Dodge 1500 Tow Vehicle

[OC Campers]

Just drove home the new 2005 1500 Pickup with 4.7 V8. Should do a good job at towing my Westlake Trailer.
 
I am going to handle setting up the hitch and break control rather than letting the dealer do it. I'm pretty  sure I won't be needing my Mini-400 weight distribution hitch but will probaly keep the friction anti- sway.
 
I am pretty sure I can handle the hitch, including installing it myself. The truck came with a 4 wire harnness and I need seven pin with a brake controller. Anyone out there know if there's an easy wiring kit for this or should I leave this to the guys at the hitch place. The guys who wired my Chevy Astro did kind of a hatchet job on the wiring and I'd like to buy a plug in adaptor if available.
 
Also looking for recomendations and deals on a break controller.Any suggestions would be appreciated.
 
I'll probably have a great deal on a used Mini -400 soon if anyone needs one!
 
 
Randy

[griffsmom]

Hey Randy and Jacqui!!

 
Congrats on the new TV!!  Sounds like it'll tow your westlake with no problem and even have some room to spare for that hybrid someday.
 
Does that mean we might see you at some of the SCC rallies now?    You know the Halloween one is filling up fast....

[OC Campers]

If it wasn't 475 miles away maybe.  Fortunately, we will see you guys at Pismo and Yosemite.  Yippee.

BTW don't listen to Randy.  What he failed to tell you was that I bought the truck.  He was home pacing.  :p  I went in, told the salesman what I wanted and what I would pay (I brought in a competitors add with the super low price)  They met the price and gave me a fair trade-in on the Astro.  It was the most pleasant experience of my life.  No price negotiating at all.  They accepted my offer and said congratulations.  
 
 It is beautiful.  Flame red with grey interior.  I didn't even shed a tear when they took the Astro away.  I think this truck will tow a high wall popup or a smaller hybrid with no problems.
 
Jacqui

[Dee4j]

If it wasn't 475 miles away maybe.  Fortunately, we will see you guys at Pismo and Yosemite.  Yippee.

 
Jacqui

hmmmm We can drive 475 miles north but you can't drive south??? I don't know sounds kinda whimpy to me  :J

Congrats on the new TV new toys are always fun.  I'll get to see it before June at Lake Siskiyou.
BTW: speaking of Lake Siskiyou,  are you guys staying until Monday or leaving Sunday?? Is PCmom coming too??  I would love to post for more to come, but not sure about their "PU's go in the other section" rule. but then again you got them to put you next to us. can't wait ..

[chasd60]

Congrats on the new TV.

I am assuming since you have to install a hitch and it does not have a 7 wire plug it does not have the tow package?
 
The tow package includes heavy duty alternator, transmission cooler for automatics and in some cases a larger radiator. I am not sure if the truck is even wired for electric brakes from front to rear if it does not have a tow package. With the tow package there is a pre-installed pigtail for use with the brake controller and these wires power the brake controller and feed the signal from the brake controller to the 7 pin at the hitch. You will also need a 12V supply for charging the battery while in tow. If not the refrigerator will run the battery dead used in tow.
 
If you have an auto, you want to be sure to have a cooler installed.

[OC Campers]

hmmmm We can drive 475 miles north but you can't drive south??? I don't know sounds kinda whimpy to me :J
 
Congrats on the new TV new toys are always fun. I'll get to see it before June at Lake Siskiyou.
BTW: speaking of Lake Siskiyou, are you guys staying until Monday or leaving Sunday?? Is PCmom coming too?? I would love to post for more to come, but not sure about their "PU's go in the other section" rule. but then again you got them to put you next to us. can't wait ..

Dee, you know I would travel to the ends of the earth to be with you guys.  Unfortunately, the kids' school schedule interferes.  As of right now, we are staying till Sunday at Siskiyou but I am awaiting Randy's work schedule.  I can't remember what days h took off.  He e-mailed them to me but I could open the attachment and I keep forgetting to ask.  I would like to stay till Monday but will let you know.  I talked to PC Mom and let her know.  I think she was checking their schedule.  I would post it in the NNC section as a self service rally.  Just post about the full hookup situation.  They let us in because we have the full bathroom and can use the sewer.
 
ChasD60--No we didn't get the tow package.  It did come with the tranny cooler though and the heavy duty battery.  I will have to read the owners manual about the wiring.  I am pretty sure it doesn't have the wiring where you can just plug in the brake controller.  We will probably end up going to a hitch place to have the controller installed.
 
Jacqui

[JUST4FUN]

Ok glad to see you got such a great deal on your Dodge
but PLEASE  make sure it is a tranny cooler not a power steering
 cooler the reason i say this is my friend made the mistake and now its costing him 2100 dollars for a rebuild and was not coverd by the warranty because the tranny was over heated (fluid was baddly burnt)
THE trans guy is a good friend of mine said those trans over heat very easly and can be prevented with a good cooler
PS.  he only had 40000 miles on his truck

[6Quigs]

Congratulations on the new dodge truck.
Yes it will tow the popup a lot nicer than the Astro did, and the bed of the truck is great for hauling firewood, bikes, firewood, e-z-ups, firewood, and all the extra junk we like to bring camping.

Randy, do a google search and you should find plenty of information on installing a break controller in a dodge.
Here's the first one I found.
http://www.etrailer.com/faq/dbc.asp
I did the installation myself on our Safari, all based on information from the web, from previous peoples installation.

[TheViking]

Congrats on the TV !!  My Tundra has a 4.7L V8 and It pulls my Viking great.  Far cry from the V6 I was pulling with.  You should be very happy.

[OC Campers]

Congratulations on the new dodge truck.
Yes it will tow the popup a lot nicer than the Astro did, and the bed of the truck is great for hauling firewood, bikes, firewood, e-z-ups, firewood, and all the extra junk we like to bring camping.
 
Randy, do a google search and you should find plenty of information on installing a break controller in a dodge.
Here's the first one I found.
http://www.etrailer.com/faq/dbc.asp
I did the installation myself on our Safari, all based on information from the web, from previous peoples installation.

Thanks Kevin for the website.  Randy was looking at it and he is going to try and do it himself.  It is factory wired for the 4 pole so all we need to do is get it converted to the 7 pole.  What's the worst that will happen?  We will have to take it to a professional and have it re-done.
 
JST4FUN-- Thanks for your concern but it definately has a tranny cooler, heavy duty alternator, heavy duty battery.  All it needs is the hitch and brake control.
 
Jacqui

[JUST4FUN]

great  glad to hear it. my friend pulls a hi-brid and is paying the price now for no cooler just wanted everyome to know.

[aw738]

This is the adaptor that I use and it works very well.

[campertime]

If you want to check your options just to be sure, you can look at your window sticker or the sticker in the glove box for the RPO codes.

If you see code AHC, you have the Trailer Tow Group
Which  includes: 7-Pin Wiring Harness, 750-Ampere Maintenance-Free Battery,
Heavy Duty Engine Cooling, and Class IV Hitch Receiver, Under Dash Plug for brake controller.

If you see this code NMC, you have the Heavy Duty Engine Cooling Option - Which Includes Auxiliary Transmission Oil Cooling (w/Auto Trans)

The only way to get the heavy duty battery is with option AHC otherwise you have the standard Trailer Tow Wiring Harness with 4-Pin Connector, 136-Ampere Alternator, and 600-Ampere Maintenance-Free Battery. The Hitch receiver (if it came with one) would be a Mopar Parts dealer installed option.

Other Useful Codes:
DMD - Axle Ratio, 3.55
DMH - Axle Ratio, 3.92
DSA  - Axle, Limited Slip

Good luck with your brake controller wiring, If it were me I'd have the trailer dealer do it. Enjoy the new truck!

[OC Campers]

Thanks campertime for the info, I will go check the window sticker and see what it says.

Jacqui