New to 5th wheeling. bought a new 2017 big country Towing with 2017 hd3500 Duramax long box. While backing into park the electrical junction box got crushed on the side of the pickup bed. After I took delivery the guy at dealer recommended to move it when I get a chance but I didn't get a chance. Heartland said they would replace it to the exact location. I can't believe I'm the only one that had this problem. I even used a tape measure to double check and sure enough the j-box will hit the side of pickup before it even get to 90 degrees. Funny that the guy at dealer was aware of it but Heartland is not. I'll have to move it. Any ideas. I have one but if there is a fix no sense reinventing the wheel.
Junction box on pin box
- Thread starter rebeldog
- Start date
danemayer
Well-known member
Hi rebeldog,
Welcome to the Heartland Owners Forum.
How much vertical clearance do you have above the bed rails when hitched? 5-6" is minimal. Even with that, when making a sharp turn, if the truck and trailer are at different angles, that clearance can be severely reduced. I've had a couple of situations where the angles involved led to contact.
Welcome to the Heartland Owners Forum.
How much vertical clearance do you have above the bed rails when hitched? 5-6" is minimal. Even with that, when making a sharp turn, if the truck and trailer are at different angles, that clearance can be severely reduced. I've had a couple of situations where the angles involved led to contact.
I agree and I will. It just makes me wonder why they would locate it where they did. Maybe the 2017 3500 box is different and they are not aware of it yet. The way it is now there is no way to do a sharp turn. I'll post pics and the fix I come up with. I wish Heartland would be more concerned.
pjones1969
Well-known member
Be s good time to upgrade to a better junction box too
I changed mine out with this one
Bargman 787535 7-Way Junction Box https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0083EQAYU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_7Nx2OWHdtUSNh
I marked all the wiring before unraveling the factory mess, added ring adapters, very happy with the way it turned out
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I changed mine out with this one
Bargman 787535 7-Way Junction Box https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0083EQAYU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_7Nx2OWHdtUSNh
I marked all the wiring before unraveling the factory mess, added ring adapters, very happy with the way it turned out
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
JohnD
Moved on to the next thing...
My issue was that the pigtail was too long and it eventually got caught on the receiver hitch on the truck (with no ball mount in it) and ripped the pigtail right out of the junction box.
Blew a bunch of fuses under the hood of the truck when it ripped out and mangled the junction box.
Needless to say it is now 10-inches shorter.
Blew a bunch of fuses under the hood of the truck when it ripped out and mangled the junction box.
Needless to say it is now 10-inches shorter.
Jesstruckn/Jesstalkn
Well-known member
You can move it to where ever you want.!!!
I've been making these 7-way Boxs with coiled cord and light switch for a lot of our fellow RV's over the last year. It seems to be on mostly Big Horns & Landmarks and haven't had any issues yet. Not sure what Pinbox is on the Big Country.
You can mount them high as possible in the pinbox and hopefully resolve your issue.
jassson007
Founding Louisiana Chapter Leaders-Retired
You can move it to where ever you want.!!!
I've been making these 7-way Boxs with coiled cord and light switch for a lot of our fellow RV's over the last year. It seems to be on mostly Big Horns & Landmarks and haven't had any issues yet. Not sure what Pinbox is on the Big Country.
You can mount them high as possible in the pinbox and hopefully resolve your issue.
Mine is on a BC Jared.
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JohnD
Moved on to the next thing...
I like that coiled pigtail . . .
I should have gotten one of those when I fixed mine after ripping it out.
Even though it is now 10-inches shorter, I still run a bungee cord across the bed of the truck and run the pigtail under it to keep it from dropping low enough to catch on the hitch.
Eventually I plan on getting a trailer plug mounted in the bed of the truck, which should eliminate this issue.
Or maybe I should just buy one of Jerrod's Infamous Junction Boxes!
I should have gotten one of those when I fixed mine after ripping it out.
Even though it is now 10-inches shorter, I still run a bungee cord across the bed of the truck and run the pigtail under it to keep it from dropping low enough to catch on the hitch.
Eventually I plan on getting a trailer plug mounted in the bed of the truck, which should eliminate this issue.
Or maybe I should just buy one of Jerrod's Infamous Junction Boxes!
pegmikef
Well-known member
You can move it to where ever you want.!!!
I've been making these 7-way Boxs with coiled cord and light switch for a lot of our fellow RV's over the last year. It seems to be on mostly Big Horns & Landmarks and haven't had any issues yet. Not sure what Pinbox is on the Big Country.
You can mount them high as possible in the pinbox and hopefully resolve your issue.
Jerrod, I think I am missing something here. I don't quite understand how it is wired as this only looks like one side. How are the pigtail and trailer wires connected? Thanks, Mike
Jesstruckn/Jesstalkn
Well-known member
Mike here's a Link to my Project LM 365 tread with my first box. They are a little cleaner and more advanced now but this should help you.
Link https://heartlandowners.org/showthread.php/54076-Project-LM-365?p=470103&viewfull=1#post470103
pegmikef
Well-known member
Thanks, that clears it up. I have a Morryde Pin Box and my junction box is plenty high. I just like the neatness of your setup. Nice job. Mike
Jesstruckn/Jesstalkn
Well-known member
Thanks Mike I've made 45 of them now and I think I have them perfected now.
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Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
I like that coiled pigtail . . .
I should have gotten one of those when I fixed mine after ripping it out.
Even though it is now 10-inches shorter, I still run a bungee cord across the bed of the truck and run the pigtail under it to keep it from dropping low enough to catch on the hitch.
Eventually I plan on getting a trailer plug mounted in the bed of the truck, which should eliminate this issue.
Or maybe I should just buy one of Jerrod's Infamous Junction Boxes!
I also replaced my trailer break away with a coiled one like in the first picture. I hand mine catch on my slider hitch and pull out. Luckily I was making a slow 90 degree turn in an RV park. It sure got my attention when the trailer breaks locked up. And when I put the pin back in it released the breaks and the trailer rolled forward just enough to scare the crap out of me.
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JohnD
Moved on to the next thing...
LBR
Well-known member
Can relate....
Did a slow, wide sweeping righthand 90 at an intersection in Willits, Ca while a VERY elderly lady was slowly walking towards the intersection crosswalk on my blindside. Breakaway cable got under corner of hitch and jambed the brakes on with the CY axles about at the crosswalk area.
Very scary for a few seconds thinking she had walked into the trailer axles and became.....uhh, permanently immobilized.
Ordered a 4' coiled breakaway lanyard from Amazon.
LBR
Well-known member
You are correct.....my 4' is more than ample for how high up I hook it onto the hitch, so didn't need nor wish the 6'.
However in another month, I will be putting in either a new base with my existing hitch head, or a complete new hitch, for our new truck (puck setup) and may have to order that 6' one if it has to hook any lower onto the new setup.
It is such an inexpensive upgrade for fifth wheels that everyone here should give it deep thought to change over to, IMO.
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