trailer wiring harness

[Inveresk]

I'm buying a Ranger 21, 2005 tug. I need to tow it back from WA to BC and want to check what type of wiring harness the trailers are provided with as standard. I might have to change the wiring harness in my truck. Can you email me information on this or post a link?

My email address is g@inveresk.net

Thanks,

Inveresk

 

[Spirit of Gratitude]

You may want to have the person you are buying the Tug from take a pic of what is on the trailer with his phone and send it to you. There are only a few different kinds. You should be able to get a adapter if your set up is different then the trailer. Any u-haul place will have lots of adapters. They deal with that issue daily.

 

[Red Baron]

Inveresk, My 2007 Chevy Silveradoo came with the standard plug that most trucks have that come with a trailer package.It takes a heavy duty 1-1/2" --2" round plug that's pretty standard her in the east.All of my trailers (5)except the new 2011 Big Tex (it has the large rd plug on the trailer too) --have a small standard flat 4 prong plug . I just bought a new Load Rite trailer for my 2007 21EC and it has the small flat plug. There is an inexpensive adaptor from the large rd to the small flat. It depends on what you have on your vehicle?? and what's on the trailer your buying ?? I'd do as As Spirit of Gratitude said and take a picture--worth a1000wds! Cheers RB

 

[Inveresk]

Thanks all. The boat owner is on vacation and won't be at the vessel until the end of the week. I hope to go down to pick it up mid next week and was trying to be ahead of the game by changing my truck wiring harness if need be from a standard 4 pin flat. After I posted my query here, the Ranger factory advised me by telephone today that the normal trailer hitch wiring harness on a 2005 21 is 5 pin flat. I hope they confirm that by a posting. At first they said 4 pin flat but then corrected themselves.

If U haul has converters, that makes life much simpler. As it happens, I've also set up a visit to a trailer hitch outfit in Port Angeles on the way over and should by then have pics of the trailer wiring harness.

I also understand the trailer on the 21 has surge brakes and the 5th pin is to release them when the vehicle is reversed. I wasn't told that by the factory but by another individual. Hopefully, the factory will confirm the accuracy of that information also.

In BC we need brakes on trailers if the weight of the trailer and load are more than half the weight of the towing truck. I run a Tacoma which is about 3,500 lbs so trailer brakes are a must for me to cross the Border into BC.

 

[Rebel]

I think you might find that the fifth wire is a "hot" wire off the backup light circuit that is provided to disable the surge brake mechanism when you want to back up the trailer. At least that is what I found when I purchased a 2008 R25 a couple years ago.
John Turner

 

[abcandjrc]

I tried to respond last night but a virus attacked in the middle of it and destroyed my notebook computer completely..... what we endure to be helpful and what some folks won't do to be harmful. (I do have a full-system backup so that is in progress right now. That only makes it recoverable, not acceptable.)

Our 2007 R21-EC does use the flat, 5-pin connector. In our case, we are on an EZ-Loader with surge brakes. Ours are not deactivated electrically, but mechanically, with a couple of interlocks. I find that is not as convenient as electric, especially when I arrive at a launch site and back into a rigging area without remembering to make the changes to the interlocks. The upside is that I can disconnect my electrics before backing into salt water.

Anyway, if the boat you are buying is near any towns with auto parts stores you will be able to buy an adapter easily after you verify what is required. Our adapter came from O'Reilly Auto Parts, but all the majors carry an assortment of adapters. Ours goes from a 7-spade round connector used by most manufacturers with their towing packages to both a 5 and 4 pin flat. It is a Hopkins Towing Solutions #47385 and was about $20.

You might also make a note to ask the seller if he has the connecting wire to the LEDs on the boat if it is not apparent that it is installed. From others posting here, it appears that some trailers have it installed and some do not. It is possible he might have the cable from Ranger but not have it installed.