Towing harness + brake controller
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Yes, just finished this project. Not bad actually...
Kits out for the PM, include everything you need.
The only part I was worried about was taping into the brake light switch under the dash. The wire is such a small guage, but it worked, and I've tested it with my dump trailer loaded...
Kits out for the PM, include everything you need.
The only part I was worried about was taping into the brake light switch under the dash. The wire is such a small guage, but it worked, and I've tested it with my dump trailer loaded...
Here are a few pics to show you what I had to remove to route the wires.
Once I got the lower dash panel removed, I found this perfect mounting spot to keep it cleanly hidden, and out of my knees way. Right under the steering column
Fished the wires through the spot shown
Wha-La!
Works Great!!
Once I got the lower dash panel removed, I found this perfect mounting spot to keep it cleanly hidden, and out of my knees way. Right under the steering column
Fished the wires through the spot shown
Wha-La!
Works Great!!
You have to buy the 4-way flat kits for the PM to start with, then get the 7way RV plug kit, and the brake controller, and brake controller harness. Then all the kits piece together. I got everything from E-trailer.com. I also did a coupon code search on google before I ordered and saved myself a few bucks.
As I recall from our family travel trailers in the 1960s, the brake controller was triggered by the car brake light wiring. Have the complications of bulb burnout detectors or whatever made this impossible in modern vehicles? Seem like a lot of extra complications to hook up trailer wiring!
Blake - that is a fantastic write up. Thanks. I've only seen what you describe...the harness with the 4 pin and then the adapter with the added inputs for the 7 pin. I hate thinking about that 4 pin to 4 pin connector corroding over time but I'll hit it with some dielectric grease so it stay functional as long as possible.
Thanks again.
Thanks again.
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8,829 Posts
I buy one of these, cut the wires and use the ends with dielectric grease to protect both the trailer end and the vehicle end. No corrosion in 200K miles!
trailer brake factory kit
This may help on an install I believe the 2014 year is the same.
http://www.rambodybuilder.com/2015/van/docs/vf/tbc.pdf
This may help on an install I believe the 2014 year is the same.
http://www.rambodybuilder.com/2015/van/docs/vf/tbc.pdf
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118 Posts
What if you don't need the brake controller? Much simpler I assume.
Then all you need is the 4-flat connector I assume. One kit, and is super easy to install. There is even a perfect grommet on the drivers side underneath to fit the WHOLE 4-flat connector through to get it to the outside.
I just ordered and received the Mopar trailer wiring kit part number 82213930AC.
The kit has a good instruction sheet showing how to install it but no description of the parts included.
It looks like the kit has a part (B) that is placed in the rear corner of the van. The kit has a 7 wire/plug and I do need the brake controller but I do not know if the part B is a brake light/ turn signal combiner or is it a brake control? If it is a brake light combiner then I need to get help on adding the brake controller
I would appreciate any in put so that I can move forward with the installation
Thanks for the photos Blakelpd5, I have been trying to figure out where to put the controller mechanism and am even wondering if I need it up front at the brake pedal at all. If it is triggered by the brake lights coming on then the electric lead to power on the brake lights should also provide that source. If there is nothing for me to adjust while driving on the controller, supposed to be inertia driven, etc. then I am thinking I could mount it in the back with the four way trailer harness controller and steal power from the unused 12V socket connector if I can figure out how to activate that.
The 7 pin connector calls for a 40amp fused hot lead that I am assuming is for auxiliary power to a travel trailer or something like that, not needed for the trailer brakes as far as I can tell. My trailer has a 6 pin connector so I am using an adapter and that extra hot lead doesn't seem to be wired through. On the long run it probably is good to have that extra power lead but what a headache to hook up the stuff in an already crowded under dash area and I am concerned about future access issues. I wired in an after market cruise control which plugged into the OBDII connector but also required tapping into an ignition switch wire, so it is getting more and more crowded under there, I was thinking of adding an OBDII set of gauges but am undecided on that so far.
The 7 pin connector calls for a 40amp fused hot lead that I am assuming is for auxiliary power to a travel trailer or something like that, not needed for the trailer brakes as far as I can tell. My trailer has a 6 pin connector so I am using an adapter and that extra hot lead doesn't seem to be wired through. On the long run it probably is good to have that extra power lead but what a headache to hook up the stuff in an already crowded under dash area and I am concerned about future access issues. I wired in an after market cruise control which plugged into the OBDII connector but also required tapping into an ignition switch wire, so it is getting more and more crowded under there, I was thinking of adding an OBDII set of gauges but am undecided on that so far.
After rereading my trailer brake controller instructions I realized that there are reasons to adjust the system at the controller so my idea of locating it in the back was a no go. I now am trying to mount it just above the fuse panel where there is a small recess in the dash covering, it looks promising at this point and I was able to mount it on the panel so that the access screws should be easily available, I just need to leave enough slack in the wiring harness to pull it out when necessary for other tasks.
I ordered my 2016 2500 Window with the optional AHT Mopar Trailer Tow Group. This gave me a 2" receiver hitch, along with a 4-way and 7-way connector. When I went to hook up my trailer to the 7-way, nothing worked. No parking lights, no turn signals/brake lights. I did have +12 volts on pin 5. After 3 trips to the dealer (70 miles round trip), they got things working by replacing the Trailer Brake Light Control Module. It is a 3" square box located in the left rear pillar about half-way up.
Come to find out that there is a recall for that very problem, but my PM is not on the list ??? The recall is FCA S22 or NHTSA 16V253000. Anyway, since I got the lights working, I asked the dealer if they had a connection diagram for the 7-way so that I could hook up a brake controller when I got one. No way. They said that their tech didn't even have a wiring diagram. Yeah, right.
Fast forward a couple of weeks. Today, I hooked up a Draw-Tite #20191 controller. https://www.amazon.com/Draw-Tite-20191-I-Stop-Electronic-Control/dp/B003CSNCUC
When I pulled the battery cover, there was a blue wire labeled Trailer Brake that goes to pin #3 on the 7-way, and a red w/ blue wire coming off of the battery with a 20 amp fuse that goes to pin #5 on the 7-way. I spliced the red w/blue wire past the fuse to get power for the controller (black wire on the controller). The blue wire from pin #3 hooks to the blue wire on the controller. The white wire of the controller goes to ground, and the red wire of the controller goes to the brake switch pin #4 ( the green w/white wire). See http://www.rambodybuilder.com/2015/van/docs/vf/tbc.pdf
My trailer brakes are now functional. The only downside is that the Brake Controller has power to it all the time, even with the ignition off. I may install a relay later to have it work with the ignition "on" only.
Come to find out that there is a recall for that very problem, but my PM is not on the list ??? The recall is FCA S22 or NHTSA 16V253000. Anyway, since I got the lights working, I asked the dealer if they had a connection diagram for the 7-way so that I could hook up a brake controller when I got one. No way. They said that their tech didn't even have a wiring diagram. Yeah, right.
Fast forward a couple of weeks. Today, I hooked up a Draw-Tite #20191 controller. https://www.amazon.com/Draw-Tite-20191-I-Stop-Electronic-Control/dp/B003CSNCUC
When I pulled the battery cover, there was a blue wire labeled Trailer Brake that goes to pin #3 on the 7-way, and a red w/ blue wire coming off of the battery with a 20 amp fuse that goes to pin #5 on the 7-way. I spliced the red w/blue wire past the fuse to get power for the controller (black wire on the controller). The blue wire from pin #3 hooks to the blue wire on the controller. The white wire of the controller goes to ground, and the red wire of the controller goes to the brake switch pin #4 ( the green w/white wire). See http://www.rambodybuilder.com/2015/van/docs/vf/tbc.pdf
My trailer brakes are now functional. The only downside is that the Brake Controller has power to it all the time, even with the ignition off. I may install a relay later to have it work with the ignition "on" only.
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Thanks Larry. I pondered this a couple weeks ago and eventually found the blue wire in the battery box. I don't think there is a phantom draw by the controller so I'm not worried about an always-on direct connection. I took power from the positive terminal and added an inline fuse. Your way seems simpler by tying into the existing fuse. Making the splice to the green-white wire on the brake switch pin #4 was a bit awkward and any mishap with the brake switch disables the vehicle (rightly so). I mounted the controller in the same location, setting it as far back as possible because leg room is already a limited commodity for me. Yours is the first post I've found regarding adding a controller with the factory tow option. Thanks again.
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Roblee, you are correct about the current draw from the controller. I have a couple of small dots displayed when the controller is not connected to the trailer, and they go away after 15 minutes or so. I am going to shelve the idea about using an isolating relay. Thanks for the reply.
Larry
Larry
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