....some 6 pin hook ups use the center pin as the hot pin and some use the center pin as the brake??

I hooked up to a cargo trailer the other day and when I got ready to take off the wheels were locked up. I knew some trailers were wired different than others so I easily fixed the problem, but why would they not all be wired the same?

 

Because the 6-pins don't adhere to a strict wiring convention like the 7-pin Pollack-type RV connectors do that come with the factory trailer towing package. In fact, many 7-to-6 adapters have jumpers you can switch to correct the problem you describe - it's pretty common.

Rusty

 

The 7-to-6 adaptor I have has the jumpers you're talking about. That's how I was able to quickly fix the problem. It just seems that it would be much easier if everyone made them the same like they do with a 7 pin or a 4 pin.

 

I believe you said it it all It just seems that it would be much easier if everyone made them the same like they do with a 7 pin or a 4 pin


It would also make more since, but that's them just riing to make it hard on us and make us pay out of our pocket to fix somthing so easy to fix from the start.

 

I been going thru the same delima with my truck/trailers. My 95 came with a 7 way which is fine. 2 of my small trailers have the 6 pin with no brakes. gotta buy adapters. I put a 6 pin on my 93 but I used a 14 guage wire for the brake control and when I put it in the outer desiginated brake spot what ended up happening was the set screw for the wire keep due to the larger wire was about 2 thousnads of an inch and would occasionally short and lock up the brakes. This was no fun deal to diagnosis. If you use the center 12 acc plug its far from shorting on anything so I put mine there. I tore into my 7 to 6 adapter to see how it was set up and it scares me to see the 16 guage wire jumper for the brakes. Just dont see it being heavy enough. Kinda like the stock wiring from Dodge for the brake controler. I installed a 12 guage for it. Overkill???

 

Simply, The government wanted to "fix" it. New trailer manufacturing code has changed every three to five years. One would think it was because there have been improvements to lights, reflectors, brakes and tires, but in reality I think it has been lawsuits filed by victims injured when their accidents involved a trailer, either their own or someone else's. Used to be in NC, you could build your own 8 foot trailer without lights, brakes or safety chains and it would pass inspection. You didn't even have to tag it. But that was then. In this case I think government intervention has been a good thing, like fining homeowners whose toilets drain into fresh water streams.

 

I'm not aware of any NHTSA or DOT regulations governing trailer connector pin-outs, 4-pin, 6-pin, 7-pin or otherwise. Can you point me to these regulations?

Rusty

 

Although the connector itself may not be mandated by the NHTSA, I thought when the NHTSA mandated new trailers include backup lights and a break-away battery, the Cole-Hersee connector was abandoned in favor of the 7-pin Pollack connector. I don't presume to be an expert, but since I've been shopping for a gooseneck dump trailer I've noticed newer trailers (GN's and tagalongs) with the break-away brake battery and backup lites all have Pollack 7-pin connectors like our Dodges. The only trailers with the older 5 or 6 pin connectors are GN's that don't have backup lites. Do you know something I don't know? I was told newer built trailers come with backup lites but older trailers don't have to be retrofitted.
Nat

 

Nat,

If I were a bettin' man, I'd wager that we're just seeing market forces at work. The fact that the Pollack-type 7-pin connector (with its wiring convention) comes on all the trailer-tow-package-equipped pickups from the Big 3 would be a major factor in my selection of a trailer connector if I were a trailer manufacturer today. Why not build one where the customer can "plug and play"?

Rusty

 

I see what you're saying and you could be right. Popular request as opposed to NHTSA requirement. I'll email the guys who are building my trailer and ask.

 

Since the RV industry uses the seven pin as standard now and most of these trucks as we have are purchased for this application then it makes since to get on board. The horse trailer industry is using the seven pin more now as Living quarter trailers are as a camper. A national standard would be a blessing though.

 

There is an accepted standard for 7 pin, 6 pin, 4 pin, flat 4, and the rest of them (like that goofy starcraft 6. My theory is that since this is my trailer, (Mostly happens in 4 and 6pin configs) I'll just wire it how I want. Then I'll wire the new truck to match. Then fred asks "Can I borrow your trailer?" and you say sure. So fred hooks up and the lights don't match, but it's only a mile or so home so he takes it there and rewires YOUR trailer to match his truck. Then returns it. And so it goes. If one person rewires a trailer and doesn't follow the accepted wire hookup...... Only thing is please don't ask for a federal standard, 'cause then they'll just start a Dept. of Trailer Wiring, with a Director and 200 inspectors and a 6 million dollar annual budget and AAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHHH. Rick

 

I've taken all my trailers from my 4x6 to my 16 and made then all 7 pin plugs like my GN it's easier that way. You don't have to worry with those adapters.

 

That's a good idea if you own several different trailers. I don't own ANY trailers, but there are four different trailers that I pull on a fairly regular basis....all of which are wired differently.

 

Same issue here. That's why I installed a 6 pin connector on my truck. One of our trailers has an electric reverse lockout for the surge brakes and I still need to hook up a reverse light tap to the 6 pin connector.

MikeyB