Tow Package Question
 

I'm about ready to do the electric/hydraulic swap. I have a 1999 Chevy dually & would imagine it does have the tow package. I haven't had a chance to look to see if there is the wire harness plug in for the brake controller etc. I bought the trk used in 2000 and came with the flat style trailer plug. I much rather use the factory harness if any. Can anyone tell me what to look for ?

Not sure if that generation had it, but my trucks have had a separate harness that plugs directly in to an open port under the dash. That harness has the leads that hook directly to your electric brake module. Stop by the dealer they may have one sitting in inventory.

Yes, stop at a dealer and ask. Someone there will know exactly what you need or need to do.

Brake Cont.
 

I had an '00
There is a 7 wire harness taped up under the bed by the rear bumper.
The the other end comes up the drivers side firewall. The red wire is power, you have to hook it to one if the hot terminals which is on the fuse box right there...
Run the blue and other wires under the dash for the brake control. There is no nifty harness plug in line the new trucks..
It'll take some time, and look at the wire color/functions in the owners manual!!! Theyre not standard. You'll put the trailer plug on as normal, and the functions will be wrong.
Oh, and if your trailer has a lot of lights... You'll burn out the headlight switch. I had to put a relay to supply the power (that was for a race car trailer with a lot of lights)...

You'll be amazed that you can STOP with the elect/hyd brakes.
My '00 had the WORST brakes of nearly any truck I have ever driven...

Tim's absolutely right about the wiring being whack. Follow the directions in the brake controller package to hook it up inside. You may only find a red and blue wire bundled up on the frame by the bumper, at least that's the way it was with my Suburban, because the other wires were probably used when they hooked your four-flat up. Make sure you use the little rubber grommets if you have to run wires thru bare holes in the firewall, or you may end up with an unpleasant electrical fire at a later date from the metal chafing thru the wire insulation. And whatever you do, DON'T ignore his advice about the hot wire supply relay for the running lights, or you'll regret it! I have a '97 GMC CC dually. The guy I got it from didn't do the relay for the running lights and used it for towing a horse trailer with a go-zillion lights on it and killed the headlight switch on mine. That switch controls everything. Replacement cost? Over 300 bucks!:eek: PO just jerry-rigged a separate switch up for the trailer running lights and left it at that. I'm still trying to sort out the rest of it to get it all back the way it's supposed to be.

On the plus side, you won't regret going to the electric brakes. I've done it on the last three of my boat trailers and honestly wouldn't have surge brakes again if somebody offered to put all new ones on for free. The electrics are always there-if the boat gets to blowin' around behind you, a little nudge on the controller straightens it out. Backing down a steep ramp? It's nice to have those brakes on the trailer to help keep your rig from ending up in the drink! I've always thought it was a little unnatural feeling for a trailer to have to push me to slow down. Good luck with your swap. BTW-great looking dually.

Great advice thanks! As I'm looking at the original window sticker an option is listed at "heavy duty trailering equipment $164.00". Under the standard equpment "8 lead trailering harness". Now is that harness from the under the dash to the back of the truck or the harness that connects from the back to the plug ?

There is nothing under the dash buddy...
Don't use the word "Harness".... All it is is a 8 wire strand running the length of the truck.
Harness implies the wiring having connectors.

What is there is a help, but just barely....:rolleyes:

Gotcha
Thanks Tim

Took a good look at everything yesterday and the schematic for the controller. If I have this correct I'll need to run the blue wire from the controller to the back bumper into the female side of the plug.
The current rear harness (flat plug) has a "T" connection with no splices. Am I to use a 6 pole round socket and is that available to "T" in rather than splicing ?

This should be the correct set up from the trailer:
http://shop.easternmarine.com/index....productID=6153

I would use this one http://shop.easternmarine.com/index....categoryID=209 The 7-blade RV is more of a universal set-up, you can get adapters to go to other sockets at most any parts store, and you can run reverse lights to the back of your trailer (helps at night!) or use the extra hot wire for a power tongue jack or power winch if you want to. I would usehttp://shop.easternmarine.com/index....categoryID=210 this to plug into your factory wiring harness under the rear of the truck if you don't already have one. Be sure to use the grease provided and don't be afraid to put a lot in there, it will make sure your wiring connections don't corrode. I would use this onehttp://www.mytscstore.com/detail.asp...roductID=17299 (the 7:4 model 1043001) to mount to your truck. It will plug right in to the "T" adapter pigtail. This way you have no splices into the wiring harness on the outside of the truck, and, you have a handy flat-four plug right on the same unit in case you have the need to pull a trailer with a flat-four connection. Hope this helps. Bill

PS-make sure you put a good ground from the socket to the truck frame!

Already have that 4 pin flat from the tail light "T".

http://www.mytscstore.com/detail.asp...roductID=17299
Thats exactly what I'm looking for. That whole wire harness thing threw me for a loop until I checked it out the other day.
Thanks for the links Bill !

Stan

All i ndde is to bowroo it in June fro a cuople of wekes to tow the btao to murray. reckon ?