Sorry yet another towing wire harness 4pin/7pin plug question?

I’ve already checked the TacomaWorld towing bible and cannot find the answer to my question and I’m tired of searching for an answer. I have an 07 Prerunner with the towing package and it came with a 4pin trailer connector on the back of the truck, I would like to tow a large trailer around 5,000lbs that will need the use of electric brakes. I bought on eBay a used 05 and up Tacoma 7 pin wire harness/plug. My question is can I just unplug the 4pin wire harness completely and plug and play the 7pin wire harness in its place and will it work? Yes, I do realize I’ll need the rest of the hook-ups in the cab for it all to work; I’m focusing mainly on the trailer plug on the towing hitch on the back of my truck. Thanks!

 

Guess nobody has tried to switch their 4 pin towing harness to 7 pin harness.

 

4 pin has no electric brakes

7 pin does

you could have just installed an electric brake controller, which you will have to do anyway

 

Not answering a question here, but posing one. If the OP doesn't have the towing package (which he doesn't because it would have the 7 pin), isn't the max towing capacity 3500 lbs? With the towing package, it jumps to 6500 lbs. Or is the 3500 lbs rating because they assume you're using the bumper rather than a hitch?

 

I am going to say I bet it is a cover your rear sort of thing.

They set it up and know it will work at so many pounds
you set it up with who knows what gear and then scream at Toyota when it breaks

My Jeep Wrangler had a 2000 pound limit I use to tow 5000 pounds of wood all the time ( per the Equity Scales an honest 5000 pounds plus)

 

OP: you're also missing the pigtail for the brake controller behind the left kick panel, the oil cooler, the tranny cooler and the 130A alternator.

Just two weeks ago I took home a 1972 FJ on a flatbed. It was around 5,000 lbs. I was so happy to have all of the above items, espescially driving down the mountains. We picked up the truck at 4,000 ft, climbed to 5,100 and dropped to 300 in the span of 30 miles.

If you are driving on flat ground, you'll be in ok shape with a Tekonsha Prodigy ($116 2-day shipped at Southwest Wheel of Dallas) brake controller and a Class IV receiver hitch. If you have hills in your plans, add a tranny cooler.

The wiring for the brake circuit isn't that tough, but it isn't going to be drop dead easy like it is for the factory pigtail. The brake controller will absolutely save your bacon, so don't skip this piece.

 

Thanks for all the advice, I do understand that I will need a break controller located and connected in the cab. My only concern at this point is to find out if anyone has switched their 4pin to a 7pin wire set by just plug and play method? This 7pin Toyota wire harness & connector I bought looks all plug and play to me with the complete wire harness/7pin connector/rear bulbs included. That's why I'm wondering if I can just swap it out using the plug and play connectors because it also has two break bulbs attached on this wire harness? It is my understanding that you can not just use an adapter from 4pin to 7pin and have electric brakes.

 

Your truck may or may not have the correct harness in it. If it does it should be a plug and play. I can't see them building two wire harness's for the same truck.

What you probably will be missing are the fuses and relays in the relay box at the battery that run the trailer lights and such.

Why your used harness has bulbs attached is another mystery. It should just plug in under the truck, if the wires are there.

Fuses and relays are listed in your owners manual..... RON

 

Thanks Ron you seem to have a good understanding of what I'm trying to do.

 

Ok, so the 7 pin wire harness/plug it looks likes it's pretty easy, plug and play. But what is the black plug and play go to the electric brake back into the cab via 10ft wire?

 

7 pin has a 4 pin adapter, not the other way around, there is a reason for this.... Your truck isn't set-up to tow that much.

 

What did u ever do on this I'm in the same boat and alot of people don't realize that our trucks came with a 4 pin connector and 5000 pound capacity from factory

 

Yes.... at least, according to the 2015 specs.
http://www.toyota.com/tacoma/featur...echanical#!/weights_capacities/7554/7594/7188

If they can find an engine oil cooler, transmission oil cooler, larger battery and larger alternator on their trucks......then, Toyota installed the wrong wiring harnass.

 

No everyone just assumes u either have a 7 pin 6500 pound harness or u don't have a factory hitch but in reality little do they know these trucks come with a class three 5000 pound capicity hitch and 4 flat connector..so to answer I'm not saying I have the full tow package just stating there is a some sort of factory tow package that exists other than the 6500 pound package with oil and Trans cooler.btw I have added these so please don't post about how this truck can't tow that much there's nothing special besides add ons that make it able to tow that much.

 

You can upgrade to a 7 pin from your 4 very easily. Just buy a 7 pin harness from Napa, cut off your 4 pin on your truck and solder each of the 4 wires to the new 7 pin harness. Youll need to label those 4 wires before cutting them off so you know where to connect them on the 7 pin. Then run the other 3 manually. I did this in my old Ford Ranger and it worked great. It's not the easiest or funnest thing to do, but it is possible and doesnt take too long if you can keep your wires straight and not lost as to what wire needs to go where....

 

That's what I was thinking on doing since I haven't found any other answers I bought a tow hitch that was factory for the tacoma with the 7 pin was just wishing there was some plug and play method.

 

um... just because the hitch is rated 5000lbs does not mean that the vehicle its on it... had a rav4 with 3500 hitch on it. doesn't mean a whole lot.

 

No just because u put a 6500 pound hitch mean it can pull that I understand...I feel like people assume that if u didn't buy ur truck from the factory with tow package it will not be able to tow....the whole reason it's called a tow package is because it is a package that is added on when u buy the truck added on meaning it is possible to add it later this package comes with bigger alternator Trans cooler and oil cooler all bolt on add ons..when u buy the package from the dealer they don't give u a different frame engine or Trans just add ons thus meaning u could add it later down the road.

 

etrailer.com has a mini harness that will allow plug and play to the 4 pin set up http://www.etrailer.com/qs/603827J . You do have to run some extra wires to get trailer brakes / trailer power to the 7-pin. It sounds like you have the Port Installed hitch and I'm not sure what the rating on it is, the Factory hitch has an extra strap that bolts to the factory bumper as well as the frame. Most port hitches do not hook to the bumper. If you find that your hitch is rated to tow the 5k you want to tow it would be a good idea to add at least a tranny cooler.

 

It's a pre runner were they ever rated 5000#? Any way there is a lot more to the 7 pin including fuses and relays. But yeah you can do it but it will mean running wiring.