7 pin wiring harness

Asked by CStanley Apr 12, 2015 at 11:07 PM about the 1997 Dodge RAM 2500 Laramie SLT Club Cab LB 4WD

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

I bought a 1997 dodge ram 2500 with 5.9 gas v8 4x4 with the towing package.
The previous owner backed into a telephone pole and damaged the 7 pin connector for the trailer. He never hauled a trailer so it didn't bother him.
I bought a new connector and when I removed the old one some of the wires were corroded and broken off.

Anyways when ever I search for the 7-pin dodge trailer wiring I get this (It states that I should have certain colored wires, but I don't have half of those colors, I these colors: Green, Brown, Blue, Black, Brown, Red and Purple). : http://www.google.com/search?q=7+pin+trailer+connector+dodge+wiring&safe=active&biw=1920&bih=969&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=IDIrVcLdFYb1oASWgYHQBA&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAg#imgrc=FLZh9WJfRsxQ0M%253A%3BPy4oRNVAIVbifM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.truckspring.com%252Fimages%252FManufacturer%252FHidden_hitch%252F7_way_car.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.truckspring.com%252Ftrailer-parts%252Ftrailer-wiring%252Fwiring-information-diagram.aspx%3B600%3B400

2 Answers

30,520

if your colors are jumbled for some reason, get a test light and start testing the wires coming out of your truck. brake lights turn signals running lights. wire them into your new plug accordingly.

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10

Hello Stan ;) O.k. While the suggestion above is a great response, it occurs to me that you would hve done that before ever posting your question. Thus, I'll presume you may be a 'novice' and/or 'weekender' repair man. Am I close? Regardless, I have the EXACT SAME factory-installed towing harness and 7-pin plugin receiver. If you're willing to put in some 'wrench time' and visually assess the FULL length of wires, you may get your answers! ;) When you look around on the steel tow stabilizer/add-on tubing (square hollow tubing, approx. 1/8" thick), which is bolted to your truck chassis, you'll see that the 7-pin connector receiver assembly is bolted to that sub-frame (towing assbly). If you can successfully, FULLY DETACH your receiver housing, you SHOULD be able to access the wires, IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO ENTERING THE RECEIVER HOUSING ITSELF. Now, I must further presume that the ORIGINAL ENDS OF THE ORIGINAL WIRE HARNESS are likely still in place. Most likely, whoever changed the factory wiring status must have employed 'jumper' extensions of certain wires. This is done to add 'workable/serviceable' length of wire to the shortened (not long enough) original wires. But, one must ALWAYS leave SOMETHING to work with, on the ORIGINAL WIRE. And, viola! You SHOULD be able to see the ORIGINAL WIRE JACKET COLORS STILL ATTACHED TO/ENTERING THE 7-PIN RECEIVER. Just use those as a reference. On the wires with different/wrong colors, look back 'behind' the 'wrong color' portion, to see the ORIGINAL WIRE JACKET COLORS. Using that reference system, you SHOULD be able to splice in a new 7-pin receiver, close to (probably just like) the factory installation! Then, just spray up the mounting holes AND BOLTS with an anti-rust spray and reinstall everything in reverse of unbolting it! ***NOTES*** 1. DON'T install wire connectors WITHOUT protective covering (heat-shrink tube[s], elec tape, etc) 2. LIMIT wire replacement lengths(jumpers) to only what you need PLUS a small 'reserve' amount, in anticipation of having to service fittings again, in future. I apply a basic rule of affording myself two 'fist lengths' of extra wire. 3. If possible, now is the BEST/EASIEST/QUICKEST/MOST EFFICIENT TIME to replace the incorrectly-colored wire jumpers that are in there now with the CORRECTLY-COLORED jumpers that ma6 be needed. This helps to defer this same confusion that you are currently experiencing, in much of the future! ;) 4. Leave it neat! If the need exists, I FULLY recommend 'tidying up' the work area, when finished. Tie wrap wires that seem 'spaghetti-like'. Keep wire groupings together with tie wraps. Secure wire grouos to a ROUNDED, PREFERABLE FLAT part of a strong substructure (you don't want your wire groups bumping, slamming, and jumping up and down with all the movement of the truck). 5. Have fun (if poss.), but also LEARN from what you are doing! Your reading efforts are commednable, if you've made it this far, I wish you the VERY BEST os luck in your task! Note

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