Building a trailer wiring harness

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Building a trailer wiring harness

Postby kevindford » Wed Jan 10, 2018 3:30 pm

I'm towing with an '09 Ford Escape hybrid with no tow package. The harness is $80 from etrailer. I'm considering buying the components and putting the harness together myself.

Anyone built their own wiring harness? How much did the materials cost? Are converter boxes all the same for 4 pin connectors?

Thanks-
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Re: Building a trailer wiring harness

Postby Socal Tom » Wed Jan 10, 2018 4:17 pm

It looks like you can get one cheaper through amazon
https://smile.amazon.com/Manufacturing- ... ord+escape

Accoring to the Curts website the 56329 is the right part. It doesn't require cutting the taillight harnesses to connect, so will likely be more reliable than something you have to splice in.
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Re: Building a trailer wiring harness

Postby Socal Tom » Wed Jan 10, 2018 5:32 pm

To answer the original question, yes I’ve built my own harness mainly by using the universal kits available at most auto parts stores ( and Walmart). Last time I found it easier, cleaner and more reliable ( and economical) to use the custom prebuilt harness.
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Re: Building a trailer wiring harness

Postby greygoos » Wed Jan 10, 2018 7:19 pm

I got the harness and the hitch as a package deal from ebay. 120 including shipping. Uhaul wanted 210 plus 120 for the instalation
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Re: Building a trailer wiring harness

Postby Dale M. » Thu Jan 11, 2018 10:08 am

In newer cars the lighting (turn signals/emergency flashers/brake lights) are controlled by ECU, and the ECU may not like the extra load of additional bulbs.... I think in this day in age with the complexity of ECU and other auto electronics I would go with harness that is designed for vehicle as a plug in and not go old school by just adding into existing wiring...

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Re: Building a trailer wiring harness

Postby kevindford » Thu Jan 11, 2018 11:03 am

Ok, thanks all for your advice. Been talking w customer service at etrailer and he found me another solution for $35 so that's that.
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Re: Building a trailer wiring harness

Postby nemoskull » Thu Jan 11, 2018 9:36 pm

i took a male female 4 pin pair and uses 4 relays to make 2 logical or gates and powered the trailer light from the vehicle lights. leds in the trailer and added swapped out the TV lights for LEDs.
the logical or gates is needed to turn the seperate turn and brake in to one light for the trailer.

i used automotive relays, not really a good idea, becuase of the low current draw, or so i here. and any time i got the brake and the turn signal even without the trailer, the relays are still switching.
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