I have an '06 Ford Explorer (V8 2WD Limited :) ) with the bigger (class III?) towing hitch. Vehicle came with that little wiring connector/pigtail harness and I now want to connect that to a Reese POD trailer brake controller. The controller has 4 wires coming out of it and I'm pretty sure I've matched up the wires correctly (as follows):

Ford harness wires:

blue from trailer brake controller
violet/white stop light to brake controller
red fused brake controller battery feed (+12)
black/white ground
brown head lamp switch for running lights


Reese POD controller wires:

blue trailer brakes
red stop light
black +12
white ground


Connections:

harness controller
blue blue controller output
violet/white red stop light
red black +12v
black/white white ground
brown n/a head lamp switch



But my actual question is about connecting the wires from the controller (just regular copper wires thick and thin) to the Ford harness which has wires that end in what I think are heat shrink wrappers covering crimp connectors. I believe the heat shrink tubes have adhesive in them that I assume seals the connection when heated after the the wires are crimped in.

How the heck do you get the wires through the heat shrink tubes and into the crimp connector?? They're too small an opening! I must be missing something really obvious to others!!! Help!

I cut the shrink wrap off and shortened the leads to match up with where I was putting the controller.

Found this web page - looks like my best option is lopping off those dumb heat wrappers and crimp connectors. :D

http://www.mmxpress.com/technical/connections.htm

http://www.clublexus.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=95059&stc=1&d=1165182169

http://www.clublexus.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=95060&stc=1&d=1165182381