Alert Blue Ox coiled 7 to 6 pin harness used in conjunction with Mopar Jeep harness.

[Chuggs]

Just replaced my worn out Blue Ox coiled toad umbilical. When I did...no lights

Upon...further investigation the 6-pin end of the cord has a different pin outs for 12vdc+ and Trailer Brake.

Most folks only use the Running Lights, Left Turn/Brake, Right Turn/Brake, and Ground for their toads...but the Mopar Harness additionally uses 12 VDC+ to power the Toad lighting from the coach...and if the 12vdc+ isn’t present...none of the toads lighting will work.

Once I figured it out...it only took a few minutes to move a wire in the Blue Ox 6-pin receptacle on the Jeep end...and with the 12 VDC + getting to the Mopar harness...everything is working again.

Just thought I would pass this along for those using this setup...to avoid unnecessary grief.

 

[Neal]

Does Blue Ox have any documentation on the wiring for the new cable and did they have it for the old?

 

[Chuggs]

Does Blue Ox have any documentation on the wiring for the new cable and did they have it for the old?

Not really...just comes with the cord, and a 6-pin receptacle for you to add onto the base plate of the toad. Etrailer.com has some diagrams.

When I originally wired it...I was cutting into the Mopar 7-pin cable...to adapt to the Blue Ox receptacle. I used the continuity test feature of my Voltmeter to map everything.

I have a copy of the two pinouts...kept them on my ipad...I'll post them.

 

[Chuggs]

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Above: A clip I saved from wiring the original Blue Ox connector. Note the position of the 12v+ (red) and Brake controller (blue) On the “6-Wire End”.

Below: This is the way the new one is wired...with 12v+ going to the center pin shown with black wire...and the Brake Controller has swapped positions as well.

 

[Neal]

That's 100% messed up!!!

 

[Chuggs]

It might surprise someone with a trailer brake system... Buy a new harness and suddenly your trailer brake is set the minute you turn the tow vehicle on.

 

[Chuggs]

The original Blue Ox umbilical had plugs that you can actually remove vs molded on. I was able to cut out the offending piece with wrecked insulation and rewire this plug to the new standard. Nice to have a backup. Maybe I need to consider what will happend when my AirForce1 coiled air hose breaks...might need to put a spare of that away for a rainy day. Work is never done...

 

[Neal]

Have you reached out to Blue Ox to see what they say about changing the wiring pattern? This shouldn't go unreported.

 

[Chuggs]

Have you reached out to Blue Ox to see what they say about changing the wiring pattern? This shouldn't go unreported.

I honestly think most RV component mfg. simply buy whatever China has to sell us, for the most part. I believe they weld and fabricate the tow bars...but the accessories are probably purchased from other sources.

If they invented a New pattern...it might be worth thier attention. Both of these pin outs are documented standards...so it's hard to put blame on Blue Ox.

In practice...both pin outs have the main components (Running Lights, Left Turn/Stop, Right Turn/Stop, and Ground in the same (proper) orientation...so no one is likely to notice. We have a Wells Cargo trailer with electric brakes...and since it doesn't go on the road without a tow vehicle...it has a permanent cord with a 7-pin plug. I believe these coiled umbilical cords are more than likely isolated to vehicles being towed...which can also operate independent of a tow vehicle...thus the desire to remove the cord when not needed.

I honestly think there are just a few of us that went to the trouble of hooking up our 2013 to 2017 year model Jeeps lighting with the Mopar wiring gadget. But they are the ones impacted by this change.

 

[Neal]

I'll have to review mine to make sure the charge current is going to the right place. Thanks for the info above. Ignorance is not bliss so I need to verify mine. My lights work fine but the charge connection I need to validate.

 

[Chuggs]

True...if you are using the 12vdc+ as a charge line...it is possible you aren't connected with this updated umbilical.

If you kept the old cord...might check with an ohmmeter to see which pin carried 12vdc and see if the new cord is the same.

 

[Neal]

Yesterday I reviewed my cable connections and thanks to @Chuggs and the info he provided I sure enough had to move my 12V charge wire. The other wires all seemed backwards from the chart but the lights all worked properly so I'll leave as is, who knows how the installer wired things up on my toad. I wasn't sure how to test the 12V connection at the end of the new cable so I texted Charlie and I want to share what he instructed me to do.

My goal was to test the pins at the end of the new cable with one end plugged into the coach and I wanted to test the toad side (6 pin side). He informed me to turn the key to ON in the coach and then take my voltmeter and find the one female port on the 6 pin that is larger than the others, that's the BLACK (ground). So jam the black pin in there and then test the other pins with red until the 12V appears, and yes, it was the center port per the diagram. I then disassembled the connector on the toad side and moved the red charge wire to the center pin.

Thanks for sharing this important information Charlie, great find as always!

 

[Chuggs]

Always happy to spare fellow rvr's the frustration when I can...

 

[RichieL1054]

Charlie Heres a diagram that I found on Etrailer.com, it shows the pin layout for the NEW STYLE cord, BUT its different then the one that you showed me, somethings not right and I don't have my RV with me at the moment so I can't even test it but, I just figured Id let you know, ETrailer is usually pretty good with stuff like this.

 

[Chuggs]

Yeah...the simplest thing to do is connect it to the coach, and use a multi-meter or test probe to map the terminals. I use a probe to see which wire in the toad goes to which light.

allsun Digital Automotive Electrical Circuit Tester 2-24V DC Pen Type Vehicle Diagnostic Tool Auto Electrical System Diagnosis Test Device https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079ZRQRJR/?tag=rvf01-20

I was just amazed...after having installed the Blue Ox gear on my Jeep in 2016...then, when I replaced the cord...having it not work. At first, I thought I had received a bad cord. After testing continuity, the cord wasn’t bad, but in a different configuration. This is obviously a bit frustrating.

 

[RichieL1054]

Yeah...the simplest thing to do is connect it to the coach, and use a multi-meter or test probe to map the terminals. I use a probe to see which wire in the toad goes to which light.

allsun Digital Automotive Electrical Circuit Tester 2-24V DC Pen Type Vehicle Diagnostic Tool Auto Electrical System Diagnosis Test Device https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079ZRQRJR/?tag=rvf01-20

I was just amazed...after having installed the Blue Ox gear on my Jeep in 2016...then, when I replaced the cord...having it not work. At first, I thought I had received a bad cord. After testing continuity, the cord wasn’t bad, but in a different configuration. This is obviously a bit frustrating.

Thanks, Great little tool to have!

 

[VTPete]

Got my new cable from Amazon the other day and Got the new version thankfully. My old connector seems to have the new wiring at the six pin as detailed by chuggs, so I kept that configuration. The Old six pin was a bit of a mess,so I’m sure glad I replaced it. I would wholeheartedly agree that this connector and the harness itself should be replaced every couple years as a matter of course. I’m glad the new one is fully molded at both connectors, but it puts up with so much action it’s just gonna be a high failure item. Thanks again to Chuggs and others involved.

 

[RichieL1054]

Got my new cable from Amazon the other day and Got the new version thankfully. My old connector seems to have the new wiring at the six pin as detailed by chuggs, so I kept that configuration. The Old six pin was a bit of a mess,so I’m sure glad I replaced it. I would wholeheartedly agree that this connector and the harness itself should be replaced every couple years as a matter of course. I’m glad the new one is fully molded at both connectors, but it puts up with so much action it’s just gonna be a high failure item. Thanks again to Chuggs and others involved.

How did you know it had the old wiring? Did you test it prior or just hooked up to the RV?

 

[VTPete]

How did you know it had the old wiring? Did you test it prior or just hooked up to the RV?

It was wired as Chuggs said is correct in post #4 above. Will test in the AM

 

[RichieL1054]

It was wired as Chuggs said is correct in post #4 above. Will test in the AM

okay, so I ordered a new one from amazon and received the old style Without the sealed ends, I was on a trip yesterday and it didn’t work, so I’m going to tear into it and see what’s going on, I think the wires were changed, even on the old style coils, I know the new style with the sealed ends were changed but I didnt thing the old style were.