trailer wiring
 

Im curious to know how we can tell if there is a factory tow package on on trucks? I know about the trans cooler, hidden hitch receiver, and factory plug underneath the dash for the brake controller. Whats puzzling me is in the fuse box I show a power feed for trailer and it has a fuse/relay in it, but at the rear of the truck I have no power feed wire coming to my 7 way plug. Also confusing is their is a 4 pin flat that my 7 pin is plugged into(no back up wire or trailer power feed) and the brake controller wire coming from the 7 pin goes from blue to a small 16 gauge white/brown wire that does appear to go up to the brake controller.

So I guess my main thing is where would that trailer power wire be if it is in the fuse box but not at the tail end of the truck? Is it a factory extra option not included with tow package? Dazed and confused lol:icon_screwy:

Uhhhhhh,

The 7 pin isn't normally plugged into the 4 pin, a truck with the tow package has 2 separate plugs. I think its safe to say that yours doesn't have the tow package, or someone really modified the trailer plugs.

I agree with gone fishin. The 7 plug is separate from the 4 pin with the tow package, sounds like someone modified it to me.

So to be clear a factory tow package would have a 4 wire under the bumper and the 7 pin mounted on the bumper, wired separately? if thats the case and I dont have the factory tow package is there not going to be a power wire for trailer feed at the rear of the truck?

Bingo.

+1 on what the other guys said.

That is correct, mine has the tow package and has two separate plugs

Ok so come to find out I have a tow package but not the one that comes with the 7 pin wiring. Local trailer shop investigated and found that who ever owned the truck before me put in the 7 pin and a brake controller. Unfortunately they did it incorrectly. Apparently Dodge didnt run the trailer brake wire from the connector up front as well as the trailer power wire, both were terminated at the front fender well. The tech told me they had tapped into the 3rd brake light feed to run the brake controller. So basically the brake controller didn't have any control over trailer brakes, hitting the brake pedal was sending full voltage to the trailer brakes locking them up instantly! He ran the proper wires and all is good in trailer land now lol.

That would mean your truck DID NOT come from the factory with the Tow Package. Dodge pre-wired all Rams for quick dealer install of add-on tow kits.
ALL Rams have standard 4-pin. ONLY Tow package trucks come with 7-pin bumper mounted plugs.

Also, I think trailer adapters should be illegal. Using a 4-way to 7-way converter is defeating the entire purpose of the 7-way plug. 7-ways have trailer brakes and are much needed. The fact that someone used that converter to add a brake wire was being ridiculously cheap and sacrificed safety for a lousy $68 which is what the entire OEM add-on kit costs! They prob spent half of that to cobb it up and didn't even succeed.

I agree and the real scary part is I bought the truck that way so somebody was towing with it setup that way!