect the 7 prong somehow and then the brake controller.

Do I need relays?

inline fuses?

I need to pull a crew cab f250 300 miles this weekend and need this all hooked up by friday now

any help is appreciated as always

 

[redneckaggie]

The brake controller and plug should have wiring diagrams to follow because every brake controller will wire up a little differently. most of them have their own relays and mine ties into a brakelight wire for the "on/ ign" source.

 

[OB_WAN]

My truck came with the tow package. 7-prong, 4-prong setup. I read diagrams that showed additional wiring available for the brake controller but when I looked under the hood/dash nothing was there. Ford had discontinued the relays/harness to complete the setup.

I was in the same boat as you where I had to get it running for the weekend. I ended up taking my brake controller down to a trailer shop and letting them hook it up for me for $100.

 

[OLDBULL8]

There is a receptacle under the dash about in the center for the brake controller if the truck came with the tow package. Under the hood power box, you will need a relay and fuse. In front of the firewall on drivers side in the harness to the rear there should be a Blue wire (Brakes) and an red/orange wire (Battery +) then in the rear, these wires are wrapped up in that harness up in the frame. You will also have to have the pigtail connector that splices into the brake controller to pluggin to the under dash receptacle, a Ford dealer or a RV store has the pigtail. The tee connector (Hoppy) for the taillights is a good connection. Hope I'm right on all this been awhile since I've done that.

 

[HankHill]

There is a receptacle under the dash about in the center for the brake controller if the truck came with the tow package. Under the hood power box, you will need a relay and fuse. In front of the firewall on drivers side in the harness to the rear there should be a Blue wire (Brakes) and an red/orange wire (Battery +) then in the rear, these wires are wrapped up in that harness up in the frame. You will also have to have the pigtail connector that splices into the brake controller to pluggin to the under dash receptacle, a Ford dealer or a RV store has the pigtail. The tee connector (Hoppy) for the taillights is a good connection. Hope I'm right on all this been awhile since I've done that.

well I found an open pigtail under the dash directly above the tranny hump, has 4 wires going into it not sure if thats it, no open pigtails under the truck I can see expect for the one thats factory cruise control, I have that control box under the hood though

 

[Exekiel69]

To wire the brake controller is easy. You have usually 4 wires, white (ground), black (hot), red (sensor) and blue (brakes). You wire the hot with a fuse in line, You know where to find a good ground, red goes to the brake pedal sensor and blue goes to the plug where it will connect to the other plug and power the brakes, I like to put a fuse on this one as well.

All the brake controllers (electric) I have installed are like that.^

 

[HankHill]

thanks ezekial that helps a ton!, I have one question, how do I get the red brake pedal sensor wire to connect to the brake wires? it looks like I have two wires on the brake pedal sensor aswell

 

[RLDSL]

well I found an open pigtail under the dash directly above the tranny hump, has 4 wires going into it not sure if thats it, no open pigtails under the truck I can see expect for the one thats factory cruise control, I have that control box under the hood though

If the open plug looks like this except with 4 insted of 6 it is the place to plugin a brake controller. You can get an adapter plug, the universal 4 is hard to find, last time I had to get a 6 and cut it down, if you have that, then you have the wiring at the rear

 

[82F100SWB]

Sounds about right on the clock wiring your 86, they if equipped with the factory trailer prep package have a round 3 pin plug under the hood and at the rear for brake wiring, but nothing in the cab.
I've only ever seen one truck that had the factory setup, and that's my IDI.

 

[HankHill]

If the open plug looks like this except with 4 insted of 6 it is the place to plugin a brake controller. You can get an adapter plug, the universal 4 is hard to find, last time I had to get a 6 and cut it down, if you have that, then you have the wiring at the rear

no it is 4 male connectors with like blue white red wire and I think a green?

 

[whiskeybent]

Half way down this page is a good universal wiring diagram for brake controllers http://www.etrailer.com/faq-brakecontroller.aspx

Half way down on this page is the wiring for the vehicle end of the trailer connector: http://www.etrailer.com/faq-wiring.aspx

hope all this helps.

 

[82F100SWB]

I just remembered that the controller side sub harness was in the glove box of my 96, it's a 6 pin, 5 wires, I have a 4 pin one at the house, but, here's what the wire colours are:
Blue: brake feed to trailer
Red: power from battery
White: Ground
Green: Stop Lamp feed
The 6 pin one has a 5th Brown wire, which is tied to the dash lights.