Installing New Tow Bar pt3

[Fab1]

To wire up power to your trailer you need to find several existing wires in your cars wiring harness.

   These days pretty much everyone uses the 7 pin flat layout shown in the diagram showing the pin location and what coloured wire goes to where.

I use a simple test light that will power up when you have power to the wire tested.

I look for a common place in the vehicles harness where the wires branch off to the other side of the car to power up the other tail light and it's here that later on ill splice,solder,and heat shrink the join I made.

  You can use connectors if you like which are much quicker but can and do fail at times.

The first thing I'll do is turn on the left indicator to find the power for that which will connect to that via the yellow wire on the plug wiring.

I like to back probe at the plug looking for the test light to light up.

When back probing it helps to gently stick something metal and  thin like  a needle,pin or paper clip into the plug to make contact with the terminal for added reach with the test light but most times the point on the test light is enough.

some guys will stick the point of the test light through the wires insulation to find the power but unless your going to cut and splice exactly there your left with a hole afterwords that can invite corrosion to start.

Any way here's where you want to back probe on the plug as you can just see the terminals on the wire.

when you have grounded your test light and started probing the wires you'll find that the test light will flash on and off in sync with the indicators.(The test light will only flash with the indicators).

When looking for power to Parkers etc the test light will stay lit.

This is the wire to connect the yellow trailer wire to as in this example I'm finding power for the left indicator.

continue the process for the Right indicator(Green Wire),Brakes etc until you find them all ready to cut into the wiring and splice/solder.

I'll continue with the wiring up in part 4.

Cheers.

 

[big Neil]

You should be teaching this stuff in TAFE, Fabian. Very informative presentation. BN

[Fab1]

10 hours ago, big Neil said:

You should be teaching this stuff in TAFE, Fabian. Very informative presentation. BN

They wouldn't pay me enough mate.Just kidding ,I'm content just putting it up on here to maybe help a fellow fisho out and that's satisfying enough for me.

Im glad you like it and finding it informative mate.

Cheers.

[Sigma]

Your a top bloke Fab. Although I have a tow bar fitted already, I still find it very informative and I have now learnt something that I could use down the track. Like i said in another thread, I have learnt quite a few things from you already and I thank you for it.

Keep it up Fab.... 

[Fab1]

7 hours ago, Sigma said:

Your a top bloke Fab. Although I have a tow bar fitted already, I still find it very informative and I have now learnt something that I could use down the track. Like i said in another thread, I have learnt quite a few things from you already and I thank you for it.

Keep it up Fab.... 

Anytime mate.We can all learn something from each other and it's always a pleasure passing on what I know in the hope of helping someone out.

  Some of us are money rich and that's about it.Iv'e had a tough life and learnt what I know through hard work,determination and will power which has made me the person I am.I'm rich in Knowledge and love and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Cheers.

[raging]

On 17 November 2016 at 5:44 PM, Fab1 said:

To wire up power to your trailer you need to find several existing wires in your cars wiring harness.

   These days pretty much everyone uses the 7 pin flat layout shown in the diagram showing the pin location and what coloured wire goes to where.

I use a simple test light that will power up when you have power to the wire tested.

I look for a common place in the vehicles harness where the wires branch off to the other side of the car to power up the other tail light and it's here that later on ill splice,solder,and heat shrink the join I made.

  You can use connectors if you like which are much quicker but can and do fail at times.

The first thing I'll do is turn on the left indicator to find the power for that which will connect to that via the yellow wire on the plug wiring.

I like to back probe at the plug looking for the test light to light up.

When back probing it helps to gently stick something metal and  thin like  a needle,pin or paper clip into the plug to make contact with the terminal for added reach with the test light but most times the point on the test light is enough.

some guys will stick the point of the test light through the wires insulation to find the power but unless your going to cut and splice exactly there your left with a hole afterwords that can invite corrosion to start.

Any way here's where you want to back probe on the plug as you can just see the terminals on the wire.

when you have grounded your test light and started probing the wires you'll find that the test light will flash on and off in sync with the indicators.(The test light will only flash with the indicators).

When looking for power to Parkers etc the test light will stay lit.

This is the wire to connect the yellow trailer wire to as in this example I'm finding power for the left indicator.

continue the process for the Right indicator(Green Wire),Brakes etc until you find them all ready to cut into the wiring and splice/solder.

I'll continue with the wiring up in part 4.

Cheers.

 

Probably worth noting some cars have a plug hidden near the tail light ready to go for the trailer light harness. There was in our subura outback. Took an hour to find it though  

[Fab1]

35 minutes ago, raging said:

Probably worth noting some cars have a plug hidden near the tail light ready to go for the trailer light harness. There was in our subura outback. Took an hour to find it though  

That's what I missed,Good catch.Yes many Modern cars come with a wired plug for a trailer hidden near/behind the bever panel,Tail lights.You just need to find it as you've found out.

I'll edit my post.

Cheers.