I need to know "How to wire a trailer."

[Air Force PAO]

OK...I bought an Escape trailer to pull with my 2010 RT. I have some serious questions and need the help of Spyder owners to put the trailer on the road. I have ordered a hitch from Ebay.

1. Can I just go to Autozone and buy a wiring kit with a 4-wire terminal and splice the wires into the appropriate wires on my RT?

2. OR does BRP sell a wiring harness that will do the job for my 2010 Spyder?

3. WHAT is the term, "trailer mode" all about? If I use the Autozone hookup, will the RT computer be affected adversely?

Thanks in advance for all your help.

[NancysToy]

1. Can I just go to Autozone and buy a wiring kit with a 4-wire terminal and splice the wires into the appropriate wires on my RT?
No. The Spyder is lighting is 5-wire, which would require a converter to attach to a 4-wire trailer if directly connected. Damage or lighting failure can result if you connect things wrong. I don't recommend direct connection unless you have LED trailer lighting and can figure a place to bring out the connector on the Spyder (if it is an RT)

2. OR does BRP sell a wiring harness that will do the job for my 2010 Spyder?
They sell a hitch/harness combnation that is plug-n-play...with good instructions. It has a built-in converter to go from the Spyder 5-wire to the trailer 4-wire. (A 5-wire trailer will have to be rewired). You will have to change the trailer plug to mating a square-4 connector, available at auto stores or trailer shops...or fabricate an adapter. Use the latest (2013) hitch/harness. I highly recommend this approach. The old ones have a 9-pin connecor and make the job more complex.

3. WHAT is the term, "trailer mode" all about? If I use the Autozone hookup, will the RT computer be affected adversely?
Trailer mode changes the shift points for the transmission, and should be used if towing with an SE, to keep the rpm up. It is independent of the trailer wiring.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

I could tell you stuff ...But Scotty's the expert and as soon as He see's this He will set you straight ......Mike..:thumbup: Well He just did ................Man is He fast or WHAT :agree::congrats:

[2ndChildhood]

I have the new 2013 trailer harness. It convert from a 5 wire to a 4 wire system. Works greats, easy to installed. I could not find the 4 wire square plug for the trailer side.

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/02/26/egyzu9aq.jpg

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/02/26/a5urasen.jpg

ToM
SpyderFest 2013

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[NancysToy]

I have the new 2013 trailer harness. It convert from a 5 wire to a 4 wire system. Works greats, easy to installed. I could not find the 4 wire square plug for the trailer side.

Hopkins makes one. http://www.hopkinstowingsolutions.com/products/specialty-connectors/4_pole_square_set.html

[swrafey2000]

Go to TricLed on the home page and get the wire drop downs so you won't have to splice into your stock harness. Any auto parts store sells a 5 to 4 wire converter.

[zrc]

Is this also true for an RS, I didnt think to ask first, I just went out and snagged an Autozone 4 wire harness and was going to splice it in tonight...

Do I need to take it back and get a different thingamabob?

[NancysToy]

Go to TricLed on the home page and get the wire drop downs so you won't have to splice into your stock harness. Any auto parts store sells a 5 to 4 wire converter.
Many 5-to-4 converters are not compatible with LED lighting. If it doesn't work, try another brand or go with the OEM setup. JMHO


Is this also true for an RS, I didnt think to ask first, I just went out and snagged an Autozone 4 wire harness and was going to splice it in tonight...

Do I need to take it back and get a different thingamabob?
The Spyder is 5-wire. You cannot hook up a 4-wire harness directly. You will need a converter if your trailer is 4-wire.

[Spyderjockey]

I have an older trailer that has stop and turn lights in one......so I had to go to a converter and I ran into problems with the converter. The first one would not work properly with one of the turn lights and finally we decided it had to be the converter itself. NAPA took it back and gave me a new one and that worked fine for almost 2 full riding seasons and then went bad. Went back to NAPA and bought another new one and it was dejavue, I went bak and explained the problem I had previously and now the same problem again. They talked to an automotive electrician and he said it must be a bad bunch of converters. They gave me another one and about 3 rides later that one went bad, so to be rid of the converters I just added 2 more lights to the trailer for the turn lights and everything is fine now.