Can 5-Way Trailer Wiring Connector be Used with Trailer Brakes

Updated 08/04/2025 | Published 03/10/2020

Question:

Can a 5 pin flat plug be used in a trailer with regular brakes

asked by: Ray M

Expert Reply:

Yes, a 5-way trailer connector can be used with trailer brakes. You'd have to make the 5th circuit of the 5-way the brake output circuit and you'd be set. Normally this is used for a reverse light circuit for a reverse lockout circuit but if you wired it up to be a brake output circuit it would work perfectly fine.

expert reply by: Jameson C

Chad

2/29/2024

Hi. My boat gas surge brakes that utilize the 5th pin, reverse override. I’m looking to buy a box trailer with electric brakes, with a 7 pin, round. Can I use a 5flat to 7 round adapter to engage the electrical brakes on my trailer? Or, do I have to change something on my vehicle side to engage this? If so, what? And If I do this, would I then lose my surge override for my boat? Thank you.

Jameson C.

2/29/2024

@Chad If your 7-way has all of it's circuits active the reverse light circuit is there and would allow you to simply plug in a 7-way to 5-way like the part # A57WB and the reverse lockout of your surge actuator would engage like it needs to. If the circuit is not active you'd just need to run the center pin of the 7-way to your reverse light circuit.

Donald

8/4/2025

So if I wire the brakes to the reverse lights I would loss my reverse lights correct?

Jameson C.

8/4/2025

@Donald Yes if you were to use the reverse light circuit instead for the brake output circuit you would lose reverse lights. Also I should have mentioned this in first answer on this page that normally the reverse light circuit doesn't have a thick enough gauge wire for what trailer brakes require as they normally need 10 gauge.

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