Rusted-out 7-Pin Wire Harness Bracket

[zerowkul98]

My New-to-me 2008 V8 Sport Edition has the OEM trailer hitch, and it looks like its caught ALL the salt and grossness that New England roads have to offer:

I want to replace it, obviously, but i dont know what more i can do besides:

1) Replace the entire trailer hitch (Toyota doesnt sell JUST the bracket).
or
2) Go to my work's metal fab shop and fabricate a new one.

Anyone in here have an Option #3 for me? Know of any other ways i can take care of this?

Thanks in advance.

 

[JD914]

3) Disassemble it, scrape all the old paint and surface rust off, and repaint it.
4) Purchase a whole new unit for $50-60 online.

Although if you go with #4, make sure you do your research. I purchased one on ebay, and the bracket was incorrect, and I had to rewire the whole thing. It took some work, but it's on there and working correctly now. The benefit is that I now have both a 7 AND 4 pin harness.

 

[zerowkul98]

Trust me, ive thought about reviving the old metal bracket, but its somfar gone and thinned out, by the time im done sanding and blasting it, itll be too frail.

Ive already gotten it off the truck so i can make a template for a new one.

The wiring harness itself is fine. The metal "L" bracket is what's toast.

JD914, where'd you get your new one from?

 

[zerowkul98]

I realize my original thread was almost a year ago, but i like to follow-through and be thorough!

I finally got my lazy a*s to pull the old, rusty 7-pin panel off (big round of applause for cordless sawzalls!) and made a new one out of diamond plate.

Here's the finished product!

 

[settytb]

way better IMO. Well done.