gdeal
Southern California
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My 2007 Palomino Pony comes with electric brakes. My 2007 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon has NO problem stopping with this. But I'm thinking I should get the hitch setup anyway. My jeep came pre-wired with a 4 in 1 at the hitch. In order for the electric breaks to work I need the 7 in 1. I have an adapter that goes from my 4 in 1 to the 7 in 1. I was told all this buy the seller. I don't know much about it. I was told to go to a hitch place and they have to rig something up at my console in my Jeep and run a line back to my hitch to make it a 7 in 1 so that the electric brakes will work on my trailer. Right now all that works are the break lights and the turn signals on the trailer. Any comments? Any suggestions?
2007 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon
2007 Palomino Pony 280
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BlackSilver
East of Heaven, North of Hell
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In addition to wiring, you need a device called a "brake controller". Go to a reputable hitch shop (not some UHaul franchise in the back lot of a gas station) and they'll help you out.
Brake controllers range in price from around $39.95 for simple time-based units (I wouldn't recommend) to around $100 for accelerometer-based units (probably adequate for you) to about $350 for integrated proportional units (overkill for your needs).
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He Ruide
Cincinnati Ohio
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Yes the seller was right. You a break controler - I highly recomend the Prodigy Brake Controller from Tekonsha and a seven pin socket installed in the Jeep.
Ruide
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spike99
North America
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A few things to keep in mind:
- One needs to install the 7 pin connector at the back of their Tow Vehicle.
- One needs to install a Brake Controller within their Tow Vehicle.
- Many do recommend Prodigy Brake Controller as one of the better brands / models on the Market.
- If you install the 7 pin connector, you might want to run a "live wire" into the 7 Pin plug as well. Thus, allow your Tow Vehicle to "charge up" the Trailer's onboard battery - when connected to the Tow Vehicle. Ensure proper breakers are used with this live wire as well.
- If you have Backup Lights on the Trailer (even simple clear lens utility lights under its rear corners of its bumper), you might want to install a special "manual switch" wire in the Center pole of the 7 pin connector as well. Within your Tow Vehicle, simply "flip the manual fused switch" (located within the TV's dash area) - to turn on the extra Reverse lights mounted on the rear of your Trailer. When these lights are not needed, simply pull its fuse.
BTW: Your local laws or the locations you plan to tow your Trailer many state that onboard trailer brakes are required for any trailer above 1,000 lbs. If so, you need working brakes on your trailer - regardless of what size of vehicle is towing it. Besides that, a trailer with its own onbard brakes stops much faster (when compared to NO brakes at all).
With the above in mind, 3 wires (recommend thick 10 guage wires) be run to the back of your Tow Vehicle. re: Brake Controller, live wire when TV's ignition key is ON and special Backup Lights wire.
Hope these items helps...
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gdeal
Southern California
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spike99 wrote:If you install the 7 pin connector, you might want to run a "live wire" into the 7 Pin plug as well. Thus, allow your Tow Vehicle to "charge up" the Trailer's onboard battery - when connected to the Tow Vehicle. Ensure proper breakers are used with this live wire as well.
is this a usual thing to do or a cautious thing to do?
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gdeal
Southern California
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He Ruide wrote:and a seven pin socket installed in the Jeep.
should I leave the 4 flat at the hitch on my Jeep there or take it out completely when I put in the 7 round?
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mike4947
N. Syracuse, NY
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The easiest way is to buy a 4 to 7 pin adapter where the 4 pin plugs into a connection on the 7 pin and the extra wires are wired up separately. That way if you ever need a 4 pin for a small utility or boat trailer you can disconnect the connection and use the 4 pin.
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nfisherman
IL
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Etrailer.com sells a trailer connector for the TV that has both 4- and 7-pin connections. I put one on my previous tow vehicle. It worked great. I could plug in my popup (7-pin) or my boat (4-pin) without using any separate adapters.
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pete42
Jamestown, Ohio
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Most tow vehicles have a wiring harness that you can purchase that plugs in under the dash, mine was near the steering column, that the brake controller plugs into.
also Most tow vehicles have a wiring harness that you can purchase that plugs into the tows wiring in the back of the vehicle near the hitch.
On my truck I had to add some fuses and relays, one for the brakes and one for the battery charging system.
the 7 pin socket/plug has pins available for the back up lights, brakes, battery charging as well as turn/running and brake lights.
if you think you might need a 4 pin plug sometime then get the bracket that has a 4 pin and a 7 pin connector I have this setup and it does come in handy.
It sounds a whole lot harder to do than it is.
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spike99
North America
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gdeal wrote:spike99 wrote:If you install the 7 pin connector, you might want to run a "live wire" into the 7 Pin plug as well. Thus, allow your Tow Vehicle to "charge up" the Trailer's onboard battery - when connected to the Tow Vehicle. Ensure proper breakers are used with this live wire as well.
is this a usual thing to do or a cautious thing to do?
For my Tow vehicle, I had to pull 2 live wires from its engine compartment area to its rear bumper area. If I pull 2 wires under the vehicle, one can include an additional wire as well. Thus, all 3 wires are pulled in at the same time.
- 1 wire for "12V" live. Going from Trailer's onboard live battery to Tow Vehicle's ACC fused box. When the TV's ignition key is on, the TV's battery is also charging (trickle charging) the Trailer's onboard battery. Some hook this wire to the TV's battery but to me, this wire should only be live when the TV's ignition key is ON.
- 1 wire for Brake Controller wire. To reduce loss of power, use a thick 10 guage wire.
- When pulling / securing 2 x 10 guage wires under their TV, some folks pull include 3rd 10 guage wire as well. They also connect this wire to the TV's ACC fused box. They install a simple off/on toggle switch some where inside their TV. For example, in the dash area. They can also install an additional "easy access" fuse. This wire is connected to the middle pin of their TV's 7 pin connector. Install some 12V clear lens utility lights under the rear bumper of their PUP. When they need more lighting behind their PUP, the TV driver simply flips the switch. Once the PUP is backed into position, the driver flips the switch to off. And if needed, remove the "easy access" fuse. Thus, stop a kid from flipping this manual switch off/on - and blinding a rear following person on the hiway.
If wondering, I installed extra reverse lights on my Vehicle - using the above approach. When I need more lighing behind my vehicle (like backup up my dark country driveway), I simply "flip the switch". My extra reverse lights are 2 x low profile clear lens fog lights with 55W H3 bulbs. Works great. Same approach can be used to install extra lighting behind one's PUP (utility or TT) trailer as well...
Hope this helps as well...
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* This post was
edited 07/15/08 10:03am by spike99 *
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