bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

Not sure if I should put this in electronics (although this isn't for a Lexus), or in ClubHouse, or what, so mods, feel free to move.

My Ford Explorer has a factory class III/IV towing hitch and wiring. They include a wiring connector under the driver's side dash to connect to a trailer brake controller. They also include a harness (connector with wires in a separate baggy) to connect a controller to the under dash connector (nice).

So I got a brake controller which someone else with the same vehicle has and have been looking at how to hook it up. I think I've got all the wires matched, so far so good.

Here's the harness and the controller:

(My challenge in the next post)

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

My challenge - the ends of the wires from the harness are covered in what I think is a black shrink heat wrap (below is a close-up). I figure there's a crimp connector where the black wrap reaches with the wire insulation (it's a bit thicker and rigid there).

The openings in the end of the black wrap are too small to poke the wires from the controller down so do I cut off the wrap by the crimp connector inside? Do I cut the whole darned things off and start over?

How should I connect these wires together!?!?!

Any help would be much appreciated.

ES350Bob

If in doubt, take it to either a U-haul place or better still a marine trailer place and show it to them before cutting anything as they are likely familiar with all kinds of secondary towing/brake connectors.

In the meantime you could try asking dreyfus on the ES350 forum as he seems very inclined to tinker with stuff like that. PM him with thread link and see what he thinks.

Lastly, you could in future try holding on to the instructions as one can now see they do come in handy.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

Thanks. We had a place put a controller in our pick-up a couple of years ago and this time I decided I wanted to try it myself. And living in horse country here there's plenty of trailer places.

Thanks for lead on dreyfus - will follow up.

LOL - I have ALL the instructions. I rarely ever throw out instructions. I was just able to bring myself to throw out the instructions for a new toaster I just bought. The Ford 'instructions' are one page - in one spot it just say 'connect the wires' or something so helpful.

ff_

I wouldn't take it to U-Haul. They won't touch the Explorer with a 10' pole, thanks to the horse***** suspension that led to all those rollovers in years past. In fact, they won't even let you rent a trailer if you are going to tow it with an Explorer. It's the only "tow-ready" vehicle that they will refuse to connect a trailer to. (ha!)

I would try a more private shop that installs hitches.

ES350Bob

Surrounded by horses in horse country, there must be people who need to transport them in their trailers, so there should be plenty of people that can help you figure out how to attach it if dreyfus doesn't know.

Or on the opposite side of the control box than shown in pic you posted, you could get manufacturer name and see if they have online instructions or an e-mail or 800 number for the DIY types.

It appears as though it has been wired before and taken out of something to me which may be why it is perplexing, but then I have never seen one before and may not know what I am talking about, which would be unusual for me.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

I'm all over it on instructions, specs., etc. I bought it new, but I stripped the ends of the wires.

Here's its web page:

http://tekonsha.com/pod.html

You can read for yourself how 'extensive' the installation instructions are. And their application sheet for Ford doesn't match the coloring of the wires I have. I may just call their tech support instead.

Dx3

iTrader: (13)

Paul,

Cut the shrink off and solder those biiatches together

Jonny

ES350Bob

I take it you would not agree with #2 below from the website.

• Mounting hardware included


• Smooth and simple installation


• 5 year warranty

and may be that since you stripped the wires it makes them difficult to slide into insulated sheath, could be they are supposed to slide in unstripped and then be crimped once in there which forms the contact.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

No way the wire + insulation was getting in the heat shield tubing.

I think Jonny's right.

I found this nice page on soldering...

http://www.mmxpress.com/technical/connections.htm

dreyfus

That is strange. I take it the tubing won't just pull off.

My advice is to cut the tubing off as near the attached wire as possible (discard the remainder), slide it up one of the ends you want to connect, solder the ends together, slide the tubing back down over your connection, then blow dry the shrink-wrap tubing to seal the deal.

Alternatively, you could use male/female bullet connectors or a butt splice connector, then pull the tubing over the connection and shrink wrap. Or if you want to dispense with the tubing altogether, just tape it afterwards.

Other than that oddity, your controller package looks like it's made of quality materials. Many kits wouldn't supply the shrink wrap. Good luck.

BTW, would you happen to be related to Sinead O'Conner?

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

Right, it's glued on (as close-up pic above shows).

When you say discard the remainder I think you mean discard the crimp connector inside because even after cutting the tubing off right at the end of the crimp connector the opening still isn't big enough to poke the wire from the controller into, so I have to take off the crimp connectors.

So cut off the tube wrap right at the end of the crimp connector inside and keep the cut off tube wrap. Then cut off the crimp connector entirely so I can then expose wire to solder to the wire from the controller, but before doing so, put the cut off wrap over one of the ends so I can slide it back over after I've soldered!

The wrap is on the Ford supplied harness/pig-tail to connect into the built-in connector under the dash.

Apart from both being from across the pond, no.

Thanks very much for your help!

ES350Bob

Gee, what a coincidence that he asked about Sinead.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

Yeah it was you who suggested we get him in this thread. LOL

DriftNsc3

Yeah I would say just cut the wires off right below the connector then have it soldered on. I take it that you can do this since its really not that hard and you seem like a mr. fix it type of guy. I think I've seen that type of Brake Controller. What kind is it. One of my many side jobs when I was with FEMA was to install these on trucks.