Adding a 7-Way to 2010 Chevy Express Van

Question:

I have 2 questions: I have an ambulance conversion. The wiring has been done and redone and theres a lot of wire bundles everywhere. How can I tell if my cutaway is pre-wired for a trailer? Where do I look for the trailer wiring if it has one? Second question, assuming its not pre-wired, what is the correct harness to use? Thanks.

asked by: Yan S

Expert Reply:

If your 2010 Chevy Express had the factory tow package you would have a harness under the vehicle and behind the rear bumper that you would plug in. Since you say there are wiring bundles everywhere you are almost certainly correct that you do not have a factory tow package and you will need to add a 7-way by wiring it in.

To add wiring you are going to need the 7-Pole and 4-Pole Trailer Connector Sockets w/ Mounting Bracket and Wiring # HM40975-11998 and hard wire everything in.

To complete the installation of a 7-way you will need the Universal Installation Kit for Trailer Brake Controller # ETBC7, which will give you a 7-way connector, circuit breakers and the rest of the hardware needed to install a brake controller.

The brake controller I highly recommend for your vehicle is the Redarc Tow-Pro Elite Trailer Brake Controller # RED44FR because it is both highly effective and keeps a bulky unit out of the cab of your van.

The Redarc uses a small control knob you can mount wherever is convenient, and there is even a Universal Mounting Panel for Control Knob # 331-TPSI-001 you can use. The knob not only keeps the main unit out of sight, but also makes the controller very easy to use. The Tow Pro brake controller is proportional, meaning it responds to your van's deceleration for responsive braking.

I have added links to video reviews for you to check out, as well as links to some help articles on brake controller installation which I recommend reading.