HELP! Wiring Harness for Towing!
Chuck
My '98 Explorer came with Trailer Tow Prep, not Package.
The Package has the Wire Harness installed to the bumper
and a larger axle ratio. With the prep, I have a plastic
connector located at the rear tail lights. When I had my
Class III hitch installed, the guy (not dealer) said I would
need a power converter b/c I had amber & red tail lights
(i.e. separate controls for turns and braking). After posting
to this newsgroup, I got advice to buy it from the dealer.
I called last week to my closest dealer and he said the
part would be available today (price ~$9.00). I called today
and now he says it is backordered. I went to Advance
Auto Parts and they didn't have a part either. I called another
Ford dealer and asked about the part. He said ~$11.00 and
it was backordered. I asked about the power converter and he
knew nothing about it.
My question is: Since I have Trailer Tow Prep with the plug at
the back, do I need a power converter or do I need just a snap
plug into the existing plug located behind the tail lights? Any
quick info would be helpful since I need to tow a U-haul about
300 miles on Saturday!
Thanks,
Chuck
Ted Sz
<nospam_...@groupz.net> exclaimed:
>Ok, I asked for help before and got some good responses.
>My '98 Explorer came with Trailer Tow Prep, not Package.
>The Package has the Wire Harness installed to the bumper
>and a larger axle ratio. With the prep, I have a plastic
>connector located at the rear tail lights. When I had my
>Class III hitch installed, the guy (not dealer) said I would
>need a power converter b/c I had amber & red tail lights
>(i.e. separate controls for turns and braking). After posting
Normally the problem is connecting a standard trailer with combined
turn signal/stop lamps to a vehicle with separate turn signal and stop
lamps. It used to be that mostly foreign cars had separate lamps and
American cars had combined lamps. Your Explorer has separate lamps.
The trailer tow package that came with my '96 included the internal
wiring to a round connector under truck, behind the rear bumper just
right of center. This is not "near the tail lights". An adaptor
harness brings this round multipin connection out to the standard
Class I trailer flat four pin connector. Relays in the truck convert
the separate lamps into combined lamps for the trailer while also
electrically isolating the trailer from the truck. That way, if the
trailer has a short you won't blow a fuse that also takes down the
truck lights.
This '96 package also included the 3.73:1 limited slip rear axle.
Some have said it also included some beefed up transmission and/or
engine cooling, but I've never been able to see any difference between
my radiator setup and that from an Explorer without the package.
So, if your '98 with trailer tow "prep" has the relays and such, but
not the pigtail adaptor, then I would say you don't need any external
adaptor to light up a normal combined lamp trailer.
>to this newsgroup, I got advice to buy it from the dealer.
>I called last week to my closest dealer and he said the
>part would be available today (price ~$9.00). I called today
>and now he says it is backordered. I went to Advance
>Auto Parts and they didn't have a part either. I called another
>Ford dealer and asked about the part. He said ~$11.00 and
>it was backordered. I asked about the power converter and he
>knew nothing about it.
>My question is: Since I have Trailer Tow Prep with the plug at
>the back, do I need a power converter or do I need just a snap
>plug into the existing plug located behind the tail lights? Any
>quick info would be helpful since I need to tow a U-haul about
>300 miles on Saturday!
>
>Thanks,
>Chuck
>
>
>
Ted Szypulski
Richard OKeefe
Chuck wrote in message <6pllnl$mb$1...@news10.ispnews.com>...
>
>Snip,
>
>My question is: Since I have Trailer Tow Prep with the plug at
>the back, do I need a power converter or do I need just a snap
>plug into the existing plug located behind the tail lights? Any
>quick info would be helpful since I need to tow a U-haul about
>300 miles on Saturday!
>
>Thanks,
>Chuck
>
I bought the harness from the local Ford Dealer for $19.00 - sounds like
you're getting a good deal. I towed a U-Haul with it and had no trouble.
I had to buy a $3.00 adapter from U-Haul to connect into the open end of
the 4 pin harness. This brought out the 4 pins to individual wires so
they could be hooked up to the trailer. It was a 5'X12' trailer and it
had individual wires, not a harness. You don't need a converter.
Dick OKeefe
'98 XLT - Tow prep
>
Dan
i have my towing wire hooked up all of the time
and i hear the relays clicking all of the time, would
they stop clicking if i removd the tow harness?
if so how would i get that darn thing off?!?
i tryed to relese it but to no avail...
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Charles Brinkley
I ended up buying a Hoppy Wire Harness that
said it worked with a '97 Explorer/Mountaineer.
The package showed the wire harness in the
same location as on my '98 Explorer so I decided
to give it a shot. The connector fit but I have yet to
try it on my trailer. I'll let the group know if there are
any problems. After discussing this with various
parties I have decided that the power converter is
not needed if you have the connector behind the
left rear taillight. This is my opinion (unless something
blows while I am towing!!)
Chuck
Chuck
Either it was the Hoppy or the U-Haul trailer.
The turn signals didn't work correctly.
Only the right side worked correctly.
If I switched wires, then the left trailer light
would blink when I used the signal to the right.
The U-Hual dealer measured the voltages from
the '97 Hoppy pigtail did not seem to work on my
'98 Explorer. But, I drove anyway and now have
more time to investigate the problems. I'll keep
posting the results.
Chuck
Ed Kleinhample
trailer wiring harness installed, and their expert told me that they do not
have anything that will work. Apparently, most '98s are prewired with an
adaptor from the 3-circuit wiring of the vehicle to the 2-circuit required
by most trailers. This built-in adaptor apparently makes most aftermarket
converter/adaptors work erratically if at all.
His suggestion was to check with Ford and order the harness designed for the
vehicle (same one that they supply if you by their trailering package).
Our local Ford Dealer ordered the part for me - $11.95 + tax - much cheaper
than the $25 adaptor that U-Haul normally uses.
Look under the rear driver's side fender. Look for a small (about 1/2")
covered connector coming off the main wiring harness (it will be aimed
downward). If you have such a connector, then your vehicle was prewired for
a trailer.
e
Chuck wrote in message <6qap9b$nn9$1...@samsara0.mindspring.com>...