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Old 10-01-2017, 04:06 AM   #1
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5th wheel electric plug location?

Hi,
My Colorado came with the tow package, in which the 7-pin plug is located on the rear bumper next to the license plate. When towing a 5.0 ta, will there be problems with this location at all?
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Old 10-01-2017, 06:03 AM   #2
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Hi,
My Colorado came with the tow package, in which the 7-pin plug is located on the rear bumper next to the license plate. When towing a 5.0 ta, will there be problems with this location at all?
It's useable but the wire going over the tailgate could scratch up your truck. What I did and j think most others do is install a 7 pin connector in bed of truck . Easy to do just have to drill hole run the adapter plug, got mine at Etrailer.com for around $50. No splicing necessary, it goes in line with the bumper plug.

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Old 10-01-2017, 06:23 AM   #3
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I used the under bumper plug for a few months then did like Cotch. Also cut down the too long break away cable and installed one of these


https://www.etrailer.com/Accessories...IaAvd6EALw_wcB
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Old 10-01-2017, 06:39 AM   #4
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Bob
Did you shorten the coiled cable?
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Old 10-01-2017, 08:10 AM   #5
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Originally Posted by drjenk View Post
Hi,
My Colorado came with the tow package, in which the 7-pin plug is located on the rear bumper next to the license plate. When towing a 5.0 ta, will there be problems with this location at all?
Same here and I had the same question in my head. I like Chotch's set up for the reason Chotch gave, and also because it is so far back in the bed. When we pulled our old 19' Scamp with our 22 year old K2500, our plug in was ~1' back from the back of the cab. Since the 19' Scamp has essentially no exterior storage, we filled our bed with stuff. It was always a challenge to keep the cord from rubbing, pinching. Chotch's plug position should minimize that potential problem - which should be further minimized by the fact that the 5.0 TA has some exterior storage.
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Old 10-01-2017, 08:41 AM   #6
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I also had the 7 pin connector in the bumper of my Ram 1500. On the advice of an owener at the rally this year I had Trademasters install a rear 7 pin in the rear bed like the one pictured below when they installed my hitch. It is very easy to access and the cord stays out of the way. One of the best pieces of advice I received at the rally!

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Old 10-01-2017, 02:59 PM   #7
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No splicing necessary, it goes in line with the bumper plug.

Hi, I'm confused about this. How is it that there is no splicing? Isn't there a pigtail on the installed harness that has to be internally wired somehow, inside the bed wall?



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Old 10-01-2017, 04:33 PM   #8
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Bob
Did you shorten the coiled cable?
No, I shortened the original trailer cable quite a bit.
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Old 10-01-2017, 06:08 PM   #9
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Hi, I'm confused about this. How is it that there is no splicing? Isn't there a pigtail on the installed harness that has to be internally wired somehow, inside the bed wall?
Yes, but it usually just plugs in, somewhere under the truck bed.

Trucks typically have a hidden connector in the wiring harness to the 7-pin receptacle which allows the receptacle to replaced by just unplugging it and plugging in a new one in. To install the extra receptacle, that hidden connector is unplugged and the "tee" end of the add-on receptacle wiring is inserted between the two sides of it.

Here are some of the products for this type of installation which were mentioned in a
previous discussion of this type of extra receptacle:
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Old 10-01-2017, 06:42 PM   #10
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Yes, but it usually just plugs in, somewhere under the truck bed.

Trucks typically have a hidden connector in the wiring harness to the 7-pin receptacle which allows the receptacle to replaced by just unplugging it and plugging in a new one in. To install the extra receptacle, that hidden connector is unplugged and the "tee" end of the add-on receptacle wiring is inserted between the two sides of it.

Here are some of the products for this type of installation which were mentioned in a
previous discussion of this type of extra receptacle:
So, do you then lose your bumper connector? If so, then I think I would prefer God's own splice to that.
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Old 10-01-2017, 07:14 PM   #11
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So, do you then lose your bumper connector? If so, then I think I would prefer God's own splice to that.
No, you'll end up with both live.
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Old 10-01-2017, 07:22 PM   #12
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So, do you then lose your bumper connector?
No, because the cord for the original bumper connector is plugged into the tee as well. Both continue to work, at the same time. The added connection taps into the existing connection, rather than replacing it.

Electrically, each circuit of the new receptacle is in parallel with the corresponding circuit of the original receptacle.
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Old 10-01-2017, 07:34 PM   #13
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No, because the cord for the original bumper connector is plugged into the tee as well. Both continue to work, at the same time. The added connection taps into the existing connection, rather than replacing it.

Electrically, each circuit of the new receptacle is in parallel with the corresponding circuit of the original receptacle.
Thx Brian. I should have clued in to "tee". If I had followed your links I probably would have found this out myself. I'll work on my lassitude...
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Old 10-01-2017, 10:32 PM   #14
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Peg and Bob, the connectors I've seen connect inline with existing factory plug behind bumper and you do not lose the bumper connection. Search Youtube with phrase "Fifth Wheel Adapter Harness".

There are some videos showing the installation.

https://www.youtube.com/results?sear...dapter+Harness

Cheers!
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Old 10-02-2017, 07:14 AM   #15
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Peg and Bob, the connectors I've seen connect inline with existing factory plug behind bumper and you do not lose the bumper connection. Search Youtube with phrase "Fifth Wheel Adapter Harness".

There are some videos showing the installation.

https://www.youtube.com/results?sear...dapter+Harness

Cheers!
Thanks Kent, more good news. Our old K2500 had both bed and bumper plugs, but we had some Mickey Mouse jumpers connections between them and I had to finally eat some falling dried mud under the bed, while soldering and otherwise firming them up. Trademasters will be installing our bedside plug and I'm sure they will do a better job....
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