Replacing Towing Socket

[Shayne]

I cut towing socket off a while ago as it was in a poor state and now i'm ready to replace it i can't find it . I had intended to just get one the same but now i think about it i have access to at least 10 different trailers so i'm probably better off with a double socket . When i took a look at these i found all sorts of adapters and whatnot so i'm a bit spoilt for choice ?

I have 6 wires 1 of which is obviously the live feed being much thicker than the rest just in case that makes a difference .

What would you buy ?

 

[Tractionman]

Shayne, in a normal towing electrics system, (the black socket) referred to as 12n, there should be 7 wires, possibly someone has cut back the blue (for rear fogs). White is normally the thickest one, being earth. 12n supplies all your road legal needs to trailer, ie an extension of everything you would have on vehicle.
An extra socket (the white or grey) is normally for use on a caravan, which supplies a charge, power and interior lights. The adapters and other bits you have seen are for caravans that are wired with a 13 pin system, (some modern thing that never really took off, most preferring to stay with existing 7 pin). These adapters allow you to plug a 13 pin system into 7 pin system. personally I have stayed with the "old" system on many different vehicle/trailer combinations.
Also if an electrical fault develops, there are less components to check out
Hope this helps.

John

 

[Shayne]

OK cheers John i know little about them so just wondered if there was any advantage to be had while i've got to replace it anyway . I will just buy a light/number plate bar to go with the socket .

 

[Tractionman]

Easiest and cheapest way mate, you will plug in to 99.9% of trailers with that (as long as someone has wired them correctly) i have had some right head scratchers where someone has used their own scheme - works on theirs, but no one elses!

John

 

[Steve H]

Hi Shayne. I have both a 13 pin socket and the normal 7 pin N type on my Collie. I tow a caravan using the 13 pin and my trailer using the 7. This way I don't need any adaptors and can still tow most trailers. All our new trailers at work are fitted with the new 13 pin wiring and we lose adaptors wholesale. I split the feed from the lights to both sockets, soldering and shrink wrapping the joints. You don't need to wire up the extra feeds for the 13 pin socket if you only need the road legal lights and you shouldn't need to carry any adaptors either.

 

[Shayne]

Thanks for that Steve i ordered what i think is a flush mount 7 pin socket , pictures are one dimensional but that's what it looks like , plan is to have it recessed in my bumper . Keeping the plod happy will do for me .

 

[Shayne]

Does anyone have a wiring diagram to match this



Or am i gonna spend all afternoon bored out of my head swapping and changing until it works !

Pictures not very clear so i have two cables one housing 2 wires a solid blue and a solid grey . And the other housing 6 wires as follows -

Thicker solid Brown
Black with white stripe
Grey with black stripe
Black with green stripe
Black with red stripe
Grey with red

 

[Tractionman]

Hi Shayne, this looks like someones home made wiring to me, (remember what I said in previous post about someones efforts working for them but no one else)?
Towing electrics are normally 7 core, tightly packed in one outer sheath. These are as follows, with numbers letters stamped on plug.

RED L = L/H INDICATOR
BLUE 54g = REAR FOG
WHITE 31 = EARTH (THICKEST)
GREEN R = R/H INDICATOR
BROWN 58R = R/H SIDE LIGHTS
RED 54 = STOP LIGHTS
BLACK 58 L = L/H SIDE LIGHT

I realize there are some colours that are not there and others with a trace wire that do match, so a bit hit and miss. I suggest you get a 12v test light and start with colours that bear some resemblence, ie, black with GREEN stripe (r/h indicator) with r/h indicator on test should flash, and go through them as a process of elimination, the thickest wire is normally earth, (brown in your case) otherwise you will have to trace back to where joined to lc loom and find out what is wired to what - or rip out and start again. In theory you can use any colours you want, but if you keep to the designated numbers/letters it will make it a lot easier for trouble shooting in future. you will know for instance that my example is marked R on plug (right hand indicator) This process will probably sort out that 8th wire, maybe live feed for something else, - batt charge in caravan, but they have gone about the whole set up in an odd way!! Sorry I can`t be more definate help and you have probably gone crazy now sorting it out.

John

 

[Shayne]

Thanks John had a very pleasant afternoon playing musical wires sat on an empty beer crate in heavy rain , up and down like a yoyo to turn ignition on/off etc but it work's now . No idea what the 2 wire cable is for but i didn't use it ? Sad thing is it's all temporary as my tow bar is stripped to bare metal and i was sent the wrong socket . It'll do for tomorrow though when i pick up a trailer tent which begs to be a bit of a project so i'm happy .

 

[Tractionman]

Well done! great conditions for fettling - perseverance paid off in the end.
p.s You say you were sat on an empty beer crate, but was it empty to start with? lol

John