Converter from tow-vehicle to trailer

[gdean7]

Recently re-wired my trailer. All connections correct, yellow, left side blinker, brown stop and "on" lights, and green right blinker. It all filters into a Flat 4 connector. On my truck, I have a round 6 connector. I bought an adapter that goes into the trucks round 6, and turns into a flat 4. <br /><br /> I recently went to an auto parts store to inquire as to why the brake lights weren't working. I told them everything everyone in the last posts told me... If there are seperate blinkers from brakes, then i'll need a converter. They said it was nonsence, and something in my truck must be screwed up. <br /><br /> Now is this true? Is that all I need, is the little adapter that goes from the round 6 to the flat 4, and it should all work? They said it's probably a problem on the truck end with the brake wiring. Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks!!

 

[Bondo]

Re: Converter from tow-vehicle to trailer

Well,......<br />You Should have,<br />" All connections correct, yellow, left side blinker, brown stop and "on" lights, and green right blinker. It all filters into a Flat 4 connector."<br /><br />Except,..... The Brown wire is for the Running lights ONLY.......<br /><br />The Brake lights are carried by the Yellow,+ Green wires.......<br /><br />On this thread,+ your Other 1,.. <br />You Still haven't stated whether your Truck has Brake/Turn lights Or, Brake lights AND Turn lights...........<br /><br />Just What Exactly Is your Truck ?????<br /><br />So Far,..... Your posts Lack Information,..... <br />READ All the posts in your 2 threads....<br />You Haven't Answered Any of the Questions asked of you.......<br />If You Can't provide the Nessessary Information,.......... There's Not Much We Can Do To Help.............<br /><br />Sorry.......

 

[gdean7]

Re: Converter from tow-vehicle to trailer

I have a 1994 Ford Ranger XLT. The brake and turn signals are seperate. I have yellow turn signals and red brake lights.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Converter from tow-vehicle to trailer

In that case,... You'll Need a converter.......<br /><br />It mounts to the Truck.....<br /><br />You might have to check with a Trailer shop.....<br />Obviously the Parts Guys at your local store Haven't got a Clue.....<br /><br />Try your local U-Haul... I Know they carry them.....

 

[gdean7]

Re: Converter from tow-vehicle to trailer

Thanks. And correct, the local auto parts people have no idea. They all think i'm crazy saying that i only get blinkers.

 

[Northern Eclipse]

Re: Converter from tow-vehicle to trailer

Your truck has a 6 wire tail light system, most 6 wire have the orange signal light lenses, your ranger does need the converter and surge protection that is also recommend from Ford/Mazda. so Bondo is correct.. and no your not crazy. Since your trucks a 94, consult your area scrap yard, because if you find a factory unit Which is easy to find from a Explorer that came with factory tow package or Ranger or Mazda B2000 then you will have the converter and surge protection.

 

[jtexas]

Re: Converter from tow-vehicle to trailer

you mean something like this?<br /><br />or this?

 

[Bondo]

Re: Converter from tow-vehicle to trailer

Ayuh,.......<br /><br />"or this?" will No Doubt work........

 

[gdean7]

Re: Converter from tow-vehicle to trailer

So with the "or this?" model, if it will no doubt work... do I have to just clip the wires going into the round 6 connector, and match them up with the wires going into that new connector? I have no problems ordering it and waiting, it sadly, snowed yet again, and will continue to do so for a week now. So i've got time to get it all taken care of. Thanks for all your help!!

 

[Bondo]

Re: Converter from tow-vehicle to trailer

So with the "or this?" model, if it will no doubt work... do I have to just clip the wires going into the round 6 connector, and match them up with the wires going into that new connector?

Well,.......<br /><br />I Know that the "or this?" model can be Easily be wired into the truck.... Assuming that the 6 pin plug that you have Now is wired properly,.. Yes...<br />A Test Light would go Along Ways in helping you decide Which Wire Goes Where.........<br /><br />"like this?",... Would be a Much Easier application,.. Maybe,.. It's designed to just Plug Into the trucks own wiring harness, just up under the rear bumper............<br />The Problem Is,...... I don't see an appl. Chart to see if it fits a Ford........<br /><br />If You want to take the time to search for it,... An Adapter like the 1 in "like this?", that's for Your Ford truck,......<br />Well,.... That's the Easiest Way Out......... Plug & Play............<br />Unplug the connector under the truck, insert the adapter between the 2 halfs,+ Snap them All Together......<br />But,.. It's got to be the 1 For Your truck...........<br /><br />Good Luck..............

 

[gdean7]

Re: Converter from tow-vehicle to trailer

Thanks!

 

[bbalcer]

Re: Converter from tow-vehicle to trailer

Sounds like you already have a 6 pin connector wired into your original truck wiring. If this is the case, I would think the 6-round to 4 flat would work, obviously checking with a 12V tester first. I have a 7-pin round to 4-flat converter that plugs into the factory mount and everything worked fine. I'm pretty sure there must be a standard for the 6 round configuration (wishful thinking perhaps). Test the pin output from your 6/4 converter and ensure the correct signals go to the correct lights on your trailer. If they are wrong, perhaps a wire got swapped when you did your trailer re-wire. Also, many problems in re-wiring (I know from experience) can be traced back to ground problems on the trailer. Good luck. The ground from the connector is many times bolted to trailer frame.

 

[gdean7]

Re: Converter from tow-vehicle to trailer

Would a ground cause the wiring to only work for blinkers though? If I have a faulty ground on the trailer, wouldn't that cause no lights to work? Because the blinkers work just fine, just not the brake lights. Thanks for everyone's help!!

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Converter from tow-vehicle to trailer

Did you ever correct the brown wire. That wire feeds the side lights and running (tail) lights which are the dimmer of the two filaments in each tail light. If you didn't fix this you are chasing your tail. The people at the store are also idiots. The reason you have a problem is the trailer uses a single filament (the brighter of the two) for both brake and turn functions. It does the stop function when you step on the brake. Both the yellow and green wires receive 12 volts. For left or right turn, the flasher routes 12 volts to the right or left bright filament respectively. When you step on the brake with a turn signal activated, only the opposite side brake light works while the opposite side flashes. Now for the problem. Your truck has a separate stop lamp. The trailer does not -- its a shared circuit (stop and turn). Hence you need to do one of two things: 1) add the converter, or 2) add another set of lights that run strictly off the stop lamp circuit on the truck. If you do that you don't need the converter. You do need a five or six wire plug on the trailer however. The converter you need is not just a six pin to four pin deal. Electronics are involved so you need a converter that handles the separate brake and turn signal functions.

 

[bbalcer]

Re: Converter from tow-vehicle to trailer

I'd try to get a 12 volt (under $5) tester or cheap multimeter (on 100VDC setting) from auto zone and eliminate either the truck, or the trailer. Removing 50% of the possible problems will significantly reduce the amount of brain cells you waste.

 

[gdean7]

Re: Converter from tow-vehicle to trailer

Thanks, i'll try that out, Upinsmoke. <br /> And yes, I do have a volt tester. I've hooked it up to all 6 pins on my truck and they all work. What i've noticed, which is weird... is the adapter deal that goes from 6 pins to flat 4, has 2 blank spots where the wires don't run through, it's just plastic. And the two that don't work are two of the plugs that I need. It seems to me as if someone, previously whenever they hooked this up on my truck, must have switched around some wires, because there is a slot that makes it so the converter can only enter one way. I think i'm going to try pulling each plug out and sort of make my own flat 4 from the 4 of the 6 pins that I need. <br /> If that doesn't work, I guess i'm going to get another light for my trailer for the brakes. It seems like the easiest way to me anyhow. Thanks for all of your help!

 

[demsvmejm]

Re: Converter from tow-vehicle to trailer

Listen to the responses you've gotten. Your truck has seperate turn signals from brake lights. YOU NEED A TRAILER LIGHT CONVERTOR!<br /> Do not EVER use the quick connect Scotch locks! At least not on the outside of the vehicle. I would advise that you do not cheap out on this. Buy the plug-in convertor, you will be much happier you did if you still have the truck a few years from now. Trailer light sare a significant safety feature and you never want to skimp on safety. Do it right the first time and you won't be sorry. <br />I's suggest connecting the "T" connector to the vehicle and then cut the "Flat-4" connector off and wire the convertor into the trailer connector already on yur truck. Since you already have the convertor to the trailer flat-4, you will preserve the round connector. <br /><br />But get the convertor! There's no other way to combine the truck lights into the trailer light setup. At least not easily and economically.<br />If you need more instruction on th einstallation, I'll be happy to help. I've installed many connectors, and convertors.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Converter from tow-vehicle to trailer

Going from six pins to four is only part of your problem. You still need the electronic converter. It takes the two separate feeds (stop and turn) from your truck and through the miracle of electronics, converts it to the single stop/turn funtion on your trailer. Again -- fix the brown wire first. If you have a battery charger, connect the negative clip to the trailer frame. Put a nail in the positive clip and insert it into each of the three pins (not the white one as thats ground). You should have left turn, right turn, and tail/marker lites. If not, fix the trailer. Then go after the truck side.