6th Wire for Taillight Plugs? (1 Viewer)

[midknightc3]

Talking with @ToyotaMatt sourcing parts for the wife's FJ40 and am wondering if anyone out there has ever seen a 6th wire going to the taillight housings? The late model plugs are a 6 pin, such as the one listed on ebay here, but there are only the 5 wires going to the housing. Has anyone seen that 6th pin in use? Just wondering why Mr. T would switch to a new plug with an extra pin unless another market had a use. Below is a pic from ebay showing the plug, with the bottom right slot clearly empty.

Clark

 

[B y r o n]

Sometimes plug/connectors are only made in certain configurations like two, four, or six pins/sockets.

 

[midknightc3]

Sometimes plug/connectors are only made in certain configurations like two, four, or six pins/sockets.

This is exactly what ToyotaMatt is thinking. In his experience Toyota likes even numbered plugs, and is likely the most plausible reason. But hey, a guy can hope there is some super cool hard to find accessory out there that used that pin!

 

[wolfbak]

I had my '76 wiring harness professionally rebuilt by a Mud member. As part of the process, he wired up my taillight assemblies with a 5th wire mod that takes the ground all the way back to the front of the truck. Standard was 4 wires. I have no idea what I would to do with a 6th wire...

He used the plugs/connectors shown in this pic, which I "thought" he got from Matt. I could be wrong, but these connectors are the bomb.

 

[charliemeyer007]

I think that 6th wire is to charge the battery in the trailer.

 

[GA Architect]

or

Eastern Beaver - Sumitomo DS 250 Connectors

 

[wolfbak]

View attachment 3556872

or

View attachment 3556869

Eastern Beaver - Sumitomo DS 250 Connectors

That's the one! Sumitomo 5 pin.

 

[GA Architect]

That's the one! Sumitomo 5 pin.

I typically use the 5 pin on my rear harness builds.....but will use the 4 pin for the older rear combination lights.

FWIW: The Toyota (8/76 - 1/79) OEM rear combination light's 4-pin seals fits the Sumitomo housing, so it is a simple swap when needed.

 

[Living in the Past]

Never seen the tail lights but someone bought a set of tail lights that had a fog light option. When fog lights one the front were turned on a second light light in the tail light turned on to make the tail light easier to see in fog and the case of Southern Arizona dust storms.

Believe a member bought them off eBay and they came from South America. I would have to to check the tail light lights I pulled from a wrecking yard many years ago. They have the larger plug and cut the harness to have both sides.

Think the reason for six pins is because the turn signal is in different location depending on which side it was on. Put on the wrong side turn signal wouldn't work. Tail light have a top and bottom for the drain openings.

 

[midknightc3]

I like how each of these are entirely plausible. Seems like the different pinning for L vs R would be pretty likely, though probably second behind the theory that they just made plugs in an even number pin? If nothing else this is giving me some great ideas on uses for that extra pin, which I might not have particularly thought of myself! A rear fog light is a pretty intriguing idea. My experience in dust storms is to stop, turn all lights off and get the hell off the road, trying to stay away from the next vehicle coming along behind who might follow your lights right into your bumper. Not sure if that's any better than being visible though.