Parts Needed to Tow 7-Way-Equipped Trailer with Vehicle That Has 4-Pole Wiring

Question:

I am purchasing a pop-up that has a female 7-way round. My tow vehicle has a 4-way flat. Is there a connector that would allow this to happen without needing to do additional wiring? The four way is also a female I believe.

asked by: Kelly

Expert Reply:

We have all sorts of wiring adapters and we can get you set to tow your pop-up that has a 7-way.

Just as an FYI, we tend to refer to connectors as "vehicle-side" and "trailer side" since the terms male and female can get confusing. The 7-way trailer-side PLUG shown in your photo (thank you) mates with a vehicle-side 7-way SOCKET like # 37185. The linked article on trailer wiring illustrates this type of connector as well as most others found in the RV industry.

I suspect your trailer has electric brakes. I say this since 7-way wiring is usually installed only on trailers that need the extra circuits for brakes, 12V power, etc. The 4-pole wiring that is on your tow vehicle supports only lighting functions on the trailer and would NOT be able to deliver the brake signal required by electric drum brakes. If you were to plug your 4-pole into part # 37185 you could connect the trailer's 7-way plug to that socket, but only the lighting signals (no other signals like brake power) would be transmitted to the trailer.

To have a fully functional 7-way socket on your vehicle, with all circuits active, you will need to install our kit # ETBC7. This includes part # 37185 so you do not need to add it. This kit also allows installation of a trailer brake controller such as the Prodigy P2 # 90885. This is among the best and easiest-to-use brake controllers available.