Wiring of brake controller and plug

[Fourscoot]

I have a 1990 f250 diesel truck. It has currently a factory 6 prong plug and I want to add a brake controler and 7 spade plug.

Is there a plug n play setup for these trucks? If not how hard would it be too wire it in? What brake controller does everyone run? Disavantages/Advantages do you fing.

Thanx for your help, Scott

[SmokeyWren]

Originally Posted by Fourscoot

I have a 1990 f250 diesel truck. It has currently a factory 6 prong plug and I want to add a brake controler and 7 spade plug.

There was no factory plug of any kind on a '99. Ford offered an optional trailer tow pkg, but that was just some relays in the glove box that you had to install. Plus I suspect it included the brake conroller plug in the wiring harness. You bought an aftermarket trailer plug and wired it up, even if you had the trailer tow pkg. The trailer tow pkg had an MSRP of $190, and that did not include the receiver which was another $150 option.

Is there a plug n play setup for these trucks? If not how hard would it be too wire it in?

If your 6-pin plug works, then the 7-pin plug would work exactly the same way except for the backup lights on the trailer, if any. That 7th wire is for backup lights on the trailer, and most trailers don't have backup lights. So unwire the 6-pin plug and wire in a 7-pin plug to replace it. If your trailer has backup lights and you want them to work, then you'd need to figure out how to wire that 7th pin on the plug to the right place in your wiring harness.

What brake controller does everyone run? Disavantages/Advantages do you fing.

Scroll up to the top of the index for this forum and notice the sticky thread that will answer most of your questions about brake controllers. But a short&sweet answer is that my 10-year-old Drawtite Activator II works fine.

[wittmeba]

Here is a good diagram showing both 6 and 7 pin connectors. It also shows the vehicle receptacle and trailer plug.

If you dont actually need the 7th pin, you can just replace the 6 pin connectors and rewire per the diagram. Usually the 7th pin is unused.

Trailer Wiring Diagrams

[Fourscoot]

Thank you for the diagrams. Boy that would have been usefull a day ago. Interesting note, the 12v lead that shows wasn't working and there were no other in the plug. I did discovee the reason. While changing the brake controller to a newer one that actual works! Whomever wired in the original controler cut the 12v charge circuit and used it for the power to the controller.
Some people are amazing.