Trailer Brakes

[Stacy Waldrep]

I just bought a camper that I want to tow with my 2004 Sport Trac. It has trailer brakes on it. What exactly do I need to get my truck to work with that? Is my truck already wired to hook something up or do I have to do special wiring? Any help or info would be appreciated.

 

[Johnny O]

You will need a trailer brake controller. Any RV shop can install one or if you have a regular shop ask them if they've done it before.

 

[Stacy Waldrep]

I normally do all my own work. I hate paying someone else labor. I'm just wondering if our Tracs are wired to except what I need or do I need an adapter or am I going to have to splice into wires to hook up the controller. Has anybody does this themselves on their Trac?

 

[RedRanger 7]

Gotta be something on you tube or the Explorer forum. :driving:

 

[Stacy Waldrep]

Good idea....I'll try that.

 

[Chris Taylor]

Yes, you will have to splice into several wires, and install a 7-pin plug under the back bumper. I let a local RV dealer do it, as it was more than I wanted to tackle. That was a while ago though, but I think it was something like $300, including a Prodigy2 brake controller.

 

[Gavin Allan]

Your Trac had an adapter in a plastic bag in the glove box when new. You just wire the controller to the adapter and plug it in.



Your owner's manual can be a very good friend too.

 

[Stacy Waldrep]

Where does that adapter plug in Gavin? Maybe I can find one of those adapters and not have to cut into anything.

 

[Johnny O]

Stacy has a Gen 1, which do not come with a trailer brake plug or adapter, or even a hitch. The 7 pin plug and brake adapter only came on Gen 2 Tracs IF they are equipped with the optional Class IV hitch. Gen 1 Tracs and Gen 2's with the standard Class II hitch only have a 4 pin plug for trailer lights but no brake hookup. I've owned both.

 

[Scott Tanner]

you'll need to wire for a controller- I grabbed the CHMSL feed from the fuse panel to activate the controller, tapped into reverse lights out back for trailer backup, ran 12ga wire from front for +12V for trailer battery charge (fused), used the factory flat-4 junction under the truck out back for turn/brake/tail, a 12ga ground wire, and another 12ga wire from controller to trailer brakes. all of this to the 7-pin connector. use the sealed type of trailer connector, and use heat-shrink with adhesive inside to seal all of the connections...