Parts Needed to Re-Wire European Trailer to RV-Style Trailer Wiring

Question:

Have a camper with a European 7 pin coming out the camper. I would like to hook this up to my Tacoma pickup that has no wiring. What do I need to add to my pickup in order to accept the European 7 pin so my piggyback camper has all the electrical connections I need?

asked by: Harold

Expert Reply:

Thank you for the photo of your trailer's European wiring. You will be best served by replacing the Euro style connectors on your trailer to the RV-type. We do not offer Euro style wiring harness kits for vehicles. The part you referenced, adapter # 118710, adapts a European vehicle to a 4-pole type connector but does not adapt the trailer to match U.S. wiring. Euro wiring has every function on a separate wire; while here in the U.S. trailer wiring combines the stop and turn signals.

The best way to go is to install a junction box # 38656 on the trailer and to connect the existing trailer wiring to it; then connect a new RV-style 7-way plug like # H20046 to the junction box. You will remove the original trailer connector and wire those leads to the junction box based on each wire's function. You can use a 12V battery to test each trailer wire to see the circuit it activates, such as right turn, running lights (or trailer brakes if the trailer has electric brakes). Then just match up the leads from the new 7-way plug by function and connect everything in the box using ring terminals # DW05702-1 and # DW05705-1.

If the trailer does not have electric brakes or 12V power (just lights) then you can instead just use a 4-pole connector # HM38138 at the junction box.

For 4-pole wiring on the Tacoma you can use kit # C55513.

Please let me know the model year of your Tacoma and whether the trailer has brakes and I can then confirm what you'll need.