Chevy/GMC HD Truck WITHOUT “5th Wheel Prep Package” Bed Electrical Plug Issues
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- Опубліковано 8 лют 2025
- General Motors has designed the bed electrical plug hole in their latest generation HD trucks to take the OE-style 7-way/4-way combo plug just like the one in the bumper. The problem is that the only way to fill that hole completely is to install the larger combo plug in the hole. That’s an EXTRA part to purchase in addition to the standard 7-way Plug-In-Bed Wiring Kit that we’ve been using on these trucks for years.
General Motors would do good to take some advice from the aftermarkets before stamping larger than necessary holes in ALL of their beds! (...and why supply a harness lead with blunt-end wires when there are no 7-way/4-way “hardwire” combo plugs? They should just include the proper “US CAR” connector on the end of the lead.)
Finally found a video that shows my issue! What a pain in the ass.
The four way is for like a topper with lights
My 2022 3500 SRW LB has two camera receptacles where the 4 pin connector used to be. If you pull a trailer that utilizes the four pin, I guess you need an adapter to seven pin or an extension cord to go over the tailgate. But keep in mind these are some of the same bunch that can't figure out the multi-tailgate issues with the trailer hitch. After 3 or 4 years, I would think they could fix the problem, but seems like they are creating new problems.
I would assume that is large like that for the optional trailer cameras.
We need the 4 way in bed for a sled deck
Numerous reasons such as a sled deck mentioned by others but can be utilized as an emergency plug just incase the 7 blade stops working. But also keep in mind, to make a different hole requires a different cut out die which in case costs more money and such dies, stamps and molds are very expensive to make so one cut out die to make two holes the same is cheaper than two different dies for two different holes and keep in mind those dies do wear out and have to be replaced. To be honest, I'm surprised they are even including a hole at all on trucks without the 5th wheel/gooseneck prep package.
For a sled deck
You can also buy another plug that allows you to hook your trailer camera system up on that top plug instead of that four way
I'm finding general motors sucks for 5th wheel prep after the factory. Both Ford and ram have a complete kit for adding it.
Book smart engineer's that have never used a truck.
They use trucks… They just don’t seem to be very interested in making sure their designs work with aftermarket equipment. If companies like Ford, RAM, GM, etc. are members of SEMA and support the aftermarket community, then they might do well to enlist the help/consulting of industry professionals to help them keep a competitive edge. If they’re already doing that…well…they’re hiring the wrong professionals to help them. 😉
Totally agree this is stupid for a design. The only reason i could see for wanting a 4/7 way is that some old gooseneck dont have breaks and could possibly use a 4 way. That chance is probably less than 2%. So it is a stupid design. The only good thing is that both those plug are interchangeable on the truck. But once that 4/7 way goes in its going to be a bitch to get it out without access to the clips.
Part numbers?
See our comment that addresses the easier to access aftermarket part numbers...
ua-cam.com/video/uQaBrU8xSJs/v-deo.html
As “NarrowRoadLife” pointed out earlier, GM has a solution to fill the gap. It is GM part #19420832.
However, that part is made by Curt and searching for it under the Curt part number will probably yield better results in both pricing and availability. The Curt part number for JUST the filler bracket is: Curt #55417
www.curtmfg.com/part/55417
If you need the part that fills in the gap (#55417) AND the actual 7-way plug with harness, then you need to get Curt #56072. That’s the entire kit.
www.curtmfg.com/part/56072
@ConnectedCorrectly I have a 2018 Chevy Silverado long bed. I want to switch the back of the bed to a 2020 Chevy silverado long bed with tailgate but the wiring connectors are different...
How would you wire up the 2020 bed to the 2018 truck?
@@bradlee963 Are you talking about the wiring connectors for the lights, the trailer plug, and everything? If you are, and the actual plastic connectors are a different style and do not mate up, then you would have to cut the connectors off of the ends of your plugs and wire those up one wire at a time by function. Another option would be to see if you could get the lighting harnesses off of a different truck (salvage) and cut those back about 7 inches from the connector and wire up the properly mating connectors that will match onto your wiring harness.