'06 Silverado 2500HD Tow Hitch Upgrade

[Dougster]

I know Chevy sells the twist out plug since I had to buy one for my 05 already. one Pin corroded and broke off on me. They probably have a twist on bracket too. They have to replace them somehow when people get in accidents or simply bend them up by backing into something.

I hope you're right about the bracket George. I'll have to check next week. Local Chevy dealership is totally useless, but I know a dealership not too far away that will know for sure.

Dougster

 

[plowking]

I think the pig tails on trailer trucks might be the same as what your looking for. On them you slide weather cover or boot off back of socket, the wires are held in their terminals with set screws. My son-in-law has both , pintle hook and fifth wheel, his plug is on left fenderwell in bed. He had a cord made with ends to reach whatever trailer he hauls. plowking

 

[VA_Joe]

I hope you're right about the bracket George. I'll have to check next week. Local Chevy dealership is totally useless, but I know a dealership not too far away that will know for sure.

Dougster

Please let us know what you find out.

Joe

 

[Dougster]

Please let us know what you find out.
Joe

Will do Joe. But if they don't have one, I think I'll try to find a large enough standard bracket with the 2" hole already there... and then "nibble" in the correct shape for the GM/Pollak twist-in socket.

That's probably gonna be the best I can do.

Dougster

 

[wushaw]

When I had my 3500 I just cut the bracket off and bolted it to an "L" angle and just riveted it to the reciever hitch with steel rivets.
Oh and I did break the OEM hitch doing something it really was not designed to do.

 

[Dougster]

When I had my 3500 I just cut the bracket off and bolted it to an "L" angle and just riveted it to the reciever hitch with steel rivets. Oh and I did break the OEM hitch doing something it really was not designed to do.

I should have been more careful removing that unique socket bracket. I should have said to "heck" with the hitch... save the "dang" bracket at all costs! But instead, I kinda went the other way.

Dougster

 

[Dougster]

Please let us know what you find out.
Joe

Well, according to a Chevy dealer parts guy that I have used in the past and tend to trust... the brackets for the GM/Pollak twist-on 7-pin sockets are NOT available separately.

Not good news at all.

Dougster

 

[Highbeam]

I replaced the OEM 7 pin/4 pin on my 2001 GMC with the walmart replacement. It comes with the wire connections already made to the socket and pigtails to solder/butt connect to the original trailer wires.

I love it. It looks just like OEM and was easy as pie. The extra wire solves your issue with insufficient length.

On my 98 GM pickup I removed a license plate light bulb assembly and enlarged the hole to accept a 7 pin connector as you described it looks similar to the spare tire lowering hole. Works very well too.

 

[Dougster]

I replaced the OEM 7 pin/4 pin on my 2001 GMC with the walmart replacement. It comes with the wire connections already made to the socket and pigtails to solder/butt connect to the original trailer wires. I love it. It looks just like OEM and was easy as pie. The extra wire solves your issue with insufficient length. On my 98 GM pickup I removed a license plate light bulb assembly and enlarged the hole to accept a 7 pin connector as you described it looks similar to the spare tire lowering hole. Works very well too.

I hate like heck to be splicing wires back there... so I'm going to continue looking for something that will accept the stock GM harness plug or even use the back half of the GM/Pollack socket assembly. I might even go visit Pollak... they aren't that far away from where I live... and camp out on their doorstep until they come up with an easy solution for me!

Dougster

 

[davkir]

I extended the wire harness on a 2003 GMC to mount a 7pin receptacle in the truck bed for a gooseneck trailer. The local trailer parts store had a variety of these adapters. The one I used had a plug the went into the truck harness and another that went to the back of the original receptacle. It had a 5 or 6 ft. cable that went to the new receptacle in the bed.
I don't remember the exact price, but it seems like it was $40-$50.