billconner
Well-known member
is there a way to disasemble this plug or just snip it off? Best option to attach new? Totally new area for me - I know nothing.
4 pin trailer connector
- Thread starter billconner
- Start date
snip it off , assuming it's a molded rubber connector
Everyone I have ever seen was molded
Cut it off and replace.
Depending on vehicle you can get a harness kit that plugs back into an existing junction.
If on the trailer side, I would get good waterproof splices, stagger my cut so no two splices overlapped, then wrap the harness in loom.
So what is the reason that you need to change things up? There are adaptors available that allow you to connect different plugs and receptacles.
lg
no neat sig line
OP
billconner
Well-known member
more or less just what I did. Staggered but crimps in loom.
OP
billconner
Well-known member
ground pin was gone
OP
billconner
Well-known member
75gmck25
Well-known member
Depending on the year and model of vehicle, the plug may be connected to the wiring with an adapter that removes very easily so you can get a new plug installed. This is the type of adapter I'm talking about.
Yeah that's the same kind of adapter I mentioned in post 3...
Buy another cable and plug and splice it onto the old wire. You don't need all the components.
mike93lx
ALLIANCE MEMBER
I had a repair connector on a trailer once that opened up. Didn't last very long.
My current trailer has a filled molded harness that is fantastic. I'd be using something like this for a repair https://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Wiring/Wesbar/W787274.html
dcg9381
Well-known member
I've replaced a million of these. My process is simply buy a "pig tail" that's long enough. Solder individual wires in, heat shrink. Then heat shrink over the set of wires. Add a split wire loom and tie it all down to the trailer with an a clamp / anti-strain setup.
Most of the drama comes from crimped on connections.
Most of the drama comes from crimped on connections.
Damn, that's a lot of vehicles....
dcg9381
Well-known member
"Can you fix my trailer" is a common request around here... Last one dad dragged an electrically disconnected trailer home.
alfredeneuman
Well-known member
Well that's a trailer connector, but not a flat one like the OP is dealing with
yatg
Well-known member
There's a repair connector available. I keep one in my tow box "just in case". By having it I'll never need to use it.
whateg01
Well-known member
That looks like it's half a notch better than scotchloks!There's a repair connector available. I keep one in my tow box "just in case". By having it I'll never need to use it.
yatg
Well-known member
Its for emergencies. At 3am, you don't want to be looking for an open Walmart, then looking for somebody in Walmart to open the locked case. It should get you where you're going, then you can fix it properly.
alfredeneuman
Well-known member
The old one is broken
I posted it not as a replacement, but a heavier duty alternative.
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OP
billconner
Well-known member
I have **** crimps in the plastic loom. If I have to go it again, I'll see if I can get to it under the spare and no splices under car.
Looking at one of the posts, made me wonder if affixing the trailer - male - connector to the trailer and having a separate short jumper was a thing or a good idea. Anyone do that?
Looking at one of the posts, made me wonder if affixing the trailer - male - connector to the trailer and having a separate short jumper was a thing or a good idea. Anyone do that?
reader2580
Well-known member
I have used crimped connections for trailer wiring on both the vehicle and trailer. I have never had a failure of a crimped connection yet. However, I use the heat shrink style connectors with glue inside the heat shrink. I also use a ratcheting style crimper to crimp them.
AntonLargiader
Well-known member
Good time to mention that I've basically switched to wireless trailer lights. The connector never leaves the interior of my car, so it doesn't get smashed, corroded, or otherwise degraded by the elements. Just have to keep the batteries in the lights recharged (AAs) and every trailer I ever pull is instantly legal. Or legal enough... there's no license plate illumination. This is for my boat trailer and smaller (motorcycle trailer, utility, etc).
C6304 | LED Trailer Light Kits | Products | Blazer-International
LED Wireless Magnetic Tow Light Kit
www.blazer-international.com
whateg01
Well-known member
Not sure what you mean by that. So you mean have the long part attached to the car and the short end to the trailer? If you upgrade to heavier plug it's typically hard mounted to the vehicle.
whateg01
Well-known member
I bet that works great for electric brakes.
ETA: I can see where it would be pretty convenient for people using 4 wire plugs. I would surely forget to turn them off though so the batteries would always be dead.
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AntonLargiader
Well-known member
A 4-pin connector for electric brakes... ??
AntonLargiader
Well-known member
Definitely BTDT. I use Eneloops and just recharge them before trips, but they actually last OK between trips IF they are turned off. But I use them only once every few months so I just put those batteries back into my camera/flashlight/audio/whatever battery bag and make sure I have eight fresh ones next time I use a trailer. It could be six months.
No more dragging the 4-pin on the ground, burned out bulbs, bad splices, corroded bulb sockets, not knowing if they're going to work this year, etc. And the best part is if I want to know if the trailer lights work, I just drive around so that I'm in back of the trailer and check them before I hook up.
Small trailers. Not having to maintain several sets of installed lights is fantastic. They live indoors (or in the car) whenever they're not being used.
whateg01
Well-known member
I know the towing industry has gone to wireless lights. Good most of the time as long as they are secured well, and a lot of those will take regular drill battery packs.
alfredeneuman
Well-known member
Mine is like that with an attached female fitting. It fits my trailer.
I also carry 1 male that adapts the heavy duty one to the molded plug style that I keep in the cross bed tool box out of harm's way.
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OP
billconner
Well-known member
Sorry. The wires in the split plastic loom drops from about middle of spare tire area and plug was anchored to the hitch receiver with a bracket. So this is permanently mounted on the car. But splices are now in that loom. There's a long pigtail on the trailer. I haven't quite got that optimized, and just bought an led kit so will be all new.
mike93lx
ALLIANCE MEMBER
I would not add another pair of exposed connections. If you are finding plugs are getting damaged, you can install a sealed junction box, but they are usually used for 7 pin setups.
In almost 20 years of having a utility trailer store outside in MA, I replaced the plug maybe 2x. I always keep the plug off the ground and try to orient it down so water doesn't sit in the connector
More plugs and connections only introduce more failure points. And more things to misplace and cause unnecessary grief and frustration.
Codyboy
Well-known member
1.Cut off the bad connector.
2.Splice on new pigtail. Soldered, **** splice whatever.
3. Go on with life.
Years ago when you bought a trailer the ground wire was never terminated. Most of the times just clipped off or dangling.
This was with hard mounted hitches and balls to the bumper. It was always eh, it grounds through the ball and coupler.
Which did sort of work mostly.
But with the invent of drawbar type hitches, not so much.
2.Splice on new pigtail. Soldered, **** splice whatever.
3. Go on with life.
Years ago when you bought a trailer the ground wire was never terminated. Most of the times just clipped off or dangling.
This was with hard mounted hitches and balls to the bumper. It was always eh, it grounds through the ball and coupler.
Which did sort of work mostly.
But with the invent of drawbar type hitches, not so much.
onewheat
Well-known member
Around here, people don't ever seem to have working trailer lights. 
Easiest way to snip it off and put on a new 4-pin flat connector. They are pretty cheap and easier than trying to rebuild the old one. Match wire colors and crimp/heat - shrink the new ends and good to go
Leaflessshadetree
Well-known member
Only thing I don't like about those is on many trailer connectors the spring loaded door rubs through the wires right at the back of the connector. I have changed out the connectors on my trailers to a different style so the door presses against the connector which is slightly better. I also made a wooden shim that will hold the door open but it's a seperate piece that is easy to loose or misplace.These (or a variant of) are pretty nice if you want to really upgrade the vehicle side:
whateg01
Well-known member
I haven't seen any that had the locking tab stick down far enough to do that. What brand were they?
On the round or flat plugs?