Installing Tow Ready 4-Way to 7-Way Trailer Wiring Adapter # 30717 On A 1995 Ford F250

Question:

I have the 4-way to 7-way Adapter, part # 30717on My 1995 ford F250. I also purchased the wiring harness that goes from my controller to the factory plug under the dash. Do I now have to splice into the blue wire from this harness and run wire back to the 30717 adapter? or is there another way? . My first time dealing with a gooseneck and brakes,

asked by: Sandy

Expert Reply:

The 4-way connector on the Tow Ready 4-Way to 7-Way Trailer Wiring Adapter, part # 30717, will connect to the 4-way already on your 1995 Ford F-250. You will need to run the blue wire on the adapter up the truck and connect to the brake output wire on your brake controller, usually also blue. You can splice into the blue wire on your brake controller wiring harness using the quick splice 10-12 gauge, part # SWC501915-1. I am including a video link of how the quick splice is connected.

The remaining wires on the Tow Ready adapter # 30717 are connected as follows. The white wire is a ground wire and should be grounded to the vehicle frame. The black wire is run up to the vehicle battery to provide a 12V power source. Depending on what it is powering, you would add an inline fuse to protect the circuit. If you do not need a power source for the trailer, this connection can be omitted. The yellow wire is an auxiliary wire that can be used for reverse lights, reverse-lockout to prevent surge trailer brakes engaging while vehicle in reverse, or it can be an additional 12V power source if needed. Again, the yellow wire can be omitted if not needed.

The other way to connect the Tow Ready adapter # 30717 to your 1995 Ford F-250 is to follow the wiring from your 4-Way back towards the front of the vehicle until you reach a connection point on the drivers side between the back tires and the end of the truck bed. There are more wires coming into this connection point than coming out towards the rear of the truck. There is where you can hard wire the remaining wires in the # 30717 harness.

The white wire will get grounded to the vehicle frame. Use a circuit tester like the Quickee Tester, part # PTW2993, to find the functions of the wires forward of the connection point. The blue wire on the adapter will connect to the wire carrying the electric brake output signal. The black wire (if needed) will connect to the wire that is carrying 12 volt constant power. The yellow wire (if needed) will connect to the reverse light wire (located behind a taillight assembly).

I am including a link to a FAQ page on Ford brake controllers which will show the different connections.