Trailer wiring harness woes.

[Spyderific]

I purchased a 2013 trailer last week to pull behind my 2012 RT and now find out they changed the wiring plugin on the Spyder end for 2013. The dealer brought in the assembly BRP recommended and it is the wrong one. So they contacted BRP and after many calls back and forth BRP finally admitted they did not know which of their harnesses would work. :dontknow: BRP told the dealer to order another number and they would investigate whether it will work. :banghead: The dealer asked to have it over night shipped so we could have the trailer for a planned trip this weekend but BRP refused. Meanwhile my trailer sits at the dealer unusable for possibly 2 weeks. Why not just use a flat 4 pin plug that is universally in use on most of our vehicles today. I know too simple, right!:dontknow:

Okay, still fuming but this rant did help. :chill:

 

[NancysToy]

The easiest fix would be to use the 2011/2012 RT-622 Pole Harness, P/N 710002442. That is already wired to connect a 9-pin Spyder connector to a 4-wire trailer. It may not be a direct replacement for the 2013 tongue harness, though, the connector(s) at the trailer end might have to be changed. The color coding may differ, also...wire it by testing each function as you go. As an alternative, you could use this harness to build an adapter, by simply wiring a square-4 connector to it. You could also splice it into your existing RT-622 harness, so you had both types of connectors. You could even buy the appropriate Deutsch 9-pin connector, pins, blank hole plugs, end boot, and rent the special crimping pliers, and change the connector on your trailer. While that may be the cheapest alternative, it certainly is not the easiest.

 

[Spyderific]

I was about to wire in my own flat 4 connectors till the guys in the shop showed me the module that is in my Spyder. BRP could not make this any more difficult. All I need is the 9 pin round male end. i checked a bunch of sources today to no avail. So, by the time I round up all the parts I need, the suggested harness should be here next Tuesday. Wiring and/or changing wiring is not a problem for me, a licensed automotive technician however BRP has made sure I do not play in their sandbox. Oh well, it's only a few more days and we will be on a wonderful trip with a great Spyder and trailer. :cheers:

 

[NancysToy]

I was about to wire in my own flat 4 connectors till the guys in the shop showed me the module that is in my Spyder. BRP could not make this any more difficult. All I need is the 9 pin round male end. i checked a bunch of sources today to no avail. So, by the time I round up all the parts I need, the suggested harness should be here next Tuesday. Wiring and/or changing wiring is not a problem for me, a licensed automotive technician however BRP has made sure I do not play in their sandbox. Oh well, it's only a few more days and we will be on a wonderful trip with a great Spyder and trailer. :cheers:

You can get a matching 9-pin Deutsch connector online, but then you also need the correct pins, blank hole plugs, rear boot, and you need to use their special crimping pliers (which are cheapest to rent). In the end, it isn't worth it to me. One nice thing about using the BRP Pole Harness (or the 2010 Tongue Harness) is that you can do it as an adapter, so the trailer remains suitable for the original conventional use, or you can splice it in to have dual connectors on the trailer. I'm hoping that BRP settles down now and sticks with the 2013 configuration and the more straightforward wiring harness/module on the Spyder. It is easier to work with and adapt.

 

[MouthPiece]

This question is probably dumb as all get out, but why would you buy a 2013 trailer for a 2012 spyder? Why not a 2012 trailer, i.e., savings? I realize "because you can", but what advantage would there be? Just asking.

Chris

 

[Spyderific]

This question is probably dumb as all get out, but why would you buy a 2013 trailer for a 2012 spyder? Why not a 2012 trailer, i.e., savings? I realize "because you can", but what advantage would there be? Just asking.

Our dealer did look for a 2012 trailer but in the end sold the 2013 for very nearly the same price. BRP said the white 2012 trailers are sold out.

 

[j&pdewolf]

Guess I Am Not Made Of Money

I couldn't afford 4000 for a factory trailer, so put together a Harbor Freight trailer and Walmart cartop container. It hauls over 500lbs and looks great. It pulls with no effort at all and has only 5 and 1/2 pounds of tongue weight. I will post pictures when I learn how. So far I have just under 500 invested and lots of positive comments.

 

[bmwlarry]

Remember - you need to keep the trailer tongue weight at 10% of trailer weight for proper towing! for example, if you loaded trailer is 350 lbs - 35 lbs tongue weight. I would not put over 40 lbs tongue weight on the bro hitch, though.

But thats just me!