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Old 08-23-2012, 12:12 PM   #1
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7 Way Plug Install Inside Truck Bed

Ordered the wire harness for my truck to install in a week or so...looking for any suggestions on the placement inside your bed.
I've read that the best area is between the fender and tailgate on the driver's side...anyone have suggestions on Do's or Dont's welcomed



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Old 08-23-2012, 12:15 PM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ragin Cajun
Ordered the wire harness for my truck to install in a week or so...looking for any suggestions on the placement inside your bed.
I've read that the best area is between the fender and tailgate on the driver's side...anyone have suggestions on Do's or Dont's welcomed
Chevrolet's are drivers side between wheel well and front of bed.
Harness is already there on the hd's.

I have mine over the tailgate and plugged in normal as to not catch on anything in bed when turning.
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Old 08-23-2012, 12:21 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ragin Cajun View Post
Ordered the wire harness for my truck to install in a week or so...looking for any suggestions on the placement inside your bed.
I've read that the best area is between the fender and tailgate on the driver's side...anyone have suggestions on Do's or Dont's welcomed
That is where our dealer that installed our FW hitch placed mine and I couldn't be more satisfied with it. After we are hooked up, I can secure my breakaway switch cable and insert the plug before lifting up the tailgate.

One thing to remember also - my Ram 2500 came with a 4 prong plug installed in the rear bumper next to the license plate holder - so do not disable the 4 prong plug if you have one. You don't know when you might need it.
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Old 08-23-2012, 12:24 PM   #4
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Originally Posted by Ragin Cajun View Post
Ordered the wire harness for my truck to install in a week or so...looking for any suggestions on the placement inside your bed.
I've read that the best area is between the fender and tailgate on the driver's side...anyone have suggestions on Do's or Dont's welcomed
Here's where the dealer put mine and I like it just fine. Easy to get to and out of the way. Works perfect with the tonneau cover on while towing.
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Old 08-23-2012, 12:28 PM   #5
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On most Chevy's, left rear (driver's side), stake pocket, is hollow, and when you remove the rear tail light, you can see straight through to the ground. Use a bi-metal hole saw to make a round hole. Don't go too large, just enough to get the plug in, and leave room for the mounting screws to catch some metal. You only get one shot at this. This gets the plug, in the bed, accessible, but very out of the way. Looks very professional also. Pictures above, somebody typed faster than I did.
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Old 08-23-2012, 03:02 PM   #6
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I have the Bargman 90* plug in the same place on my Chevy and my Ford. Here is a pic of the Ford location.
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Old 08-23-2012, 08:26 PM   #7
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If I could make a sugestion. I work as a GM collision tech and I would STRONGLY recomend that a plug not be installed in the rear tailgate post as pictured above. Those tailgate post make up 100% of the structural strength of the rear if the bedside. I hole big enough to install a plug would weaken this post probably 30% or more. Also any kind of quick connect on the wiring allowing the bed to be removed without wires would help us techs a lot. Most of the time we just have to cut through all the wires and then but connect back together. That us about the only way we can know it is back to the way the customer had it as many installers do not use correct colors on wires to plugs. I recommend using an "extention cord" type set up if not wired factory for a second plug and just plug the male end into factory plug and mount the female where desired. Easily reversable and will save tons on costly electrical problembs.
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Old 08-23-2012, 08:28 PM   #8
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Sorry the pic directly above last post is NOT what I was talking about. The inner bedside us a very good location, I meant the pic further up the post
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Old 08-23-2012, 09:16 PM   #9
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If I could make a sugestion. I work as a GM collision tech and I would STRONGLY recomend that a plug not be installed in the rear tailgate post as pictured above. Those tailgate post make up 100% of the structural strength of the rear if the bedside. I hole big enough to install a plug would weaken this post probably 30% or more. Also any kind of quick connect on the wiring allowing the bed to be removed without wires would help us techs a lot. Most of the time we just have to cut through all the wires and then but connect back together. That us about the only way we can know it is back to the way the customer had it as many installers do not use correct colors on wires to plugs. I recommend using an "extention cord" type set up if not wired factory for a second plug and just plug the male end into factory plug and mount the female where desired. Easily reversable and will save tons on costly electrical problembs.
Don't know where you get the 30% reduction in strength, but be that as it may, there is no load being put on the post from anything but from slamming the tailgate and holding it closed. Also with the tailgate closed there is no side load. For the hole to have a detrimental effect, there would have to be a fore & aft load which there are no such loads. I can see where the electrical connection would cause you some headache, but all you have to do is pull the female plug out, unhook the wires, tape the ends and pull them back and down the the rear.
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Old 08-23-2012, 09:53 PM   #10
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These are just sugestions and anybody can do as they wish. I have to think of structural integrity and liability in everything that I do. On the wiring, a simple quick connect would be free to disconect a hard wired plug incures a 1+ hr charge most times.

I have worked on collisions where 5ers have been driven into the tv cab from a rear hit and also tv rear ending another vehicle and the momentum of the trailer keeps going while the tv has come to a stop. Also seen many beds, frames and hitches mangled from blow outs uneven terrain and sudden stops or running off the road with a load. That said any extra structural components or reinforcement can potentialy save the lives of passengers in the event of the unpredictable.
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Old 08-23-2012, 11:55 PM   #11
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Here is mine.
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Old 08-24-2012, 02:18 PM   #12
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Originally Posted by dunnnc

Here's where the dealer put mine and I like it just fine. Easy to get to and out of the way. Works perfect with the tonneau cover on while towing.
Interesting spot, never thought of that...what I like about this location, it'll give me room to stuff small items between the hitch and side bed.
If the plug is in the side bed, lose that space due to plug and wire attached...thinking, thinking



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Old 08-24-2012, 03:39 PM   #13
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These are just sugestions and anybody can do as they wish. I have to think of structural integrity and liability in everything that I do. On the wiring, a simple quick connect would be free to disconect a hard wired plug incures a 1+ hr charge most times.

I have worked on collisions where 5ers have been driven into the tv cab from a rear hit and also tv rear ending another vehicle and the momentum of the trailer keeps going while the tv has come to a stop. Also seen many beds, frames and hitches mangled from blow outs uneven terrain and sudden stops or running off the road with a load. That said any extra structural components or reinforcement can potentialy save the lives of passengers in the event of the unpredictable.
Agree with you 100%, but a small hole in a formed support is not going to help anything in the incidents you mentioned. Appreciate your concern tho'. Charging 1+ hrs to remove 4 screws and unscrew and tape 6 or 7 wires is a little exhorbitant unless that includes re-installation.
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Old 08-25-2012, 02:04 PM   #14
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I have mine between the wheel wells and the FRONT of the bed. I like it better up there as I don't have to crawl between my bed rails and 5er to plug it in (or between the open tailgate and 5er). I normally don't carry anything in front of the hitch so I'm not losing any storage space with it.
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Old 08-25-2012, 03:27 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ragin Cajun
Ordered the wire harness for my truck to install in a week or so...looking for any suggestions on the placement inside your bed.
I've read that the best area is between the fender and tailgate on the driver's side...anyone have suggestions on Do's or Dont's welcomed
Here's mine, I opted to not drill a big hole in my bed.

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Old 08-25-2012, 03:37 PM   #16
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Originally Posted by M109Rrider

Here's mine, I opted to not drill a big hole in my bed.
Good idea to !
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