<stupid question time> 2011 silverado and using trailer wiring for one a "strip" brake light (under the tailgate)

95_togo · January 4, 2022

i'm used to the 4 pin "long style" trailer wiring - and this truck has some round looking connectors - so i'm trying to find out what kind of adapter to use to convert to the 4 pin (or are there ones that will plug into my truck and have both a 4 pin AND the round so that maybe i could pull a trailer AND use that brake light strip?

never had a trailer or a need to rent one so this is new territory for me (meaning i've never had to look under the rear of the truck to figure out how to wire in a trailer - so the connections are all foreign to me)

Jworks · January 4, 2022

Walmart has the converters to the 4 pin flat wiring. I'm not sure on this......... but if you're using electric brakes on the trailer that may require a different wiring for that. I think I would call a trailer place and ask them about that.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Hopkins-Towing-Solutions-7-RV-Blade-to-4-Flat-with-Nite-Glow/25073940

Also, I found this. Check it out.

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/hopkins-towing-solutions-multi-tow-7-rv-blade-to-6-and-4-center-pin-electric-brake

95_togo · January 4, 2022

thanks for the links - is there anything that can tuck in behind the bumper? i know when i put my trailer wiring on my OBS i unplugged the 4 pin brake light connectors and added in a "splitter" to allow for trailer wiring (4pin) is there a way to do this similarly? as i don't want to see the wiring for my brake light - it's more about the brake light and less about using a trailer - but i want the option to use a trailer if the need arises.

swathdiver · January 4, 2022

5 hours ago, 95_togo said:

thanks for the links - is there anything that can tuck in behind the bumper? i know when i put my trailer wiring on my OBS i unplugged the 4 pin brake light connectors and added in a "splitter" to allow for trailer wiring (4pin) is there a way to do this similarly? as i don't want to see the wiring for my brake light - it's more about the brake light and less about using a trailer - but i want the option to use a trailer if the need arises.

The round 7-pin let's you power the trailer's brakes, allows you to tow more weight.

Anyhow, go in behind the plug and tap into the power wire for your lights.

dna9656 · January 5, 2022

If you have the tow package there is a "flat four" connector tucked up behind the bumper, I would recommend you use the round 7, it has everything you might need in the future. As the other guys said Walmart has adapters, so does u haul but you'll pay too much at u haul. The flat four can be difficult to push together or pull apart, not so the round 7.

95_togo · January 5, 2022

On 1/4/2022 at 2:46 PM, swathdiver said:

The round 7-pin let's you power the trailer's brakes, allows you to tow more weight.

Anyhow, go in behind the plug and tap into the power wire for your lights.

thanks that's what i was after - i don't want to eliminate the "round plug" as that's what it has, i just want to be able to add in some type of splitter that will branch off with the 4pin flat connector to plug in my LED brake light strip - i layed under that truck for like 15 minutes feeling like i was just staring into space - and man it's different than my OBS - i could find THAT one with my eyes closed on that truck, but with this one, i don't see anything that looks like it will let me unplug it to add in such a splitter - any chance you have pics (since i assume you also have the round connector) back behind the bumper so i know what i should be looking for?

swathdiver · January 5, 2022

1 hour ago, 95_togo said:

thanks that's what i was after - i don't want to eliminate the "round plug" as that's what it has, i just want to be able to add in some type of splitter that will branch off with the 4pin flat connector to plug in my LED brake light strip - i layed under that truck for like 15 minutes feeling like i was just staring into space - and man it's different than my OBS - i could find THAT one with my eyes closed on that truck, but with this one, i don't see anything that looks like it will let me unplug it to add in such a splitter - any chance you have pics (since i assume you also have the round connector) back behind the bumper so i know what i should be looking for?

The plug that you see out back plugs into an adapter and the wires to tap into are right behind it.