Cables are 45% of a diagnostic catalog for a reason: the industry never standardized. The right cable is the difference between connected in ten seconds and crawling under the dash with a flashlight. This hub plus the cable finder ends the guessing.
The core four every setup needs
| Cable | Used on | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 9-pin Deutsch Type 2 (green) | Most 2016+ Class 8 (J1939 @ 500k) | The current standard |
| 9-pin Deutsch Type 1 (black) | Pre-2016 Class 8 (J1939 @ 250k) | Not interchangeable with green |
| 6-pin Deutsch | Older trucks, J1708 era | Still on millions of trucks |
| OBD-II 16-pin | Medium-duty, vans, pickups, some MD trucks | GM/Ford medium-duty primary |
Brand-specific leads we stock
- Volvo/Mack: 88890313 and legacy 8-pin leads for Vocom work.
- PACCAR: under-dash 9-pin and ESA-specific jumpers.
- CAT equipment: 14-pin and 9-pin machine leads for CA3.
- Trailer ABS: PLC adapters and TEBS diagnostics cables for Bendix/WABCO.
- Off-highway: Komatsu, Deere, Hitachi, Kubota proprietary connectors — see off-highway cable kits.
- DoIP/Ethernet: OBD-to-RJ45 leads for 2025+ platforms — see the DoIP explainer.
Which cable does my truck need? Three ways to find out
- Fastest: the cable finder — make, model, year in, exact SKU out.
- Visual: the connector guide — photos of every port and where manufacturers hide them.
- Human: send us a photo of your diagnostic port on WhatsApp — a technician identifies it in minutes.
Best-selling cables
9-pin Type 2 (green) J1939 cable
The 2016+ standard. Buy two — they walk away.
View details →Complete cable master set
9-pin both types, 6-pin, OBD-II, Volvo, PACCAR, trailer PLC — the no-surprises bundle.
View details →Off-highway cable kit
Proprietary equipment connectors for Cat, Komatsu, Deere and more.
View details →Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between green and black 9-pin connectors?
Both are Deutsch 9-pin, but Type 1 (black) runs J1939 at 250kbit and Type 2 (green) at 500kbit. The keying differs so they don't physically interchange. Adapters exist, but owning both cables is cleaner.
My truck has a 9-pin port but my scanner won't connect — why?
Three usual causes: wrong 9-pin type (green vs black), the port is on a gateway that needs ignition-on, or the fleet added a telematics splitter that's blocking the bus. The connector guide walks through diagnosis.
Do I need a special cable for trailer ABS?
Trailer ABS communicates via PLC over the standard 7-way with a PLC adapter, or directly at the trailer ECU with a brand-specific cable. See trailer diagnostics.