Rednroll

So I currently have a 7 way trailer hook up installed by the dealer. Now, I'm trying to figure out the best/easiest way to get the reverse lights on my trailer to go on when I put it in reverse.

I currently have a 7 way round to 5 way flat adapter plug....I guess I just always assumed that one of those 5 pins on the flat connector would be reverse, where the other 4 would be GND,Turn, Running and Brake.....but just learned i assumed wrong.

So then I thought.....well maybe 1 pin of the 7 way has the reverse power, where I then found this diagram.



Still no reverse pin connection??? I was kind of dumb founded. I can't be the only one that thought having reverse lights on the back of a trailer seems like a good idea?

So what's the easiest way to get reverse lights on a trailer? I have to run a separate wire and tap into my tail lights?

rutdigger

No, you are not the only guy to want reverse lights on the trailer..lol. But, I have not seen anything on the market yet that does this for you. Now, what I have seen people do it replace the 7 way standard plug with the kind that also has the flat 4 pin connetor molded into the 7 way plug along the side. Then they ran a seperate wire from their reverse light circuit to one of the plugs on the flat plug. That takes care of the vehicle side.

Then on the trailer side they ran new wire to the lights they wanted to use as reverse lights and pulgged that wire into the pin that you previously wired for reverse on your 7 way flug that also has the 4 pin flat connector molded into the housing.

Easy, no muss or fuss and still looks professional.

Ultrasport

Typically, #7, the orange wire, is used for the back up lights.

SD

Rednroll

What I think I'm going to end up doing is figure out which pin on the 7 way is connected to the 5th pin of the 5 way on the adapter that I have (hopefully that's the center one like you said)....and then run a Reverse wire from my tail light to that pin on the 7 way connector.

I currently have the plug adapter shown below, where it has a 4 way flat and a 5 way flat connection. So it looks like I just need to run a wire to the 7 way connector on my vehicle and then the lights from my trailer can just plug into that 5 way flat connection. I'm just a little amazed that with a 7 way trailer hook up socket....that none of the connections were the reverse lights.



At 1st, I had thought I had bought the wrong adapter for my needs since the Adapter only has 5 connections and the socket it plugs into has 7.....then I learned there isn't even a reverse signal on the 7 way connector.

Widowmaker

I would have never thought about a reverse light on a trailer until seeing this thread. I drive a semi and have never had a trailer with reverse lights. If I ever have an issue seeing I just put on my 4-ways(which should be on when backing anyway) and it helps me see.

Rednroll

It's really not for being able to see.....it's more for safety reasons. I'm thinking, it would be good to let someone know behind me that I'm getting ready to back up if they can't see the lights on my JK because the trailer is in the way.

Reverse lights also work great as a flashlight when you're in the dark and trying to work on something in back of the trailer.

P.S. Yeah....I've been behind some of you truck drivers and witnessed that....It was one of those moments like...."Holly sh*t!!!!....he's backing up!!!!.....I don't think he sees me back here....I wish I would have gotten an earlier warning, so I could get the F out of his way!!."

Widowmaker

Not a bad idea then. I think I'm just a bit jaded of warning people when backing. I put on my 4-ways and just slowly start backing, if they don't want to get hit they will move...in theory at least. I spend alot of time in Chicago and backing across 4 lanes of traffic isnt fun. Then again a little JK and trailer compared to backing something 65 feet long and 80k lbs is kinda apples and oranges. Would it work if you had spot lights on the rear bumper of the JK? That way even w/o the trailer you have extra light on the rear when needed....and its great for the A-holes that tailgate with brights on too, just give em a little flash and laugh at the look in ther face

tazzdogsocal

as stated above use the center pin , but use a test light to check it first .that what I've done in the past PS I'm a big truck driver to just stay a little to the left or right (depending if the semi's turned or not ) so we can see you , I've backed into dumb #$%&'s that stopped in the middle , pushed him back 30ft & had to clean his seat

nycauburn

I thought the five pins had a reverse light hookup. My boat has surge brakes and when you reverse the five pins keep the brakes from locking. Guys that don't have fives use four pins and when reversing they put in backwards and turn the headlights on to disable the surge brakes.

Rednroll

Ok, I got this all figured out and working. It seems that although the dealership installed a 7 way connector for me, that they only made 4 connections to it. So once, I got under my Jeep and took the 7 way connector apart, I saw they only had 4 wires running to the 7way. So I just needed to run a wire from my reverse tail light wire to the center Pin on the 7 way connector. The Center Pin on the 7 way is connected to the 5th pin on the adapter that I have. It's all working good now.