Towing help

[ewg302]

Hey guys, I just purchased a pop up camper to tow behind our 2006 mountaineer v8 premier. I have been on here for awhile as this is my third mountaineer, but don't log on much....This mountaineer unfortunately came with the the class II hitch and 4 pin plug. The camper only weighs 2700 pounds, but has a 505 lb. tongue weight and 7pin connector and trailer brakes. I upgraded to a class three hitch bolted underneath to accommodate the tongue weight (which I hate as it looks ridiculous), but what can you do?....I can't seem to find any threads on adding the brake controller and necessary wiring for the 7 pin connector functionality.

Obviously the weight is not an issue (I am probably going to put a WD hitch on it to keep it as level as possible.) I just need to be compliant with the 7 pin\RV needs.

I picked up the hopkins 7 pin connector adapter that adapts the four pin, but Any recommendations on brake controllers or easy ways to wire these things without a full blown wiring project. I am hoping the wiring is there.....

P.S. thanks for all the help through the years......

 

[96firephoenix]

Should be a blue connector behind the glove box for the brake controller. You can get ford-specific brake controller kits online for this plug.

I"m not certain about the 4th gens, but on my 3rd gen, adding a 7-pin was as simple as following the factory 4-pin back to the connector below the rear passenger taillight, and replacing it with a factory 7-pin.

There was a recent write-up for doing a factory 3rd gen 2" hitch onto a 4th gen, but I'm not sure it includes the wiring.

 

[ewg302]

Thanks for the info....I will look into following that wire up to the light if possible..when the wife gets home.

If anyone else has any other info or experience I am all ears....

 

[Explorer_PL]

There is a blue brake wire taped at the end of the flat-4 connector.

See this:

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums...er-4-0l-2wd-trailer-brake-connections.452393/

And my post:
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums...-to-class-iii-iv-on-gen-4-07-explorer.452533/

 

[ewg302]

Thanks Explorer PL, love you hitch install! Unfortunately I unplugged the harness leading to the four pin, the one in your connector photo, it did contain an extra wire for back up lights but no blue brake wire... The blue wire is there under the dash at the controller plug and all the fuses are in the distribution box..but I don't know where the blue wire goes from under the dash.......to the distribution box, and then supposed to go to rear? They must have used a different harness that does not run wires to the rear...there were several empty plug locations at the rear harness plug..
It just seems odd that they would put fuses in the distribution box for wiring that does not exist....???? Even the trailer charge wire location has a fuse...???

 

[96firephoenix]

I found this post with more info about the wiring. It looks like the connector is physically the same, but does not control the same wires. The actual wiring harness you need for 4th gen is a lot more than just that plug at the taillight back to the hitch like my 3rd gen.

The reason for them putting fuses and wiring in for options not delivered is that it is often cheaper to install the same parts on EVERY vehicle than it is to make a separate wiring harness for every vehicle option set. A lot of products are made like that, especially cars.

 

[ewg302]

Yeah...this is definitely super frustrating....I know the concept of keeping everything the same is cheaper....but why keep the distribution block and fuses all the same, but then put a different wiring harness in it with......like.... three different wires......how the heck does that make sense.....???? I can follow the heavy blue wire up into the harness under the dash board but thats all I can see....it obviously ends somewhere, but I can't pick it up in any other exposed wire locations...None the less, my plug is live for the brake controller...I guess I will just tap the output signal from the plug and run my own blue wire all the way to the hitch.....I ll have to find the 12 v aux power in another adventure........Apparently the engineers on the 3rd gen had more common sense to just leave the harness alone and terminate the wire early.

Thanks for the thoughts and suggestions...just got find the way for the wire through the truck and out the back.

 

[michael loibl]

The first of the two suggested links revealed that on some fourth gens the harness with the needed wires terminated near passenger front tire. For whatever reason, my 2006 V6 with 1 1/4 hitch DID have the blue wire all the way to the spare tire area. Mine is a late production (May 2006). It would make more sence to me if it was an early '06 like Septeber 2005

 

[ewg302]

Thanks guys... But I gave up...I just ran a wire down along under the sill plates and back through where the rear ac is and then out though the plug for the rear body mount access under the rear tr panel... All other components are functional for the controller just no output line to the back...
Guess I just have to order up a prodigy P2 or Primus iq?

 

[male man]

Hey guys, I just purchased a pop up camper to tow behind our 2006 mountaineer v8 premier. I have been on here for awhile as this is my third mountaineer, but don't log on much....This mountaineer unfortunately came with the the class II hitch and 4 pin plug. The camper only weighs 2700 pounds, but has a 505 lb. tongue weight and 7pin connector and trailer brakes. I upgraded to a class three hitch bolted underneath to accommodate the tongue weight (which I hate as it looks ridiculous), but what can you do?....I can't seem to find any threads on adding the brake controller and necessary wiring for the 7 pin connector functionality.

Obviously the weight is not an issue (I am probably going to put a WD hitch on it to keep it as level as possible.) I just need to be compliant with the 7 pin\RV needs.

I picked up the hopkins 7 pin connector adapter that adapts the four pin, but Any recommendations on brake controllers or easy ways to wire these things without a full blown wiring project. I am hoping the wiring is there.....

P.S. thanks for all the help through the years......

I would have went to a wrecking yard and got the 2 inch receiver hitch that comes with the tow package. Thinking further without the tow package there's a lot of equipment you're missing it would really keep you from destroying your transmission and other things it even comes with the wiring in place for the brake controller

 

[thebrakeman]

Male Man,
His class 2, 1¼" hitch is a welded part of the vehicle's frame/structure. OEM swap would require cutting it out, and welding in the Class III/IV unit. From some of the links above, I guess some people have done it. I personally would not want to mess with the frame.

As far as the items missing, they are very few. Powertrain is the same, including axle ratios are the same (3.55), due to the 6-speed trans and it's super low 1st gear. Engine and trans cooling is the same. He's addressing the wiring for brakes. The V6 is another story, as they do include 3.73 axles because of the 5-speed trans.

 

[thebrakeman]

Hey guys, I just purchased a pop up camper to tow behind our 2006 mountaineer v8 premier. I have been on here for awhile as this is my third mountaineer, but don't log on much....This mountaineer unfortunately came with the the class II hitch and 4 pin plug. The camper only weighs 2700 pounds, but has a 505 lb. tongue weight and 7pin connector and trailer brakes. I upgraded to a class three hitch bolted underneath to accommodate the tongue weight (which I hate as it looks ridiculous), but what can you do?....I can't seem to find any threads on adding the brake controller and necessary wiring for the 7 pin connector functionality.

Obviously the weight is not an issue (I am probably going to put a WD hitch on it to keep it as level as possible.) I just need to be compliant with the 7 pin\RV needs.

I picked up the hopkins 7 pin connector adapter that adapts the four pin, but Any recommendations on brake controllers or easy ways to wire these things without a full blown wiring project. I am hoping the wiring is there.....

P.S. thanks for all the help through the years......

505 / 2700 = 18% tongue weight. So I'm assuming that 2700 is your empty weight (unloaded). Hopefully, all of the storage isn't in front of the axle. I would wait until you get the thing loaded, then check total weight and TW again, just so you know what you need in a WDH. The Equal-I-zer 600 might perfect, with integrated sway control.

I towed a 2400 lb unloaded popup (3000 loaded) behind a Chrysler minivan for 7 seasons. But my TW was under 400 lbs, allowing me to use a light-duty Single Bar 400 WDH kit. Probably not an option for you.

 

[thebrakeman]

Should be a blue connector behind the glove box for the brake controller. You can get ford-specific brake controller kits online for this plug.

I"m not certain about the 4th gens, but on my 3rd gen, adding a 7-pin was as simple as following the factory 4-pin back to the connector below the rear passenger taillight, and replacing it with a factory 7-pin.

There was a recent write-up for doing a factory 3rd gen 2" hitch onto a 4th gen, but I'm not sure it includes the wiring.

4th gen connector is above/behind the park brake pedal (driver's side).

 

[ewg302]

Ok guys... I have an update...first of all thanks again for the support.... So after all of my nonsense and looking for the harness, I found the blue wire at the back like you all said....not sure why I missed it, must have been too tired. When I went to hook everything up I found it. Simple process. I can use the wire I ran for power later..I tucked it in with the harnesses under the sill place and managed to get to the back by popping out the drink holder and rear ac cover, fishing it through and then running it out through a body mount access plug under the tailgate sill plate... Quite simple, but wish I saw that dang wire first.
I put a prodigy p2 controller in and it works excellent, 87.00 on Amazon. We towed the camper this weekend and it was a breeze..coming home we had the truck loaded more and the tongue weight issue became evident..I ordered a weight distributing hitch for future adventures. So far so good! Thanks again!