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How To Relocate Trailer Plug Into Bumper

timcosco

Charter Member
SM 2003
Full Member
Joined
Jan 28, 2002
Messages
559
Location
Larkspur, CO
First of all, XRover did it first, so he deserves the credit for this one.

I did it myself too with some helpful insight from him, and I took a few pictures during the process that I thought I'd share.

Remove the plug from the housing by releasing the tabs and giving a gentle pull. ?Remove the housing from the bracket by giving a quarter turn twist. ?Clear wiring from behind the bumper to the left (driver's side) of the license plate.

firstpic.jpg


Using a 2" Bi-Metal hole saw, cut a hole to the left of the license plate.

secondpic.jpg


Trace the bracket outline on a small piece of cardboard. ?This will be used as a template for notching the cladding. ?You needn't bother tracing the little square for the locking tab like I did. ?It is required for a locking tooth in the factory bracket. ?You may need to trim this piece off the housing for this mod (it's a very tight fit).

thirdpic.jpg


Carefully affix the template in the exact orientation as the bracket. ?The picture shown here isn't quite correct... the template should have been rotated slightly more counter-clockwise as you'll see in the final picture of this series.

fourthpic.jpg


Mark the notches and carefully cut the cladding. ?I don't recommend using a utility knife, as I did. ?Use a Dremel or something similar instead. ?As you can see from the marks, the knife slipped a few times. ?Once the notches are cut, use a utility knife to bevel the inside edges as shown in the picture below. ?This will make it much easier to install the housing and twist it into place.

fifthpic.jpg


Once you install the housing, give it a quarter twist to wedge the flange in between the steel bumper and cladding. ?As XRover pointed out in his original post, it is a very,very tight fit (I tried to twist mine back slightly for better vertical alignment, but it just won't budge).

Here's a view from the backside, once everything is reconnected.

sixthpic.jpg


Next, remove the old bracket. ?I opted to use a cut-off tool, hacksaw and file. ?I believe XRover and Chief had there's removed via cutting torch.

seventhpic.jpg


All that's left now is to seal the edges with black RTV and buff out the scratches.

eigthpic.jpg


Thanks again to XRover for the idea and being the first guy with kahunas big enough to drill a 2" hole in his bumper. ?(y)
 
Great thread...now make it an article and send to the chief for the magazine!!!! it would be worth $25 and that could be spent on raffle tickets!!!!

 
I, sir, am no plagiarist! ;) Therefore, the $25 would have to go to XRover. :)

I was supposed to submit the "How to Install 110VAC Outlet in Dash" story too, wasn't I? I also need to finish writing the bottom half of the Av FAQ. Whew... where'd the time go?
 
Well co-author it with X rover and donate the money back to the site for stickers...3 for him and 2 for you....

 
Nice work. (y) Not to take away from your work but how about adding some final steps to the article of the removal of the bracket? I know that there were some discussion about it (blow torch, grinding, etc.) but has anyone removed it? How did you do it? I'm sure there's gotta be a few options. I just think that additional info would make the article more complete. The whole idea is to move the plug to avoid damage to it but to also have it available to use.

Once again, great job. Especially the pics. It really gives you the ability to visualize it without having to imagine it before you do it.
 
Nice post. Your pictures help visualize this mod. Remember, pictures are worth a thousand words, or in this case $25.

 
(!!applause!!) ?much appreciation here ?;D ;D ;D now to cancel all plans this weekend, and actually do something. ?definitely 2 ?(y) (y) up!!!
 
Oh-oh. I'm getting "even I could do that!" syndrome. Thanks for the pics to illustrate XRover's instructions. A couple of questions though; do you need to cut out that little square hole on the left side of the bracket? If so, how'd you do that one?
 
Great job, great mod!!

Now for a question (don't take this the wrong way, and dont call me stupid) What exactly is the purpose for moving the trailer wiring hook up in the first place? Is it just to clean up the area below the bumper?

Again, no negativity intended....just currious!
 
Kronk said:
Nice work. ?(y) Not to take away from your work but how about adding some final steps to the article of the removal of the bracket?
Female Dog, Female Dog, Female Dog! ;) Just kidding. Updated the post with a couple more pics. Thanks for the kind words guys.
 
You needn't bother tracing the little square for the locking tab like I did. It is required for a locking tooth in the factory bracket. You may need to trim this piece off the housing for this mod (it's a very tight fit).

Was this part always there making my question a stupid one? :-[
 
tymcneal said:
Was this part always there making my question a stupid one? :-[
Nope, I just added it. Thanks for pointing it out. ?I bet you weren't the only person to wonder about that.

I see Chief moved this over to the Off-Road forum... sorry, this was a mod so I originally posted it in the Modifications and Accessories forum.
 
timcosco said:
Female Dog, Female Dog, Female Dog! ;) ?Just kidding. ?Updated the post with a couple more pics. ?Thanks for the kind words guys.
Be sure and post pictures of the all of the new puppies ? ;D
 
Wiki said:
?What exactly is the purpose for moving the trailer wiring hook up in the first place? ?Is it just to clean up the area below the bumper? ?

Again, no negativity intended....just currious!

As pointed out earlier, it's to keep it from getting mangled when 4-wheeling (from a guy who has mangled his twice now >:D ) No offense taken! Questions are one of the things that make this site awesome!

Great job timcosco and xrover! This mod will be happening next weekend :)
 
goo929 said:
Be sure and post pictures of the all of the new puppies ? ;D
Ha, ha... yeah I know. The word more commonly used to describe a pregnant dog would be removed from the auto-censorship dictionary thingy list of forbidden terms, if I ran this board. But I don't, so I'll shut up now and quit pregnant dogging. ;D
 
timcosco you cut your clad to do this and are now in an elite group-----the av cladd cutters ive cut the clad more than once and know i know another cut, another mod is on the way, my reason for the clad cut is that i have a locking pin thru the hitch nount and i have a "three way ball"(goo dont hurt me now) so im always pulling out the hitch pin and it hangs up on the factor location trailer wiring plug and i have to fight it to get it out. well another "change " is right around the corner ---Thanks for the pictures and the idea. hey what about the av clad cutters anonomous soceity you know that knawing sickness you can actually feel a clad cut coming on iknow right now on this topic im gonna cut clad ONE MORE TIME!!!!!
 
This is just another example of the creative minds at work on this site. Kudos to timcosco and XRover for a job well done. This might be worth publishing in one of the truck mags such as Truck Trend in addition to the CAFCNA "magazine." One of the few complaints about the AV is the tendacy of the trailer plug to get torn off or busted because of its location.
 
Was at the dealer this morning and was looking at a Hummer... guess where the trailer plug was located... (y)

11743133.jpg
 
Awesome. ?(y) ?Thanks for the work, guys.

I want to do this mod soon... ?My reason would be to clean up the back end (the least esthetically pleasing view, if you ask me), and to make hitch pin removal and installation easier.

I'd also like to remove the vertical piece of cladding just to the right of the reciever itself ?(can be seen in the last pic), so that it matches the left side where the plug used to be. ?I think all of this put together would be awesome. :cautious: :)
 
marc_w said:
I'd also like to remove the vertical piece of cladding just to the right of the reciever itself ?(can be seen in the last pic), so that it matches the left side where the plug used to be.
I ran out at lunch today and did just that. Thanks for the idea. (y) You're right, it does look a lot better with it gone.

11748347.jpg
 
Here is the picture of the work done by 4 Wheel Parts Wholesalers. They did mine at the same time as my QuickAir. Trust me, if you saw me fumbling with my billet grille install you'd understand why I paid someone to cut into my bumper!

chiefs_avalanche_008.jpg
 
I'm glad to see you guy's doing this mod. It is 100% functional. An added benifit for those who tow water craft or boat trailers is that when backing down into the water, the plug remains dry ;D
 
got_change said:
my reason for the clad cut is that i have a locking pin thru the hitch nount and i have a "three way ball"(goo dont hurt me now) so im always pulling out the hitch pin and it hangs up on the factor location trailer wiring plug and i have to fight it to get it out.

Here is a great solution to the "three way ball". I have installed the Adapt Hitch ball and it is absolutely fantastic. Takes only a few seconds to change the ball size.

Look at this link:

http://www.truckstuffusa.com/val5176.html
 
All,

This was great. Just joined the forum today. Got my 2003 1500 Av September 25th. Have 3,500 miles on it and 1,500+ have been in 4 wheel drive. I'll post the (Dust,Mud,Snow) pictures of the 4+ weeks of hunting in the Sawtooths.

The trailer hitch wire bracket was ripped off the hitch the first morning on the way up a fire lookout trail. Would suggest a better way to remove it.

Was looking for a good place to mount. Looks like I have found it.

Thanks,
 
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