Do I need power at pin 4 on my tow vehicle?

Your Yukon should have a relay possibly that was delivered in a bag and not installed in the distribution box. They are easy to install and cheap if not provided with the truck. Read the owners manual for where it goes.

As for the break-away cable, I attached a length of swing set chain to the body of my 'burb up behind the bumper. Used a self tapping screw. I connect the cable to the chain. It is a short length, and you don't see it hanging when not towing.

wanderingbob wrote:
....Next morn about three miles across N.H. on rt 4 or rt 2 , all hell broke loose , trailer brakes stopped me dead . Some one had pulled the pin that held the hitch into the receiver . Chocked trailer , reinstall ball mount , hitched up and was on my way in eleven minutes ....

I would have needed a good shower after that experience, too!

Last summer , somewhere in New Hampshire ,my 24 ft toyhauler at Wal-Mart for the nite ! A small red car pulled up beside and played "RAP ' music real , real loud . I pushed the panic button on my key fob for about ten seconds , lights flashing , horns blowing , inter-continent missiles , . He took the hint and moved . I thought it was all over !
Next morn about three miles across N.H. on rt 4 or rt 2 , all hell broke loose , trailer brakes stopped me dead . Some one had pulled the pin that held the hitch into the receiver . Chocked trailer , reinstall ball mount , hitched up and was on my way in eleven minutes .
We now check that pin constantly . I am sure it was revenge , that fellow in the Wal-mart lot was selling somtin out his windows . No damage as trailer never hit the ground or hit the truck . Only damage was I had to go back to Wal-mart and buy new underwear ! Yes,chains should catch trailer before ground !

dodge guy wrote:

Terryallan wrote:

RAMwoodworks wrote:

wanderingbob wrote:
Most times that a trailer comes loose the safety chains will keep it contained , then it will ram into your truck doing damage to truck and trailer . If the break-a-way works , your breaks will lock up and bring you safely to a smokin stop , { ask me how I know this , twice in 40 years of towing }.
It is kinda important that the break-a-way activates before the chain draws tight , adjust it so !
I have been pulling , delivering and running " hot shot " trailers for over 40 years and have never had one get away from the chains .
Last week I pulled from Daytona to Destin and , oops , I had never flipped the trailer hitch lock down to latch . No problem , it just sat there like good boy !

Where should I connect the breakaway so I can adjust it correctly? I have been just looping it around the hitch pin clip.

Also, should the chains be short enough to keep the tongue off the ground? Mine almost drag when connected even with the Equal-i-zer head.

You should connect the break away brake lanyard to a part of the truck separate from the hitch. The frame, or step bumper maybe. You don't want it hooked in any way to part of the hitch. Cause if the hitch fails, and comes off the brakes won't come on.

As to how long. I make mine a tad longer than the chains. so that if it does come loose. I can still have "some" control over it until the chain breaks. That is when I want the TT to lock up.

This is exactly how I have mine set up. My cable is connected to the chain loop on my step bumper. I have always had it separate from the hitch. On my conv van I installed an eye hook to the rear crossmember so it was separate from the hitch.

I put an I hook thru the step bumper to hook mine to. Just in front of the tag. Never know it is there.

We have drifted from the original question, do you need pin #4.

The answer is if you want to slow charge your battery while driving.


The tech at my RV dealership installed the relay to energize pin #4 and checked out wiring as part of the walk-through at pick up. The walk through also included the WD hitch installation.

Terryallan wrote:

RAMwoodworks wrote:

wanderingbob wrote:
Most times that a trailer comes loose the safety chains will keep it contained , then it will ram into your truck doing damage to truck and trailer . If the break-a-way works , your breaks will lock up and bring you safely to a smokin stop , { ask me how I know this , twice in 40 years of towing }.
It is kinda important that the break-a-way activates before the chain draws tight , adjust it so !
I have been pulling , delivering and running " hot shot " trailers for over 40 years and have never had one get away from the chains .
Last week I pulled from Daytona to Destin and , oops , I had never flipped the trailer hitch lock down to latch . No problem , it just sat there like good boy !

Where should I connect the breakaway so I can adjust it correctly? I have been just looping it around the hitch pin clip.

Also, should the chains be short enough to keep the tongue off the ground? Mine almost drag when connected even with the Equal-i-zer head.

You should connect the break away brake lanyard to a part of the truck separate from the hitch. The frame, or step bumper maybe. You don't want it hooked in any way to part of the hitch. Cause if the hitch fails, and comes off the brakes won't come on.

As to how long. I make mine a tad longer than the chains. so that if it does come loose. I can still have "some" control over it until the chain breaks. That is when I want the TT to lock up.

This is exactly how I have mine set up. My cable is connected to the chain loop on my step bumper. I have always had it separate from the hitch. On my conv van I installed an eye hook to the rear crossmember so it was separate from the hitch.

RedRocket204 wrote:

Terryallan wrote:

RedRocket204 wrote:

Terryallan wrote:
On Fords there is a relay that must be installed to charge the trailer. not real sure about the others.

This is not 100% accurate. My 2011 F350 does have 14.35V on Pin 4 and there was no aftermarket relay installed. There may be cases, as you say, of some Ford trucks requiring a relay, but not all of them. There was nothing said about which model of Ford truck you were referring to, just a blanket Ford statement.

Nope. it is NOT after market. The relay is supplied by Ford. It may not be that way on diesels, or 350s. but on 250s, and 150 gas. It is there. The relay is in a pouch usually found in the dash, OR with the jack. In earlier models that had no brake controller, Ford also supplied a wiring harness that hooked to a controller of your choice, and then just plugged into the port under the dash.

There were relays, and wiring harnesses in my 2002 Expedition, my 2004 F150, and in my 2013 150, there was a fuse, and a relay that had to be installed. All supplied by Ford, and stashed in the truck.

My friend had a gas 250, but couldn't find the relay in his truck. So since the Expe had 2. I gave him one, and once he installed it. His charge wire worked as well.

Why they just don't go ahead and install them, I couldn't say. but I would think any professional brake controller installer would know they are there, and just put them in.

Is interesting about why Ford would do that. But yes, mine is a diesel F350 and I didn't have to install any relay and do have the voltage on Pin 4 when running. I agree that it doesn't make a whole lot of sense why different trucks would be setup differently. Same with why GM would put a dummy fuse in the location for powering Pin 4.

Did your friends F250 have the integrated brake controller? Assuming your 2013 F150 does have an integrated brake controller?

Thanks for the added information.

No his did not have the factory controller. My 2013 does. The brake controller will work with out the relay, and fuse. It just won't charger the trailer.

RAMwoodworks wrote:

wanderingbob wrote:
Most times that a trailer comes loose the safety chains will keep it contained , then it will ram into your truck doing damage to truck and trailer . If the break-a-way works , your breaks will lock up and bring you safely to a smokin stop , { ask me how I know this , twice in 40 years of towing }.
It is kinda important that the break-a-way activates before the chain draws tight , adjust it so !
I have been pulling , delivering and running " hot shot " trailers for over 40 years and have never had one get away from the chains .
Last week I pulled from Daytona to Destin and , oops , I had never flipped the trailer hitch lock down to latch . No problem , it just sat there like good boy !

Where should I connect the breakaway so I can adjust it correctly? I have been just looping it around the hitch pin clip.

Also, should the chains be short enough to keep the tongue off the ground? Mine almost drag when connected even with the Equal-i-zer head.

You should connect the break away brake lanyard to a part of the truck separate from the hitch. The frame, or step bumper maybe. You don't want it hooked in any way to part of the hitch. Cause if the hitch fails, and comes off the brakes won't come on.

As to how long. I make mine a tad longer than the chains. so that if it does come loose. I can still have "some" control over it until the chain breaks. That is when I want the TT to lock up.

Terryallan wrote:

RedRocket204 wrote:

Terryallan wrote:
On Fords there is a relay that must be installed to charge the trailer. not real sure about the others.

This is not 100% accurate. My 2011 F350 does have 14.35V on Pin 4 and there was no aftermarket relay installed. There may be cases, as you say, of some Ford trucks requiring a relay, but not all of them. There was nothing said about which model of Ford truck you were referring to, just a blanket Ford statement.

Nope. it is NOT after market. The relay is supplied by Ford. It may not be that way on diesels, or 350s. but on 250s, and 150 gas. It is there. The relay is in a pouch usually found in the dash, OR with the jack. In earlier models that had no brake controller, Ford also supplied a wiring harness that hooked to a controller of your choice, and then just plugged into the port under the dash.

There were relays, and wiring harnesses in my 2002 Expedition, my 2004 F150, and in my 2013 150, there was a fuse, and a relay that had to be installed. All supplied by Ford, and stashed in the truck.

My friend had a gas 250, but couldn't find the relay in his truck. So since the Expe had 2. I gave him one, and once he installed it. His charge wire worked as well.

Why they just don't go ahead and install them, I couldn't say. but I would think any professional brake controller installer would know they are there, and just put them in.

Is interesting about why Ford would do that. But yes, mine is a diesel F350 and I didn't have to install any relay and do have the voltage on Pin 4 when running. I agree that it doesn't make a whole lot of sense why different trucks would be setup differently. Same with why GM would put a dummy fuse in the location for powering Pin 4.

Did your friends F250 have the integrated brake controller? Assuming your 2013 F150 does have an integrated brake controller?

Thanks for the added information.