Trailer Wiring Harness?

[sledgehammer1990]

I just got a tow hitch from an old explorer and refurbished it. It is a class III hitch and can tow up to 5,000 lbs. I don't know where to fine the wiring harness to connect a trailer. Any suggestions?

 

[Lacky01]

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums//showthread.php?t=242910

one of the pics shows the wiring. its under the drivers side taillight. you can get a flat plug adapter at etrailer, or wire in your own plug like I did.

 

[sledgehammer1990]

I know where the wiring is, but which wiring harness do I get? Doesn't one end have to be the flat 4 pin and other a round 8 pin or something to plug into that connector under the bumper?

 

[eaglesguy1981j]

Ok sorry to bring up an old thread but I dont want to make a new one either.

I have a 1997 Explorer. I installed the hitch. But Im unable to find the factory connector under the vehical to hook in my 4 wire harness I got. Ive look under the bumper taken out both tail lights and havent found this connector. So Im assuming I dont have one. Is there any more options to hooking in my 4 wires for trailer lights?

 

[Joe Dirt]

If you don't have one for some odd reason, you can just splice into the harness in the drivers' rear cubbyhole. I've seen a few Ex's at the junkyard like that, and all of them had the harness under the truck. They can be tricky to find sometimes, especially if the clip breaks, and people move them to get them to stay up under the truck.

 

[eaglesguy1981j]

The only connector I found was a round one about the same style Im looking for but it goes from out of the driver side tail light then down to the license plate light.

 

[eaglesguy1981j]

If you don't have one for some odd reason, you can just splice into the harness in the drivers' rear cubbyhole. I've seen a few Ex's at the junkyard like that, and all of them had the harness under the truck. They can be tricky to find sometimes, especially if the clip breaks, and people move them to get them to stay up under the truck.

Cubby hole are you talking like where the jack goes? Or splicing into the tail light?

 

[RickOTR]

The connect your looking for is located behind the rear brake light assembly on your 97. It's a gray connector that connects the license plate lights. Just unclip the connect and place the harness between the two you disconnected. You can buy the harness from etrailer... can't remember the part number but just get the one that says 95-97 ford explorer and you should be good to go.

 

[RickOTR]

Just looked it up for you. this is the one you need... http://www.outdoorpros.com/Prod/Hop...6-97-MERCURY-Mountaineer-96-97/52987/Cat/1266

 

[eaglesguy1981j]

Just looked it up for you. this is the one you need... http://www.outdoorpros.com/Prod/Hop...6-97-MERCURY-Mountaineer-96-97/52987/Cat/1266

Thanks for the leg work on that. I doubt I would have found it. One other question is that I unplugged that connecter and there is only 2 prongs. Now is that going to run all the lights I need. Turn lights, back up lights and tail lights?

 

[eaglesguy1981j]

I called hopkins supply. They that I need this one http://www.outdoorpros.com/Prod/Hop...kg-95-00;-Escape-w-o-tow-01-03/52985/Cat/1266




Its about 80 bucks compaired to the other at 24 bucks. If I can T off the License plate lights with the cheap one thats great. But am I going to need the 80 dollar one?

 

[RickOTR]

If you look at the first portion on the factory gray connector you can see it has four female connectors. The second connector only has the two prongs you mentioned because thats all you need to power the license plate lights. Get the connector like the one I gave you in the link and connect them together and you should be fine. I have the same year as yours and it was plug and play. Also, I had that same set-up like the one in the pic Hopkins sent you and found out that I really didn't need to spend all that money for it.

 

[Joe Dirt]

Cubby hole are you talking like where the jack goes? Or splicing into the tail light?

The splicing I've seen was to the wiring that goes to the taillights, but the splicing of the wires was dont in teh cubby where the jack resides.

Post a picture of the connector you found under your truck...

 

[GopherBaroque]

I removed the rear bumper from my 95 2Dr to paint it to match my new front winch bumper (RLC Welding). Here is a picture of the wiring behind it:

 

[Havocide]

In the grey compartment in the back of the exployer on driver side there should be a Uhaul factory plug already hooked up. Should have 2 types of connectors. Will save you the trouble of crawling under the back of the car. Hope this helps! I realized this factory plug was there after buying an adapter and baking a few fuses..

 

[GopherBaroque]

U-haul plug in left rear fender?

I wouldn't might a photo of the special connector you are referring to.

I had all of the interior uncovered (changed out carpeting and put in sunroof, as well as roof-mounted amateur radio antenna) and didn't find any special connectors. Wiring runs direct to bulkhead connectors in the tail light shell, or up the rear post (for third-brake light, etc).

Could someone have added the "U-haul" connector before you, and just tucked it away behind the trim?

 

[Joe Dirt]

Usually, most of the wiring I see form UHaul is their box added in, which is completely unnecessary and redundant.

My neighbor has a '98 Ex, and his UHaul wiring shorted out. I hopped the fence with a spare extender harness to go to the trailer, pulled his taillight out, said "plug this in there" and we removed the 2 miles of wiring that UHaul added. Everything worked perfectly.

I don't know if it was a charge-up to unsuspecting customers at UHaul, but it was ridiculous. I swear for every 10 Ex's I see at the junkyard with spliced in wiring, 9 of them have UHaul wiring.

 

[myf16]

I removed the rear bumper from my 95 2Dr to paint it to match my new front winch bumper (RLC Welding). Here is a picture of the wiring behind it:

My 1996 Explorer did not have that large connector on the passenger side. That connector must be what the factory calls "towing prep".

The simple solution for my non-tow-prepped Explorer was the Hopkins 40325 wiring kit, available on ebay (item 250752015728) for $10 shipped. It's a complete plug-in kit, very nicely done. You just unplug the connector under the drivers side tail light (no need to remove the lens or anything) and plug in the adapter. It's a 3-minute job, tops.

 

[ryanmr8]

I'm having similar problems. I've bought the T-style connector for the 96 explorer and I've plugged it up and I still have no power, no running, brake, or turn lights. I immediately thought I was having ground/ fuse issues. I looked through the truck and come to find out my truck was missing the 20 amp towing running light fuse and the two turning signal relays. I bought the relays and fuse and neither of the inserts have electrodes in them to accept the fuse or relays. So now I'm kind of lost as to what to do next. Do I need to purchase the 84 dollar kit mentioned above or is there a way I can work with what I have. I'm pretty handy but I am by no means an electrician or a mechanic. Thanks for any help you can offer.

 

[myf16]

I'm having similar problems. I've bought the T-style connector for the 96 explorer and I've plugged it up and I still have no power, no running, brake, or turn lights. I immediately thought I was having ground/ fuse issues. I looked through the truck and come to find out my truck was missing the 20 amp towing running light fuse and the two turning signal relays. I bought the relays and fuse and neither of the inserts have electrodes in them to accept the fuse or relays. So now I'm kind of lost as to what to do next. Do I need to purchase the 84 dollar kit mentioned above or is there a way I can work with what I have. I'm pretty handy but I am by no means an electrician or a mechanic. Thanks for any help you can offer.

I don't know. I don't yet have a trailer with which to test my setup. I figured two small tail lights would fit within the capabilities of the current wiring. Maybe the necessary wires aren't even there!