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Is My Harness Brake Controller Ready?


buixrule

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Posted

Hey,

 

I'm new here. Usually am posting Buick related stuff at V8Buick.com, but I just bought an 02 Sierra extended cab 4x4 for a second vehicle. There's no tow package, but I wanted the dealer to install it. I'll probably do the tranny cooler myself, but I'm more concerned about the electrical. There's a 6-wire harness looped off and dead ended at the rear, I'm assuming it's for eventual tow bar & connector, but I have a couple trailers and I'd like to utilize the brakes. My 02 Durango has the tow package from the factory when I bought it new and was ready for the brake controller. It was basically plug and play, right under the dash where it's supposed to be. Is this just as easy on the Sierra? It did not have the official tow package from the factory but seems in some ways to be somewhat tow ready, with a heavier duty suspension in the rear and 3.73's with push button tow mode, but it's stopping which is my concern.

 

My question (finally), do you have to have a 7-wire harness to use a brake controller or will it work with a 6-wire harness?

 

Sorry if this is posted in the wrong place, but I couldn't find a towing section. Most of you guys prolly race your trucks. Mine's kinda more of a purpose truck. 28k miles for an 02 ain't bad I thought.

 

Thanks,

 

Ken

 

Any help is much appreciated. Basically, if it'll work with the 6-wire harness, I won't bother having the dealer change out the harness. I could swear I read somewhere that some of these brake controllers use the brake light circuit for the controller but I'm not sure.

Posted

You should be able to wire a brake controller to your existing harness. You can purchase a pigtail that normally comes with the towing package for your model year that will make installation of a brake controller pretty easy.

Posted
You should be able to wire a brake controller to your existing harness. You can purchase a pigtail that normally comes with the towing package for your model year that will make installation of a brake controller pretty easy.

 

Thanks alot for the response!

 

Ken

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