I got this thing called “Line of Fire” for Christmas. It was purchased from JC Whitney. What it is is a long piece of plastic with 49 red LED’s on it. It has a flat four prong plug-in on one end. When hooked up it acts as an additional brake light when you hit the brakes. The left half blinks when you put on your left blinker and the right half blinks when you put on your right blinker. The whole thing gets mounted right above the rear bumper and right below the rear hatch.

Now finally to the question. I have a 97 Explorer Sport. I did a search and it says there is suppose to be a wiring harness on the drivers’ side under the rear bumper. I looked under there and I see a round plug-in, but plugged into it is a plug-in with two wires. It looks like the two wires go over to my license plate lights? Does anyone know if that round plug is a 6 prong or a 7 prong plug-in so I know which adaptor to get. Is that normally how the license plate lights are wired in? Through the towing wire harness?

Is anyone familiar with the towing harness? Any help at all would be greatly appericiated.

If I remember correctly you have to buy a "T" electrical fitting that goes between the round plugs. Comming off the side of the "T" will be the 4 wire flat plug trailer harness that will plug into your line of fire.
The kit is available at most auto stores.

Cool! Thanks Bill. Now I know what to strat looking for.

On my 98, I have the round plug you are talking about behind the drivers side rear light. You can see it from underneath by the bumper. Mine had a cover on it which I removed and I bought a connector from drawtite that plugs right into this. I use it all the time for my 4 wire trailer harness.

The T-thing Bill is talking about exists but you don't need it if you have this plug. As for something else being pluged into it, I never heard of that before...it should be empty. Did someone else screw with the wiring before you had it?

Take a look at this link...This is the part that would work.

http://hitches4less.com/95forex96mer.html

Nope nobody wired anything up under there. Where you had a cap, I have a connector with two wires coming from it. The two wires go over to my license plate lights. Do you have license plate lights? And if so how are that wired? With this wiring set up Bill is right, a t-connector would go in between, thus adding the needed 4 prong plug.

I have liscense plate lights but they aren't pluged into the trailer plug. I looked on that site again and sure enough, they have a plug for 96 and 97 explorers that is a "T". Makes sense now because on yours, your plate is on the bumper...my plate is on the tailgate and I guess the lights are wired in there somwhere. Here is the new link and my apologies to Bill!

http://hitches4less.com/19forextrail1.html

Hiya anothergoatherd,

I realize it has only been a few days, but I was curious if you got your "Line of Fire" installed yet? Any pics? I too am interested in this product. (Unfortunately, here in Europe they want us to have yellow indicators, and red tail/brake lights--so I might get myself 'nicked by the Old Bill.)

For all you trailer/trailer harness experts,

* Can you control/power a set of auxilliary backup lights from the trailer connector?

* Also, I assume you need the "T" adapter, so you can retain what maybe plugged into the connector (like license plate lights) plus plug an additional connector (like "Line of Fire") into it. Is this correct?

Happy New Year.

From what we've just found out, It appears that prior to 98, the license plate lights were plugged into this socket so yes, you'll need a "T" adapter for your trailer harness since you drive a 97.

I got what the guy at the parts store called a t-connector. Turned out it was a connector that just turned the plug from four prong round to four prong flat. Not gonna send it back though, because I live 350 miles from the parts store and don't feel like wating for the right one to come in. I'll just make this one work. Im going to plug it into the harness and then plug the line of fire into it. Then i'll use a bridge connector to add the the license plate wires to my running lights. Should work out fine.

Originally posted by zzimzimma
From what we've just found out, It appears that prior to 98, the license plate lights were plugged into this socket so yes, you'll need a "T" adapter for your trailer harness since you drive a 97.

You hit it right on the nose! But some that have the trailor tow package have another round plug more towards the passange side which on can be plugged into. I know thats how mine is.