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Do I Need a 5-Pole to 4-Pole Adaptor to Tow a Small Utility Trailer With My 2000 GMC Sierra  

Question:

I have a 5 pole flat connector on my 2000 gmc sierra which I use on a boat trailer with surge disc brakes. Also have a smaller boat trailer that has a 4pole flat connector. I have found 4 to 5 pole adaptors but no 5 to 4. Do they make a 5 to 4? Can I put a 5 pole flat on the small trailer? What would happen with the blue brake wire?

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Expert Reply:

Since you have a 5-Pole flat connector on your truck you should not have to make any modifications to plug the 4-Pole connector on the smaller trailer into the 5 pole connector on the truck. Basically a 5-Pole is set up exactly like a 4-Pole connector with the addition of the brake lockout connection on the far end so the yellow, green, brown and white wires should all line up.

If leaving the blue brake wire connection open when towing the smaller trailer is a concern. you could wire the 5-Flat Trailer End Harness, item # 20017, on the small trailer. I would then cut the blue wire short and insulate it so that it cannot make contact with any metal surfaces when the vehicle is shifted into reverse. There is really no need to do this though.

The only trouble that you might run into when connecting the 4-Pole from the small trailer to the 5-Pole on the vehicle is if the connectors are made by different manufacturers and will not physically work together due to manufacturing style. In this case one end or the other would need to be replaced so that the vehicle and trailer connectors are compatible with each other.

expert reply by:
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Bob G

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