Installing a 7-pin trailer connector where it looks good:

[TerryD]

The trailer wiring connector on the truck has been a eye sore since I've owned it. It was loose, rusty, and the terminals inside were loose and would pull out with the trailer connector.

I was at K-Mart a few days ago and they had their trailer wiring components marked WAY down. I happened to find the nice Hoppy 7-pin connector in the stack so I grabbed it up.

After breakfast this morning I decided that since I was going to be pulling a trailer in the next couple days, I would go ahead and stick it on.

First things first, I pulled the fuse on the Aux power line. No reason to have sparks flying if we don't have to.

Next, I took off the old connector:

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Then, I took a hole saw and knocked a hole in the bumper just below the impact strip.

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Next, I lined the bracket that came with the connector up with the hole in the bumper and center punched where the attachment holes should go.

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After drilling the holes, I held the connector in place and marked the impact strip with a pencil where it needed cut out to put the connector in. Using a razor knife, I cut the notch out of the impact strip.

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I then pulled the wiring through the hole and started looking at them. It turns out, instead of dropping the factory trailer wiring harness out of the frame rail and using it, they split the tail light harness and spliced in a four-flat wire. After dealing with that, I pulled the factory trailer harness though the hole and made all my attachments.

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Pages 4-61 and 4-62 in the manual if you are following along.

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After getting it wired up and all the wires back in loom, I pushed the connector in place and used #12 self tapping screws to hold the connector in the bumper.

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Then it was a simple matter of taping up the loom under the truck and zip-tieing the excess wiring up where it won't hang down and get caught on anything.

 

[TerryD]

This is my third install like this. I've done my Dad's 93 K1500 SCSB and our 99 K1500 Suburban as well. It looks a lot nicer than one hanging off the bottom of the bumper and won't snag on brush if you are off-road.

 

[98slv]

I removed the tag light on mine and made that hole bigger, you don't even notice it their. Ks also doesn't have inspections so I can get by with one tag light, plus the other working one is led so that helps too.

 

[FastOrange]

too me that's a even bigger eyesore, just my opinion though!

 

[88GMCtruck]

I personally dislike having a hole drilled in my bumper or removing the plate light. I put mine tucked up under the receiver. I haven't had problems ripping them off here.

I also wire in a GMT800 style connector to the factory wiring. If the plug ever does get ripped off or corrodes and fails, it's easy to swap out.

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[FastOrange]

I personally dislike having a hole drilled in my bumper or removing the plate light. I put mine tucked up under the receiver. I haven't had problems ripping them off here.

I also wire in a GMT800 style connector to the factory wiring. If the plug ever does get ripped off or corrodes and fails, it's easy to swap out.

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god that is clean! ill be doing it that way next time!

 

[great white]

Not the best pic, but here's mine:

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Combination 7 and 4 pin.

 

[TerryD]

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That is pretty slick using the later model connector and plug, but it looks like it would be a pain to get plugged in. I could see doing that on a truck with a little lift or a roll pan though.

 

[88GMCtruck]

It's really not bad at all to plug in, I do it all the time (I tow regularly).

My 88 is lifted 8" and the hitch sits behind my bumper as opposed to below it, I used a similarly styled plug in the same location as that one.

 

[TerryD]

too me that's a even bigger eyesore, just my opinion though!

I dunno, I think it gives it a nice factory installed look.

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