How?? 4 pin plug change to 5 pin -Need to tow boat

[05dink05]

Hey Everyone.

I'm buying a boat, it's trailer has a 5 pin flat wiring connector. My 'X' is a 99 XLT with a 4 pin flat wiring harness.

Does anyone know where to find an adapter to go from a 4 pin flat to a 5 pin flat.

I've searched all over the forums, and came up empty handed.

That's including the "Towing With Explorer and Ranger Based Vehicles" section, people have asked the same question in there but no one has come up with an answer.

I'm hoping to get this answered and then post a link in the towing forum.

Anyone?.. Anyone?.. Bueller?...

 

[JDraper]

They are readily available from places that have towing supplies. I think both K-Mart and Wal-Mart may have them. Pep Boys carries' em as does Tractor Supply.

On edit...the 5 pin might be a ******* connector. If it is, I'd cut it off and replace it with a 4 pin if it has no trailer brakes.

 

[IZwack]

Check the boat trailer first if it has brakes cauz 5-pin (by standard) includes a brake pin. If that is the case, it would be to your advantage to pick up a brake controller and convert the Explorer to a 5-pin.

EDIT -- nevermind, Draper answered it

 

[spdfrk]

the fifth pin in the conector is conected to your reverse lights. Boat trailers dont have electric brakes they have hydrolic or no brakes(for small boats). what happens when you mix electricity and water you mess things up right. if the trailer has brakes on it they will be hydrolic and how they work is that the trailer is a sealed system when you hit the brakes on the vehicle the weight of the boat and trailer push against a plunger in the tounge of the trailer that is hooked to a small master cylinder that inturn applys the brakes on trailer. and to get back to the original question. the fifth pin is needed to disingage the trailer braking system so you can back the trailer up if not the weight of the trailer pushing againsed the truck as you back up will apply the brakes. and they do not make adapters that go up in size only down sorry. you can plug your 4pin into the 5pin the fifth is just tacked onto the end the rest of them are the same. so if you are trying to get away with this as cheep and fairly easy as pos then just run another wire from your reverse lights and pug it into the last pin. sorry trying not to be long winded but easyer to explain in person. if you have any more questions i will try to answer them for you.

 

[05dink05]

Update!

I meant to update this a while ago, but anyway...

I went to Advanced Auto parts and they had an adapter for about $6 bucks. It simply plugs into the existing straight 4 pin connector with an extra wire that you run to your tailight. It has a quick connect crimp on splice so you don't even have to cut or strip your existing wires at all.

They whole kit looks like this:
http://www.hitchestogo.com/images/20036.jpg

I've been using this for a few months now and it works well.