Towing electrics question

[6feetdown]

On my ranger I've a 13pin twist socket, on the trailer 7 pin twist plug.
Should it fit as the socket looks slightly out of round as if its had a knock.
If no I've seen 13 to 7 pin adapter but on the 7 no twist lock.
Hope it makes sense.
I've got 2 other adapters for the old iveco and old trailer that work for their respective vehicles

 

[Monkeybusiness]

If they are both twist type then they should fit together regardless of number of pins.
7 pin to 13 pin adapters are to change from the old/traditional wanky push-together plugs to the new twist type.

 

[pettsy]

It should still fit regardless of wether all 13 or just 7 of the pins are used. Changed all my towing vehicles to 13pin style as they’re much more reliable and secure.

 

[Stroppymonkey]

It should still fit regardless of wether all 13 or just 7 of the pins are used. Changed all my towing vehicles to 13pin style as they’re much more reliable and secure.

I started to convert all my vans to 13pin then my engineer who looks after all my trailers converted them all to 7 pin as he says they are easier to fix and more reliable.. FML. Now I have 4 trailers on 7 pin and just one van on 13..

 

[Smiffy]

It should still fit regardless of wether all 13 or just 7 of the pins are used. Changed all my towing vehicles to 13pin style as they’re much more reliable and secure.

All 12v are wanky when compared to 24v kit. How they cannot manage to even get close in quality is beyond me.

 

[Lancs Lad]

Until they seize and won't twist like the one yesterday on my mates Ifor....pita

 

[Stroppymonkey]

Until they seize and won't twist like the one yesterday on my mates Ifor....pita

Lack of lube...

 

[Grahams]

Go 13 pin every time. Positive locking in and reversing lights on the trailer. What more could you want?
Down side is if you get distracted whilst unhitching and pull away from the trailer without taking off the electrics they don't just pop out. Don't ask me how I know!

 

[Lancs Lad]

Lack of lube...

She cried

 

[Smiffy]

Until they seize and won't twist like the one yesterday on my mates Ifor....pita

Then you eventually free it of but for get to reset it to the correct position so when you insert it the pins don't line up. Then when you twist it you bend all the pins

 

[DaveDCB]

I’m not a fan of the 13pin , they just never seem to work nicely although I seem to think everything will soon enough be 13 and 7 become redundant?

 

[Smiffy]

I’m not a fan of the 13pin , they just never seem to work nicely although I seem to think everything will soon enough be 13 and 7 become redundant?

7 pin is still an option I think but probably has to be specified. Also I think tractors are still 7 pin and I don't think I've seen a 13 pin fitted to the back of an hgv that tows 3.5t trailers yet.
Also if you don't tow a trailer very often 13 pin is mot'able but 7 pin isn't.
I know they should work but if you don't tow often it's easy for them to play up and forget about it.

 

[Monkeybusiness]

Whenever we have issues with them it tends to be the adapter if plugging a ‘new’ trailer into a 7 pin tow vehicle. The adapters look fine but swapping them for new almost always cures the fault.

 

[hiluxman]

Whenever we have issues with them it tends to be the adapter if plugging a ‘new’ trailer into a 7 pin tow vehicle. The adapters look fine but swapping them for new almost always cures the fault.

Every bloody time. Hateful things. I'm tempted to make my own.

 

[DaveDCB]

Whenever we have issues with them it tends to be the adapter if plugging a ‘new’ trailer into a 7 pin tow vehicle. The adapters look fine but swapping them for new almost always cures the fault.

Maybe it’s the adapters I have problems with then..?

 

[Gecko]

Hateful things.

The adapters?
Last one I used was dead from new.
Pulled it apart and the wires used were so fine it's doubtful they'd carry enough current and two had been sheared when the screws were tightened.
Screws bearing directly on multi-strand wires are exactly why trailer wiring is unreliable

Bootlace ferrules pretty well solve the problem

 

[Smiffy]

Which type of adapters are we talking about??
The ones that are about 3in long and sit inside the existing socket or the type with plug and socket and 6in of wire between them??
Had problems with the former so bought my own personal of the latter type.
Only used it a few times before they changed all the trailer plugs to 7 pin but seems better built

 

[Gecko]

In my case it was two connectors with a cable between them

 

[hiluxman]

Which type of adapters are we talking about??
The ones that are about 3in long and sit inside the existing socket or the type with plug and socket and 6in of wire between them??
Had problems with the former so bought my own personal of the latter type.
Only used it a few times before they changed all the trailer plugs to 7 pin but seems better built

I'm on about the short solid adapter.

I'm going to buy my own and use a bit of cable as you've described.

 

[Monkeybusiness]

Short solid one - they look fine but must break down inside.