Trailer Hitch, Brake Controller, And Wiring Recommendation For 2014 GMC Savana Van With No Tow Pkg

Question

Question:

Hello, I have a 2014 GMC Savana 3500 with the 6.6L Diesel. It came from the factory with no tow package and i am looking to set it up for towing my 18 foot dual axle car trailer with a 10000 lb gwr. The trailer has electric brakes on both axles, full led lighting, and a 7 pin plug. The trailer also has on board batteries for a winch. Do you have a full kit for my application? Also, what brake controller would you suggest? Do some have an advantage over others? Thank you in advance for your help.

asked by: Oliver W

1

Helpful Expert Reply:

I will start with the trailer hitch for your 2014 Savana. From my research I found the Savana can tow a trailer up to 10,000 lbs. The trailer hitch I recommend is the Draw-Tite Ultra Frame Trailer Hitch Receiver, part # 41946. This is a Class V hitch and has a 2 inch receiver opening.

You might be interested in etrailer ball mount kit # 989900. It comes with 2 ball mounts; one with a 3/4 inch rise or 2 inch drop and one with a 2-3/4 inch rise or 4 inch drop. It also includes a 1-7/8 inch ball, 2 inch ball, hitch pin with clip, and a storage bag.

If the ball mount kit does not include a ball mount with the right rise or drop to tow the trailer level, check out the link I have included that explains how to measure to choose a ball mount to tow the trailer level.

Since you said you have no trailer towing package I assume you do not have a trailer connector on the back of your Savana. If that is the case you will first need a 4-way connector like the Tow Ready Wiring Harness, part # 118392. You will need to remove the rear trim panels on each side to get to the wiring harness for each tail light. The 118392 plugs into the connectors at the back of each tail light.

For a brake controller I recommend the Prodigy P2, part # 90885. This is a proportional brake controller that adjusts the trailer braking action in proportion to the Savana's braking action. This is our most popular brake controller because it is easy to set up and operate. This brake controller is designed to work with electric brakes like you said you have on your trailer. Since there is no plug-in adapter available, the 90885 will need to be hardwired. The white wire is the ground wire and needs to be attached to a clean bare metal surface. The blue wire is attached to the blue wire on the 7-way at the back of the vehicle. The black wire is attached to the positive battery post using a 20 amp circuit breaker, and the red wire is attached to the stop light switch located at the top of the brake pedal. You would use a circuit tester to test the wires on the switch and attach the red wire to the wire that only shows power when the brake pedal is pressed. If you find the stop light switch does not have an active wire you can connect it to the stop light wire behind the passenger side of the dash at the BCM. It is typically a light blue colored wire.

You will then need part # ETBC7. This plugs into the 4-way connector. The white wire is attached to clean bare metal for ground. The black wire is run to the positive battery post via the included 40 amp circuit breaker. The blue wire will be connected to the blue wire from the brake controller and the purple wire is used to attach to the reverse light circuit, or can be capped if not used.

I have attached a link to an installation video for a brake controller on a Savana Van you can check out. I also attached a drawing that shows how the wiring is run when installing the ETBC7 and a brake controller on a vehicle.

I have attached links to some of the other products that may be needed when installing the harnesses and brake controller. Additonal brake wire that will be needed is part # 10-1-1. For power wire you can use the jacketed 2-wire 10 gauge, part # 10-2-1. These wires are sold by the foot.

When running the wiring under the vehicle you may want to use wire loom like part # 459075-1 to protect the wire from sharp or rough surfaces. You want to make sure you avoid any moving parts or the exhaust when running the wiring.

When working with electrical connectors I recommend using dielectric grease like part # 11755. This keeps dirt and moisture out of the electrical connections and helps prevent corrosion.

For the batteries on your trailer I recommend a battery charger like the NOCO Genius # 329-GENIUS5. If your trailer connector is attached to the battery, it will help maintain the battery charge but will not charge the battery. It is always best to charge the batteries when you have land power for a charger.