Using an International Tractor to Tow a Gooseneck Trailer  

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First, you will want to make sure that the trailer will be able to be towed level with the tractor. Towing the trailer with the nose too high or too low can cause issues with sway, stability, and tracking, so it is best to tow the trailer as level as possible.

Most vehicles with round pin connectors use a different tail light system and usually do not have a circuit for electric brakes, so adapters typically do not work to adapt a 7-pin to a 7-blade. The easiest way for you to have a 7-way blade-style connector and to install a brake controller is to wire your International Tractor as if you were starting from scratch.

I recommend using a wiring harness with a taillight converter, # 119250KIT, to provide a 4-way flat connector at the rear of the tractor. This wiring harness can be spliced into the existing 7-pin connector function for function.

Then, you will want to use the Universal Installation Kit for Trailer Brake Controller # ETBC7. This kit will provide you with a 7-way blade style connector at the rear of the tractor, as well as the hardware necessary to install the 7-way and a brake controller. The 7-way blade trailer connector will plug into the 4-way flat from the #119250KIT, and the rest of the functions will need to be hardwired. This is done without splicing into your existing wiring. The # 119250KIT has special connectors that simply clip onto your existing wireing. The white wire will need to be grounded, the black wire will need to run through a 40-amp circuit and then to the positive battery terminal, the blue wire will run to the blue wire on the brake controller pigtail wiring, and the purple wire can either be ran to the reverse light or be tucked up out of the way.

For a brake controller, I recommend the Tekonsha Prodigy P2 Trailer Brake Controller # 90885. This is a proportional brake controller with an easy-to-read LED display. It performs continuous diagnostics to alert you to any potential problems. This brake controller will need to be spliced into the tractor's wiring using the included pigtail harness. The blue wire will connect with the wire ran from the blue wire on the 7-way blade connector, the black wire will be ran through a 30 amp circuit breaker and then to the positive battery terminal, and the white wire will be grounded at the negative battery terminal. Most tractors do not have a stoplight switch like vehicle's have. Instead of a stoplight switch, you will want to connect the red wire on the brake controller pigtail to a wire that only has signal when the brake pedal is pressed, such as a brake light wire. It will likely be easiest to tap into the signal wire at the 7-way connector.

It is possible that you will need additional wire lengths to install the # ETBC7 kit and the brake controller. If you need additional 12 gauge wire, you can use # 12-1-1 and if you need 16 gauge wire you can use # 16-4B-1.

I have attached help articles on installing the # ETBC7 kit and on installing a brake controller from scratch for you.

expert reply by: Victoria B

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