Need help with replacing wiring for tow hitch connection

[Lvnlife1973]

Originally Posted by rockfordroo

It looks to me like your trailer connector/wiring harness came as a fully manufactured component. I say this because the wires appear to be soldered or crimped to the blades of the connector. If you bought a Pollack connector like this one

you'll need to cut the wires from the old connector and attach them to the new one with the screws on the blades. Then you'll have to re-seal the back of the connector with electrical tape or something.

If your new connector already has the wiring attached, then you'll need to wire them in wherever your current wiring runs to. Or, if the wires aren't long enough, you'll probably have to just splice the two wiring harnesses together using butt connectors and then seal it with electrical tape.

I couldn't really see the picture you attached above. I ordered the Pollack part that came with several parts but no extra wires.

Not sure how the rig was initially set up as a fully manufactured component. I took the part number off the rig, so I'm not sure?

I do need direction as to how to do this safely....do I need to disconnect the motorhome/engine battery? I think the wires might be live even if the key is NOT in the ignition. What about the house batteries?

Not even sure if I should be attempting this myself or just take it somewhere? Don't want to screw this up because we do want to eventually tow something.

[rockfordroo]

Here's a link to something like what I posted above:

http://www.etrailer.com/Wiring/Pollak/PK12707.html

This is the connector that attaches to the MH. On this one, the blades are all exposed all around. On the one that plugs into it (that goes to whatever you're towing) the blades should be enclosed. So long as you have your MH and headlights turned off, you won't have any power to most of the blades. however, one of them is normally used to supply power to a trailer battery (or toad power). Sometimes this is switched with the ignition, but sometimes it's hot all the time, so you might want to disconnect the MH battery (as opposed to the "house" battery), i.e., the one that cranks the engine.

If you got the "generic" version, like the one in the URL above, you need to open it up and then each wire screws to the appropriate blade. Watch the video at the URL. You unscrew the two screws on each side of the cylindrical portion, and then the guts as in your pic come out. You then feed the wiring through the back of the cylindrical part, screw them to the blades, then pull them back, pulling the part with the blades back into the housing. Then you screw the two screws on the sides back in to hold it in place.

Note that Pollack makes a number of these. Some are custom so they'll "screw" into a Chevy's bumper, for example, and some take a Chevy wiring harness that plugs directly into the back of it. Some are custom for Ford, some for Dodge. So, if you got a different one, go to etrailer, put the Pollack part number into the search field and there may be a video for it there.

[Gordon and Dawn]

We bought our 09 357 used and I thought that the connector seemed a bit low but it was in perfect shape so I never gave it another thought.... until we bought a brand new enclosed trailer in North Carolina to tow behind it. The trailer dealer rewired the trailer to work with our MH and all was good until we got home to California. I looked underneath about 3 feet back and found that the original wire plug was ripped away in the same manner as yours. I had to redo each wire one at a time and in the right order. There are diagrams online that tell you which color wire goes in what position within the plug. It's not hard but a bit time consuming. Just be patient and you'll do fine. Best of luck. Gordon

[Lvnlife1973]

Originally Posted by Gordon and Dawn

We bought our 09 357 used and I thought that the connector seemed a bit low but it was in perfect shape so I never gave it another thought.... until we bought a brand new enclosed trailer in North Carolina to tow behind it. The trailer dealer rewired the trailer to work with our MH and all was good until we got home to California. I looked underneath about 3 feet back and found that the original wire plug was ripped away in the same manner as yours. I had to redo each wire one at a time and in the right order. There are diagrams online that tell you which color wire goes in what position within the plug. It's not hard but a bit time consuming. Just be patient and you'll do fine. Best of luck. Gordon

Thanks Gordon! Did you disconnect the engine battery? I was worried that the wires would be hot even if the keys were not in the ignition.

[k3wtf]

Well finally fixed mine. Took off hitch and had mechanic cut off mount on bottom and weld it up on the top. You will need some help taking hitch off and back on. Then I wired new socket bolted it in taped up everything and inserted tester and it all lit up except the backup light. It was a black wire with a yello stripe I didn't have a purple one. So I just cut off end and taped in in the wire loom. It was supposed to goto center pin.

[Lvnlife1973]

Originally Posted by k3wtf

Well finally fixed mine. Took off hitch and had mechanic cut off mount on bottom and weld it up on the top. You will need some help taking hitch off and back on. Then I wired new socket bolted it in taped up everything and inserted tester and it all lit up except the backup light. It was a black wire with a yello stripe I didn't have a purple one. So I just cut off end and taped in in the wire loom. It was supposed to goto center pin.

Did you disconnect the engine battery? Was worried about getting a shock.

[Brother Les]

Originally Posted by Lvnlife1973

Did you disconnect the engine battery? Was worried about getting a shock.

12volt will not shock you.

110v will kill you (if you are not careful)
that plug in not a 110 voltage.

voltage back to the 7-point plug (12v) will be on certain pins when the unit is running, or the brake is on, or the blinkers are on, or the flashers are on, or the head/running lights are on.

You should disconnect the battery while you are working on it in the small chance of arching something together and blowing a fuse.

[k3wtf]

I was just careful