2000 Trailer wiring questions - advise

[BMWSTOY]

2000 LC, Dealer/factory hitch, 4 pin bolted to the Toyota receiver.

All the search results point me to the 98-99 issues with the converter. I am told that if I have a factory 4-pin, then I have a converter - is this correct? The Converter is for the amber turn signals to tell the wires (huh?) that they need to be red on the trailer.

If so, where is this thing?
Any way to check if it is bad? my tester results on the 4 pin with the lights on are nada - nothing.

I thought my problem was my 4-Pin to 7-Pin for the trailer was my issue, but I think I have to trust my tester and work on the 4-pin first.
Anyone run into my problems on a 2000+ cruiser.
B.T.W - this thing pulls like a dream - like nothing back there.

Thanks in advance

[Living in the Past]

First thing I would what to know if my trailer have the seven pin plug is does it have brakes on the axle. If it does I would install a brake controller.

Cheking the four pin plug. the bare pin is the ground the the one next to it is the tail lights. Next two are the brake turn signal combo. While applying the brake check to see if you get voltage between the ground and the two brake/turn signal pins. Next do the same with the flashers are turn on and see if the voltage is on and off. If it does that then everthing is probably okay if not then probably have a problem in the vehicle. as far as where it's at never had to look. Just trace the wiring from the plug should find a little metal box. That should be the converter.

John

[Elijah]

Just did this a couple weeks ago. The converter box was bad. Toyota did a TSB for it but not a recall. They haven't had replacement converter boxes for a couple years. The only supposed plug and play box was made by Draw-Tight. I picked one up and went to install and they had wired the wrong end of the connector on one side and the other side I spliced into the existing 4 pin wires. The box is located above or beneath the DS taillight housing. Two bolts to pull the housing and you are there.

[BMWSTOY]

Ok, easy to find the Toyota converter - this thing must cost a small fortune but I might still call Cruiser Dan on Monday.

I picked up a Hoppy brand converter and was ready to splice it in, but the ground wires do not match. The right side matches, but the left has the ground wire bypassing the converter. Also the Toyota converter is protected - nice feature so you don't loose your vehicle lights if your trailer malfunctions.

[EdsCruisin]

What are you towing? If it is just a boat trailer or single axle utility trailer without brakes, then you are good with a simple converter. If you are towing something bigger, do it with a 7 pin and a brake controller.

Do some searches, also in the trailer and camping forums, there is a lot of discussion about this issue. IMHO, you should check out Etrailer.com and get a full set up with an isolate converter/relay, and run a new power feed from the battery to the rear of your truck to serve it. The added bonus is to let it serve the 12 volt power socket back there too.

It's really easy to do and probably alot more reliable than the Toyota or Hoppy plug n play model. I have had those cheap ones lock up my electrical system, but never a problem with the isolated model.

[Elijah]

Originally Posted by BMWSTOY

Ok, easy to find the Toyota converter - this thing must cost a small fortune but I might still call Cruiser Dan on Monday.

I picked up a Hoppy brand converter and was ready to splice it in, but the ground wires do not match. The right side matches, but the left has the ground wire bypassing the converter. Also the Toyota converter is protected - nice feature so you don't loose your vehicle lights if your trailer malfunctions.

You can call Dan but Toyota hasn't had a replacement part for the converter in a couple years. He'll tell you to try Hoppy or Hopkins as they make a plug and play for the 80 series. Call Hopkins and you'll find out they don't make a plug and play for the 100, but you can splice in a universal converter. Either way you'll have to splice your new converter in to the existing wiring.

[BMWSTOY]

Thanks, working on this today - Lazy Sunday. Will post results.

Brining in a friend that knows more about electrical than I. Need to figure out that ground - my education tells me that as long as there is a good ground, I am ok. We shall see with this Hoppy thing.

[Elijah]

I just used a simple voltage tester, the kind where you ground it somewhere on vehicle with those little clamps with teeth and it has a light on the end of a screwdriver looking deal, the light just turns on whenever there is current. One by one I tested all the wires that come from vehicle before it goes to converter box and wrote down which wire was right signal, left signal, brake, etc. Your new converter should have it labeled already on the wires, so that end is easy. Then just color match on the 4 pin end. Regarding the ground, you are right. Just needs a good ground, I just cut the OEM white ground in your pic where the box is and spliced it into the new white wire coming off the new converter. For some weird reason my brain struggles with understanding electrical stuff, so at first it seemed a little overwhelming me. I took it slow and double checked all the wires I spliced into and made sure the lights at the 4 pin connector were getting juice.
Hijack: BTW, I love the DIY black pearl emblems. I hate the gold ones on ours. Are yours still holding up well?

[Living in the Past]

I have a question about trailer wiring. Where do most people tie into the factory wiring for the brake signal to a brake controller? I was thinking right at the brake light switch on the brake pedal. But now I thinking it might be earlier to attach it right in front of the convert box at the tail light. It shows a G W in the factory wiring diagram. So this is green with a white stripe right? I'm making my own wiring harness using twelve gauge wire and already have a spare wirein there. Also what route are most using getting from the riear end up to by the battery?

thanks, John

[BMWSTOY]

After lots and lots of testing, it was the tail lights wire in the converter that was bad. I did not think that the converter was for the tail lights, I though it was to convert the amber turn signals to the taillights. So I tested bypassing the converter and WALLA! So I just spliced it around the converter and all is well.

Thanks to those that helped me and provided advise - it was all appreciated.

A success story - I now have trailer lights!

[Elijah]

That's how mine started as well. Just one line went bad coming out of the converter, then others followed.

[BMWSTOY]

At least when the converter fails, I know to just splice one in. I also have a 5-pin the Previous owner installed and I was a few seconds away from stripping all if it out, when we tested the brown wire through the converter.

Oh, the emblems are holding up well in the rear where they don't get pelted by rocks, the front is taking some hits and may need to be repainted, mainly the license plate frame. The wheel sombreros are also holding up well. Next is the side trim.

[NMuzj100]

A couple of trailer wiring threads ...

Just got a trailer hitch receiver ???
Bad Factory Wiring Harness ?
Will all these drain my battery ?
trailer brake controller question
Prodigy Brake Controller
Best Route to Run Wires
The ultimate tow package (can someone check my research ?)
How to connect a trailer brake controller to a (late?) 100 series TLC
Prodigy users: how did you get the wiring into the ashtray ?
What do i need to tow?
trailer light problem
DMX84's 7-pin plug mounted in the bumper
trailer wiring problem - dtrout

I know there have been other good ones with extensive coverage of brake controllers, running isolated power and anti-sway systems.

And a 100 w/ trailer Glamor shot.