Where can I find a decent 7-way plug?

[James86004]

We have owned a trailer for 6 years now, and the third of those round 7 way plugs on the end has just broken. Actually, the case has cracked - the block the wires attach to is still fine. Is this an item I just need to replace every couple of years, or am I unlucky, or is the sun in Tucson just too much for the plastic?

 

[BigDaveZJ]

The one on my car hauler cracked after a couple years. Still usable though. I've got a spare one to carry with me now though since I have them on my M416 and the car hauler.

 

[ddog45]

plugs

check out etrailer.com

 

[James86004]

check out etrailer.com

So, they have a metal one:

and a plastic one:

I suppose I will try the metal one.

 

[JIMBO]

:sombrero: All the U-HAUL trailer dealers haveem

DON'T LEAVE THE PLUG OPEN TO THE SUN ALL THE TIME !!!

:costumed-smiley-007:safari-rig::safari-rig: JIMBO

 

[ntsqd]

James,
On the C.U.T. project trailer I put a 7 pin socket in the tongue. That way the electrical is just a jumper and doesn't sit out in the elements when the trailer isn't in use. It also allows us to easily use the trailer with different tow rig light sockets. We currently have two jumpers and the rule is that whom ever borrows the trailer with a yet different socket has the cost of building a new jumper as the price of borrowing it.

HTH

 

[James86004]

On the C.U.T. project trailer I put a 7 pin socket in the tongue. That way the electrical is just a jumper and doesn't sit out in the elements when the trailer isn't in use. It also allows us to easily use the trailer with different tow rig light sockets. We currently have two jumpers and the rule is that whom ever borrows the trailer with a yet different socket has the cost of building a new jumper as the price of borrowing it.

If I understand you correctly, you have a socket on the tow vehicle and on the trailer, and a jumper between them with a plug on each end? When you park the trailer, you store the jumper inside the house?

 

['05TJLWBRUBY]

James,
On the C.U.T. project trailer I put a 7 pin socket in the tongue. That way the electrical is just a jumper and doesn't sit out in the elements when the trailer isn't in use. It also allows us to easily use the trailer with different tow rig light sockets. We currently have two jumpers and the rule is that whom ever borrows the trailer with a yet different socket has the cost of building a new jumper as the price of borrowing it.

HTH

That's a great idea. Female end on the truck, Female end on the trailer, both basically shielded from the elements when sitting idle and not in use. The "jumper" could be kept in the toolbox out of the elements as well until ready to hook up and go. Hummm... I'm going to think on that a bit and if you don't mind, might incorporate that into my build possibly, depending on how things turn out when I get to that point. Either way, it's a great idea. I like it!

Best of Luck,

Mike

 

[JIMBO]

:sombrero: My trailer has a 6-pin "female plug" and the JEEP has a "4-pin"

"female plug", I use a 30" jumper when traveling and I have a 20' "jumper" cable I keep in the trailer, for use when the JEEP is AWAY from the trailer and I want to use the video camera on the back of the trailer, (moniter) in the JEEP

Both "female" plugs are covered so there's no real outside exposure !!

:costumed-smiley-007:safari-rig::safari-rig: JIMBO

 

[Maximus Ram]

Now don't laugh, but maybe look at wallymart...I was there the other day just looking around and in the trailer section there was a gnarly looking plug setup. Looked beefy, but I didn't give it a good look over.
It's a possible....

 

[Big Bear]

James,
On the C.U.T. project trailer I put a 7 pin socket in the tongue. That way the electrical is just a jumper and doesn't sit out in the elements when the trailer isn't in use. It also allows us to easily use the trailer with different tow rig light sockets. We currently have two jumpers and the rule is that whom ever borrows the trailer with a yet different socket has the cost of building a new jumper as the price of borrowing it.

HTH

Excellent Idea !!! I will be using this for sure on my build. :coffeedrink:

 

[mountainclimber8]

Trailer connectors have been the bane of my existence for about 40 years.
Drive through water, corrosion will begin. The cheaper the plug the worse it gets. Intermittent electrical problems. Lovely. Hard to track down. Brakes that maybe work sometimes.

I've been using solder and heat shrink tubing for 25 years but even using electrical grease, the connectors are just not well made for the environment they are used in. Even tried the big plugs from semi-trailers. Same deal eventually.

The plug and connector are the single largest service problem of any trailer. They never quit working completely, just kind of. When you finally have to work on it, its never in a flat parking lot in 70 degree sunny weather. Its usually either below zero and dark or hot, muggy, and raining like hell. And then the spot that I've got to work on the thing is in the lowest part of the lot. Usually covered in water, mud, or a snow bank. Murphy invented the trailer connector I'm sure.

Last year I found this connector. It is sealed and magnetic. I have never seen anything of this quality anywhere. I've been beating the tar out of it and it is still working great.

Worth every penney. The brakes work right every time. Martyn and Mario should consider making this standard equipment on their line of trailers (if they don't already use it).

http://www.ezconnector.com/ezstory.html

 

[ntsqd]

If I understand you correctly, you have a socket on the tow vehicle and on the trailer, and a jumper between them with a plug on each end? When you park the trailer, you store the jumper inside the house?

That's a great idea. Female end on the truck, Female end on the trailer, both basically shielded from the elements when sitting idle and not in use. The "jumper" could be kept in the toolbox out of the elements as well until ready to hook up and go. Hummm... I'm going to think on that a bit and if you don't mind, might incorporate that into my build possibly, depending on how things turn out when I get to that point. Either way, it's a great idea. I like it!

Best of Luck,

Mike

Excellent Idea !!! I will be using this for sure on my build. :coffeedrink:

Disclaimer: I stole the idea from a boat trailer that a former boss owns. So go for it!!

We have a combination locked box on the tongue of the C.U.T. Knowing the combo gives acess to all of the bits needed to use the trailer (coupler is on a slider & safety chains have qwik-links too). That way everything needed to use the trailer is in one spot (including the key to the lock that locks it to a tree - not so great neighborhood that it parks in). Even the folding star wrench has the key to the locking lug nuts pinned in place.

BTW, good ole vinegar works great for cleaning the contacts. Let soak for a couple hours and thoroughly rinse. The contacts will come out clean and free of oxidation. A friend uses this trick to clean old type glass fuse blocks in his restorifications.

Mtnclimber,
I like the looks of that connector. I wish that it wasn't proprietary and uncommon.

 

[R_Lefebvre]

Mountainclimber8, that does look like a nice plug. I agree that the plugs we are force to use are pretty bad, and the 7 is worse than the 4. My 7 pin female end is always full of mud.

Wouldn't it be an even better solution to use a large GM Weatherpack type connector? Probably cheaper, and I think even better than that thing.

 

[REasley]

mountainclimber8 Thanks for posting the link to EZ connector. I saw them at the Tulare Farm Show a couple of years ago, but had forgotten them. They were so pricey that I did not think we could sell them. Now I am rethinking my position and will call them tomorrow to see about adding them to our inventory.

R_Lefebvre I am using weather packs and metri packs to wire my trailer. They give you a nice weather tight connection, however I am not sure they are robust enough to make that critical junction with the tow vehicle.

The double male removable trailer cable is in common use in the trucking industry. They are referred to as abs cables and are usually self coiling. Unfortunately it seems they are always 7 way round pin.

http://www.ryderfleetproducts.com/cgi-bin/ryderfp/products/srm/oid/151755/pn/Cable-coiled-ABS-7way-12ft/erm/product_detail.jsp